Jain Journal 1968 04

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

Page 62

ABHIDHANA-CINTAMANI
ANEKARTHA-SAMGRAHA
DESINAMAMALA
NIGHANTUSESA
wrote
After finishing Sabdanusāsana, Hemacandra Nāmamālā, 'the Garland of Nouns' (6 kändas consisting of 1542 verses) In the commentary Hemacandra gives this Garland of Nouns the name of Abhidhāna-cintāmanı.
Appendices known as Abhidhana-cintămani-parišışta were also composed and placed at the end of each kända This work is, however, not a separate entity and we have no means to decide whether it is Hemacandra's own work or that of some of his disciples
Hemacandra completed his Sanskrit lexicon by writing a supplement in six chapters known as Anekartha-samgraha ---a collection of words having more than one meaning by arranging them according to the number of syllables in each The commentary on the Anekārtha-samgraha is composed by Hemacandra's disciple, Mahendra Suri
Abhidhana-cintamani with its supplements and commentaries is, like the Siddha-Hema, characterised by the clearness of exposition and comprehensiveness of subjectmatter while his commentary Tattvabodha-vidhāyini is a veritable mine of information on Sanskrit lexicography Just as Hemacandra made his grammar unique and comprehensive by composing an adhyaya on the Prakrit dialects -perhaps the most comprehensive among those extant in India-so he composed a dictionary of desya words, Rayanavali, or better known as Detināmamālā, with commentary, in order to give perfection to his work on lexicography.
After the composition of Rayanavali was over, Hemacandra prepared a botanical dictionary known as Nighantušeşa It is however, not known whether a commentary on this work was prepared