Life of Hemchandracharya

Author(s): Manilal Patel
Publisher: Singhi Jain Shastra Shiksha Pith Mumbai

Page 68

CHAPTER VIII.-HEMACANDRA'S WORKS AFTER KUMARAPALA'S CONVERSION 49 the Prakrit Dvyasraya or Kumaravalacariya, a very small work entirely dedicated to Kumarapala and highly praising his piety and devotion to the Jina but at the same time illustrating the rules of the Prakrit-Grammar." The commentary on the Abhidhanacintamani was probably the last of the scholarly works of this last period. The fact that in this commentary both the Yogas'ästra and the Trigastis'alākāpuruşacarita are cited, proves not only that it belongs to the period after V. S. 1216 but also that it was written during the last years of the author's life. That this was his last work is also proved by another fact. Closely related with the Abhidhanacintamani, the Lexicon of Synonyms, is the Anekarthakosa, that of the Homonyms, which supplements the former. Besides, there also exists a commentary on this, the Anekürthakairavākarakaumudi. This is, however, not the work of Hemacandra himself, but of his pupil Mahendra who wrote it in his master's name after the death of the latter. It is said in the Prasasti given at the end this work:99
(1) "By the renowned Mahendrasüri, the ever truly devoted pupil of the renowned Hemasuri, is this commentary written in the name of his (master)."
(2) "Where is to be found in an unlucky fellow like me such skill in exposition. (as is required) for the book of the well-known master Hemacandra, one with the treasures of perfection (samyaktva) and knowledge, endowed with endless advantages? If, nevertheless, I have expounded it, it is no wonder; for I repeat the (oral) explanations of him (that man) who lives constantly in may heart."
The concluding words indicate that at the time when Mahendra wrote, Hemacandra was dead and that Mahendra, out of piety for the deceased, wrote down his oral explanations and published them in his name. It also appears that Hemacandra might have thought of himself commenting on the second part of his Kosa, but before he could carry out his plan, he was overpowered by death. It may therefore be supposed that the commentary on the first part was completed just before the death. It is to be repeated that (see page 37) also the Sesakhyā Nāmamālā can possibly belong to this last period, if this work was originally included in the commentary on the Abhidhanacintamani. This statement may be corroborated by similar occurrences in the commentary on the Yogas'ästra which contains metrical supplements to the text (Note 80). Certainty about this point can, however, be arrived at only if the old palm-leaf MSS. of the commentary on the Kosa be carefully investigated. As regards the date of the work about Jaina dialectics mentioned as Pramāṇamimamsā in the Prabhavakacaritra, but as Syadvädamanjari in the MSS., I can say nothing definite. As, however, it is not mentioned in the commentary on the Yogas'astra, it also belongs, perhaps, to the works of the period of V. S. 1216-1229. With this, the list of Hemacandra's works is exhausted. The author of the Prabhavakacaritra says, in fact, "simple-minded people like him" (Note 74) do not know all the works of the great master, and Rajasekhara boldly believes that Hemacandra wrote 30,000,000 slokas. Though this statement is often repeated in the Pattavalis or Gurvävalis, it is obviously an absurd exaggeration. As yet there has been found no reason to ascribe more books to Hemacandra than the ones mentioned here, and these contain about 100,000 slokas. In this respect, it is particularly important to 7