Jain Journal 1992 10

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

Page 41

JAIN JOURNAL
Gargadeva Dharmasena
IV-Argins
Nakşatra Jayapāla Pāņdu Dhruvasena Kansa
V-Ācāra Angins
Subhadra Yaśobhadra Yaśobăhu Lohārya Maghanandi Jinacandra Kundakunda
Total
583
Taking away the fifty-two years of his own ministry, Kundakundacarya started preaching 531 years after Lord Mahāvira. Since only in his forty-fourth year he became an Ācārya, the date of Kundakundacārya would be 40 B.C.
The personality of great teachers is lost in obscurity and shrouded with traditions. It is said that in a town called Kurumarai in the district of Pidat Nadu in the South, there lived a wealthy businessman by name Karamunda. His wife was Śrimati. They had a cow-herd who tended their cattle. His name was Yativar. One day when he was driving his cattle to an adjoining forest, he saw to his great surprise that the whole forest was consumed by forest fire except a few trees in the centre, which retained their luxuriant green foliage. This roused his curiosity and he went and inspected that place. There he found on the branch of a green tree a Šāstra, written on palmyra leaves and wrapped in cloth. Yativar brought down tho
and carried it home with great awe and reverence. He placed it on a high pedestal and continued to worship it daily.
One day Śrutasāgar Muni visited Kurumarai town. Karamunda offered him food. After taking his meals, the Muni gave his usual religious discourse to the people gathered at the residence of