Jain Journal 1968 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 28

176
JAIN JOURNAL
grammar The king asked, "What is this?" Hemacandra answered. "This is the Bhoja-vyakarana It is the prevelant grammar of the language The lord of Malaya was the crest-jewel of the learned He composed works on Sabdasāstra, Alamkāraśāstra, Daivajñaśāstra and Tarkasastra " Thus Hemacandra goes on mentioning the various works by Bhoja (vs 74-78) The king asked, “Have we no such series of scientific books in our library ? Have we no learned man in all Gurjaradesa ?" The learned men (in the assembly) looked at Hemacandra, all simultaneously The king very respectfully appealed to Hemacandra and requested him "Fulfil my desire, Oh Maharsi ! Compose the science which will give proficiency in Language who, other than you, is the master ?""
The rivalry between Malava and Gujarat was not only political but literary and cultural also The kings of Gujarat were as jealous of the paramountcy of their learned assembly as of that of their power Jayasimha, in fact wanted to emulate the famous Vikrama of Uvain and after he had become Avantinatha, it was but natural for Jayasimha to make his Gujarat superior in literary culture also
'Hemacandra replied “Your word is only a reminder of what it is our duty to do But there are eight grammars, and these works are, no doubt, in the library of Sri Bharatidevi Get them through your men from Kasmiradesa, so that, Oh Great King' the science of language be composed well "' (vs 85-87)
This speech, if it embodies the substance of what Hemacandra might have said, indicates, why Hemacandra wanted to go to Kasmira It was probably to be a great Varyākarana , and to be a great Varyakarana was the hall-mark of rare learning then, even as it is now, among the Pandits of India It secondly indicates that Hemacandra was thinking of writing a grammar even before the king requested him to do so The grammar with its commentary and other appendices was quickly completed after the request of the king Looking to the great bulk of the matter and the time and the energy that would be required to prepare it, it would have been physically impossible if the work was not begun much earlier
Jayasımha immediately sent his officers to the Land to Vagdevi They went to Pravarapura--the same place from where Bilhana had come-and propitiated the goddess who ordered her officers to send men with the collection of books, "as Hemacandra was her own