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MATHEMATICS OF NEMICANDRA
.(By Bibhūtibhūşaņa Datta)
Nemicandra's Time and Place Acārya Nemicandra Siddhānta-cakravarti was a contemporary of celebrated Cāmundarāya (or Cāmundarāja), a profound scholar, a brave general and a great statesman. Cāmundarāya was minister of King Mārasimha II (died 975 A. C.) and also of his descendent King Rācamalla (or Rājamalla) II (died 984 A. C.) of the Gänga Dynasty of the West. During the reign of the former he won several great, battles. With the advance of age, Cāmundarāya devoted himself more and more to religion and became one of the greatest promoters of Jainism. Though a disciple of the venerable Saint Ajitasena, he was much devoted also to Nemicandra. In the Gommata-sūra of Nemicandra, we find appreciative mentions of Cāmuṇdarāya. In fact, as has been attested by its commentator, Abhayacandra Traividya-cakravartī, Nemicandra composed that work by way of discourses on scriptures to Cāmuṇdarāya and in answer to questions put by him. In the same way Nemicandra wrote another work, Triloka-sāra by name, so we are informed by his chief disciple, Mādhavacandra Traividyadeva, in his commentary on the work. According to the Bāhubali-carita (1614), Nemicandra accompanied Cāmundarāya on a pilgrimage to the image of Gummațeśvara at Podanapura and in obedience to his command the latter erected on the Vindhyagiri at Śravaņa Belgola (Mysore) a colossal image of Bāhubali (more commonly known as Gommațasvāmī or, Gommateśvara), the biggest and most ancient of the three Jain statues (of about 561, 42, and 35 feet in height) which are amongst the wonders of the world " and "undoubtedly the most remarkable of the Jain statues and the largest free standing statues in Asia.” This image was completed in 980 A.C.1
1 See the Introduction (pp. xxvff) of Sarat Chandra Ghoshal to his edition of the Dravya-samgraha, with the commentary of Brahmadeva, English translation, notes and an original commentary (in English) by himself, Arrah, 1917.
