Jain Journal 2003 10

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

Page 24

ĀCĀRYA PŪJYAPĀDA AND HIS WORKS
Dr. M. Jalendiran.
Many Acaryās of early time did not mention ever their names as the authors of their works. Pūjyapāda Devanandi belongs to this class of Ācāryās. Therefore, to decide the date and authorship of his works, we will have to depend upon the external sources of tradition. Ācārya Pūjyapāda is an eminent scholar of Digambara Jaina sect. The points mentioned below are the authentic information about the great yogi Ācārya Pūjyapāda.
1. On the basis of Nandi-Āmnāya pattāvali of Digambara Jaina tradition, Digambara Jaina scholars are of the opinion that Ācārya Pūjyapāda was a successor of Acārya Samantabhadra. Ācārya Samantabhadra is the author of Ratna-karandaka-śrāvakācāra.
2. The same tradition states that he belonged to Nandisamgha, a branch of Mūlasaingha in Balātkāragaņa.
3. A story in Rājāvalikathā states a few things about the great yogi Ācārya Pūjyapāda. It runs as follows.
Śri Pūjyapāda was born in the town named Kollagala in the Karņāțakadeśa. His father was Mādhava Bhat, a brahmin by caste and his mother was Sridevī. His maternal uncle was Pānini, the famous Sanskrit grammarian. His younger sister was Kamalini by name and she was married to Guņabhațţa and their son was Nāgārjuna.
One day Pūjyapāda saw a frog into a serpent mouth. Then he understood the impermanency of worldly life. Immeditely he became a Jaina mendicant.
In the meanwhile Guņabhatta died. His family was placed into a starving condition. One day Ācārya Pūjyapāda went to Kamalini's house and saw the poor condition of her family. Then he asked Kamalini and came to know that she had no other vessel excepting of one iron plate. Pūjyapāda asked her to bring the same.
He took the iron plate and after recitation of certain mantras he gave it to Kamalini with instruction to place it on fire for twenty four hours and afterwards he went away.