Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 651

182 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
not confuse us regarding the genuineness of the verses. JACOBI'S remark, which Prof. ALSDORF considers to be certainly wrong', does not appear to the present writer to be so condemnable. For we find in the ancient texts copious instances of flying over from one metre to another in one and the same verse. In fact, this was a usual practice of ancient authors with whom matter was always more important than the form. They never bothered for the metre which they waived or changed in order to express their ideas exactly as they struck them.
Their utterances, however, usually came out in an easily flowing "metrical or semi-metrical form. Morever, if a later reader wants to
insert a line to complete the verse, why should he coin an Arya line and not an Anustubh one, provided, of course, that he wishes to put a quotation there ? Because though Ary, developed at a later stage, Anuştubh is the easiest metre and a later inserter would be more conscious of metrical homogeneity than the original author.
Secondly, the expression 'the monk must fight his ātman with his atman' is confusive. Ātman is not at all to be regarded here as an entity separated from one's own self, or rather oneself. This fight against the Ātman can in reality be fought only by oneself; in such an internal fight one cannot expect any help from external allies! One has to vanquish oneself by oneself. One remains all alone in this struggle against one's own self, or rather oneself! This is not at all a new thing for an Indian, whose civilization is nourished by this same teaching through all the traditions of this hoary land of various philosophical trends.
Under the circumstances how can it be argued that "krodha māna māyā lobha are totally out of place in an answer solely concerned with the fight against the ātman ?” In fact victory over one's Ātman means self-restraint which naturally includes subduing of or full control over the feelings of krodha etc.
Further, the line 24ha capoi 55 TIL HES' (35cd) can yield, without hampering in the slightest degree its natural course, another sense : It can be rendered as 'आत्मानम् एव आत्मानम् जित्वा सुखम् एघते''One can secure (highest) bliss by conquering oneself and oneself alone.' Almost all commentators have explained one 375970' as
adtune factar!, but Mahopadhyāya Bhävavijayagañin's commentary [Atmānanda Grantharatnamālā No. 32; Atmānanda Sabhā, Bhāvanagar, 1918, Vol. I, leaf 225] mentions only one 379TUT' :
“pai 7 BTCOITÀI RA CHÁ FET 'fe fstral......"