Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

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

Page 652

GENUINENESS OF UTTARÁDHYAYANASŪTRA IX.34-36 : 183
This may be regarded to imply that the commentator is not inclined to take one ' 2709101' as a case of Accusative used for Instrumental, as others have done. To him, therefore, the repetition of
cari' is just for stressing upon the victory over oneself. This interpretation does not suffer from even the slightest tinge of improbability. On the contrary, it avoids the confusion created by the statement "by conquering the self by the self."
In his attempt to find out the probable manner in which the text might have taken its present corrupt (?) form the learned professor. has resorted to the similarity between the verses of the Uttarādhyayanasūtra and the Ācārängasūtra. The present writer, however, strongly feels that since such repetitions of both thought as well as expression are frequently met with in the ancient texts of Indian traditions, all such cases need not be deemed as mere scribal mischiefs.
In his humble opinion the Āryā line can easily be joined with the preceding and the succeeding Anuştubh ones in a quite congenial way. Though the nouns ending in occurring therein are taken by the commentators to be in the Nominative case, the present writer thinks that there is no necessity of making an altogether separate sentence thereby. It is better to take them all to be in the Accusative case itself. The whole answer comprising three verses becomes thereby quite clear and coherent in sense all throughout. It may be translated as under:
“If he who vanquishes a million (warriors) in a fight very difficult to win should conquer himself alone, this is his supreme victory. Struggle against your own self; of what avail would be your external fighting (i. e., fighting against the external foes referred to in Indra's speech in verse 32) ? A man can attain bliss by himself conquering himself [or, by winning over himself and himself alone (i.e., by subduing) the five senses, wrath, pride, delusion as well as avarice-his self which is indeed so difficult to conquer; if the self is conquered, everything is conquered."
This way of interpretation is quite natural and suitable to the spirit of Indian traditions. What is meant here is this : Indra has asked Nami to conquer the kings before leaving for monk-hood. Nami replies that for one who has understood the real state of things fighting against the external foes will mean mere waste of energy and time. For there will result no peace out of these fights trimming with nothing else but violence. In order to attain real bliss one should struggle against