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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
14
Kalpasútra.
Jainas from it. At last, Bhadrabâhu came to the help of his correligionists and defeated his brother by his superior knowledge of astronomy. Humiliation and anger caused the death of Varahamihira, who became an evil spirit (dushțavyantara). As such he brought diseases in the houses of the Jainas, until Bhadrabâhu drove him away by means of the Uvasaygahara stotra. Bhadrabâhu then composed a Samhitâ named after him.
The story just related is apparently of no historical interest, and of modern origin, because Hemacandra does not relate it. It, therefore, need not longer detain us; but the Bhadrabahayî Samhità calls for further remark. A work of that name has been found by Dr. Bühler (Report on Sanskrit Mss. 1874--1875. p. 20). He informs me that it is of the same character as the other Samhitâs, whereby its comparatively modern origin is proved. It is not cited by Varahamihira, who names amongst his numerous authorities another Jaina astronomer, Siddhasena ) (Kern, Bțihat Samhitâ, preface. p. 29). The Bhâdrabâ havî Samhità is, consequently, more modern than Varâmihira; at any rate, its author can not be the same Bhadrabâhu who composed the Kalpasûtra, because its last redaction, the date of which (980 A.V. = 454 A.D. or 514 A.D.) is mentioned in it, was already earlier than, or at
east contemporaneous with, Varahamihira - not to speak of its composition.
These are the statements of the Jainas about Bhadrabahu, arranged chronologically. Whatever their historical value may be, they all show that he was unanimously looked upon by the Jainas as one of their oldest and most able authors. His works making part of, and having shared the fate common to, the whole Jaina literature, it will now be incumbent on us to discuss the questions concerning the Jaina literature in general. As its most eminent and sacred part are regarded the 45 Agamas ). Some of them are attributed to authors, for instance the Daçâvaikälika to Çayyambhava, the Daçâçrutaskandha and Vyavaharasûtra to Bhadrabâhu, the Prajñâpanâ to Cyâmârya; but most of the âgamas
1) Siddhasena is a reputed Jaina author, who is said to have made the arrangement of the Samvat Era for king Vikramaditya. The Kalyanaunandira stotra is attributed to him. (Ind. Stud. XIV, 376 sqq.)
2) The following list of the âgarnas has been kindly furnished to me by Dr. Bühler. I Añgas: Acârânga, Sûtrakridanga, Sthânânga, Samavâyáīga, Bhagavati, Jūâtadharmakatha, Upâsakadaçâ, Antakriddaça, Anuttaraupapatika, Pracnavyâkarana. Vipákasútra: II U på ji gas: Anpapâtika, Râjaprayna, Jivabhigama, Prajñapanâ, Jambudvîpaprajñapti, Candraprajñapti, Sûryaprajñapti, Nirayâvali, which includes the following upangas, Kalpâvatamsa, Pushpika, Pushpacitlika, and Vahnidaçâ. III Prakirnakas: Catuhçarana, Aturapratyakhyana, Bhakta, Samståra Tandulavaiyalî, Candâvija, Devendrastava, Ganivija, Mahâpratyakhyana, Vîrastava. IV Chedas: Niçîtha, Mahâniçitha, Vyavabara, Daçacrutaskandla, Brihatkalpa, Pancakalpa. V Nandisâtra, Anuyogadvara. VI Malasutras: Uttaradhyayana, Âvaçyaka, Daçãvaikâlika, Pindaniryukti.
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