Jain Journal 1992 10

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

Page 32

OCTOBER, 1992
77
ratna not ratna-kambala.98 His third reference is Silankācārya's Vivarņa on the Niryukti (verse 122) of the Sūtrakrtānga Sūtra (1.13) where the commentator mentions that a ratna-kambala becomes warm in cold weather, and cools down when it is oppresive heat. The pertinent portion is as follows:
unhe karei sīya siye unhatanam puņa karei kambalakşaņādiņam esa sahābo muñeyanyo
But this reference could not be traced in the edition available at the Oriental Institute, Baroda. Here also the first word in the second line suggests that it is kambala, not ratna-kambala.
Prof. Kapadiya refers also to its occurance in Trişaști-salākāpuruşa-carita (I. i) only in a casual way. The phrase ratna-kambala thus is met with in Hemacandra's Trişaști-salākā-puruşa-carita (I. 746, 768 and 770) where the life of Jīvānanda was dealt with its price, He further pointed out that narratives about king Śreņika-Salibhadra, and Sthulabhadra furnish references pertaining to ratna-kambala and the story of Sthūlabhadra suggests that ratna-kambala could be had from Nepal.39
It is not always intended to consider ratna-kambala simply as a fabulous object. Pt. B.L. Shanbhagace says that the thick woolen Persian carpet is still called ratna-kambala in Konkani. Moreover we have already seen above that in the seventh sarga of the eighth parvan of Trişasti-salākā puruşa-carita, Yavana traders are stated to have brought the ratna-kambala to India for selling at very high price.co The worms burning due to the application of the lakşapäka oil, which is described by Hemacandra as uşnavirya i.e. a powerfully scorching drug, would naturally be tempted to resort to the jeweled woolen
which would be comparatively cool and soothing. We have already noted two references specifying the characteristic of the blanket of giving heat in cold weather and coolness when it is oppresive heat.
38 Acărāngasutra with Bhadrabahu's Niryukti and Silankācārya's Vivarana, Agamodaya
Samiti edition, Mehsana, 1966, p. 392b and 393a. 39 Ibid., fn. p. 24. 40 Trisasti-salākā-puruşa-carita. VII. 8.