Life of Hemchandracharya

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

Page 80

61
same was written in the Samvat, i. e. in all probability Vikrama-Samvat 1338 or 1282-83 A. D. The era cannot be determined, in this case, with absolute certainty as no details are available. The fact that the Jainas almost always use the Vikrama-era, is a point in favour of the theory that this era is
meant.
These results of the investigation of Pradyumna's period allow us to assert safely that the Prabhavakacaritra belongs to the 13th century, and make it probable that the date of its compilation is not far removed from 1250 A. D. It is therefore the oldest source for the life of Hemacandra. It is all the more essential to emphasize this and to explain it fully, as my honoured friend Rão Bahadur S. P. Pandit places this work at a much later period. He opines in his Introduction to the Gamlavaho, p. CXLIX, that it was written after Rajasekhara's Prabandhakoga (see Note 3) and that Rajasekhara is mentioned in the Prabhacaritra, XI, 1. However, the verse in question, in its correct form, reads:
बप्पभट्टिः श्रिये श्रीमान्यद्वृत्तगगनाङ्गणे । खेलतिर गावात राजेश्वरकविर्बुधः ॥ १॥
The MS. which is available to me, which, like No. 12 of the Deccan College Collection of 1879/80, was made after the copy in Hathising's Bhaylar at Ahmadabad, and is full of errors, gives gatayatuiḥ rajes'varah. The Deccan College MS. has not these two errors, but then at the end we read instead of budhah, the nonsensical reading buda, for which R. B. Pandit substitutes muda. This correction is not only unnecessary, but also spoils the sense. The translation of the verse is:
"(May) the illustrious Bappabhatti (lead us) to prosperity, in whose life the wise (budha) Bajesvarakavi going and coming played (a vile), like the planet Mercury (budha) in the firmament".
Rajes'varakavi means the same as Vakpatiräja, and therefore serves to designate the author of the Gandavaka, who, according to the Jaina-legend, repeatedly came into contact with Bappabbatti. He is called budha (wise), and this word, which is also a name of the planet Mercury, leads to the further comparison of the life of Bappabhatti with the firmament. The latter is very popular with Jaina poets, and seemed suitable to the author, as he hints that the life of the teacher was pure as the firmament to which, as the Indians say, no dirt adheres. Rão Bahadur Pandit's hypothesis that this verse says that Bappabhatti's life-story is borrowed from the Prabandhakosa, is therefore wrong. An exact comparison of the date in the Prabhavakacaritra with those of the Prabandhakosa would have shown clearly, that the account of the latter is based upon the former. Another argument brought forward by R. B. Pandit for the late date of the Prabhavakacaritra, is just as unsound. He says, loc. cit. p. CLIII:
"The author of this work lived long after Hemacandra (A. D. 1089-1174) because in addition to writing a story of the latter's life in his work he speaks of him as having written long ago (purd XI. 11) certain works on the lives of some of the men about whom he writes himself".
This expression contains many errors. The passage which R. B. Pandit has in his mind, does not occur in the Pr. Car. XI. 11, but in I, 11 in the Introduction to the work. It also does not affirm that the author bases himself upon Hemacandra's works, but that he carries further the life-story of the Jains-teachers which was begun by Hemacandra in the Trigastie'alakapuruşacaritra. There in the Paris'istaparvan the narrative breaks off with the life of Vajrasvamin. The verses in question read in my MS. as follows:
की युगप्रधान श्री हेमचंद्र [ज] प्रभुः पुरा ।
sfreemangat gui (qd] senfis qvitve || 11 || श्रुतकेवलिनां षण्णां दशपूर्वभृतामपि ।
भावस्वामिषं च चरितानि व्यन्त सः ॥ १२ ॥