Kevalaodhi Buddhist And Jaina History Of Deccan Vol 2

Author(s): Aloka Parasher Sen, B Subrahmanyam, E Siva Nagi Reddy
Publisher: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan

Page 129

Contribution of Jainas to Medicine in Ancient Deccan
331
Even the geographical frontiers cannot be fixed and generalized throughout the span of ancient and medieval days. Especially, Srisailam, Kolanupaka and Alampuram were the common religious centers to both the people of Andhra and Karnataka regions.
With regard to the date of Pujyapāda, previously, there was much controversy among the scholars. Pujyapāda, in his work Jainēndra Vyakarana, refers to the names of Samantabhadra (AD120-185) and Siddhasēna (AD425). His disciple Vajranandi is said to have founded the Drāvida Samgha in AD 469. Akaļanka (AD 625-675) quotes from and refers to Pūjyapāda and his Jainēndra Vyakarana and makes full use of the Sarvarthasiddhi in his Tattvärtha Rajavartika. Thus after a careful examination of these sources, his date is fixed as AD 464-524.
Ugrādityācārya's medical work Kalyānakäraka is of great help in tracing the history of medical literature in the Deccan. He paid his obeisance to the early scholars like Agnivēśa, Caraka, Kaśyapaputra and Bhikṣu (Nāgārjuna?). He also referred to the other scholars mostly of the Deccan and explains their better contribution in their specialization as follows: Pujyapada
: Sālākyatantra (diseases of head) Pätraswāmy
: Salyatantra (surgery) Siddhasēna
: Visatantra and Bhutavaidya (toxicology & psychiatry) Dasarathaguru
: Käyacikitsa (treatment of common ailments of body) Meghanātha
: Kaumärabhrtya (Paediatrics) Simhanādamuni : Rasayana & Vijikarana (Science of longevity and aphrodisiacs)
But for him, we could not have known that many of the Jaina monks contributed for the development of medical science. In the colophons of his work, we find some references which give information regarding his date, residence, his guru, colleague, patron, etc. With the help of such information, we come to know that he was a pontiff of the Desigana, Pustaka gacca, Pānsõgavalli śākha of Mula Samgha in the line of Kundakundācārya. He was the disciple of Srinandi and his colleague was Lalitakirti Ācārya. He studied with Śrīnandi and his colleague was Lalitakīrti Ācārya. He studied the science of medicine at the feet of Srīnandi whose establishment was located on the beautiful hill of Ramagiri. The author also mentions that his guru was honored by Vişnurāja Paramēswara. This king can be identified with the Eastern Chāļukya king Kali Vişnuvardhana, otherwise known as Vişnuvardhana V, who was a contemporary to the Rashtrakūta king Amöghavarsha I. Kali Vişnuvardhana V ruled the Vengi kingdom during AD 846848. At the end of his work, the author gives a long discourse in Sanskrit prose on the uselessness of flesh diet, said to have been delivered by the author at the court of Amõghavarsha, where many learned men and doctors had assembled. The Rashtrakūta king Amõghavarsha ruled the kingdom for 66 years during AD 814-880. The Vengi Chāļukya and the Răshțrakūta kings maintained matrimonial relations and were friendly before Gunaga (Mummadi) Vijayāditya's rule. When Guñaga Vijayāditya attacked the Răshtrakūta territories, Amõghavarsha inflicted a severe defeat on him. Gunaga Vijayāditya maintained amicable relations with the Rashtrakūtas till the end. Amõghavarsha honored the scientists like Mahāvīrāchārya, the renowned Jaina mathematician and Ugrāditya.
Amõghavarsha invited Ugrādityāchārya to his court and held discussions with him in the assembly of many other medical scholars. Thus the facts that Ugrāditya's guru Srinandi was honored by Vişnu