Naychakko

Author(s): Mailldhaval, Kailashchandra Shastri
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 9

GENERAL EDITORIAL
an earlier work in Dohās before him, and he put it into Gathās as the editor wants to suggest.
As to the age of Mãilla-dhavala, he is definitely later than Devasena (c. 933 A. D. ). Pt. Kailashchandraji has shown how his work contains quotations from the Dravya-sangraha and from the Ekatva-saptati of Padmanandi ( c. 1136 A. D. ) and how he is quoted by Āsādhara ( known dates, A. D. 1228-43). So Māilla-dhavala may be tentatively put between c. 1136 and 1243 A. D.
Mâilla-dhavala has enriched the Nayacakra by adding topics from the works of Kundakunda : that is how and why he qualifies his Nayacakra with the phrase Dravya-svabhāva-prakāśaka.
Māilla-dhavala has divided his work, consisting of 425 (in the earlier edition, 423 ) Gathās, into twelve chapters which deal respectively with Guņa, Paryāya, Dravya, Five Astikāyas, Seven Tattvas, Nine Padärthas, Pramāņa, Naya, Niksepa, Samyag darśana, Samyag-jñāna Samyak-căritra. These topics clearly indicate that the author has begun with Nyāya topics but has veritably covered almost every aspect of Jainism incorporating the material from Kundakunda's works. Even in choosing Prākrit ( Sauraseni ) for his composition he is following in the footsteps of great Acāryas like Kundakunda, Nemicandra and Devasena. His outlook is comprehensive; and he has made his exposition authoritative hy quoting from standard authors of yore.
4-5 ) There are available two other Nayacakra texts in Sanskrit. The first is an admixture of verse and prose. The second is also in Sanskrit verses, composed more or less following ! avirodhena ) the Gathās [ of Devasena ). But this is not just a Sanskrit rendering but contains useful matter from the Samayasāra ( of Kundakunda and Amstacandra's exposition of the same ).
The author of both these works is Bhattāraka Devasena. The second Nayacakra is composed by him for enlightening one Vyoma-pandita and is qualified by adjective Sruta-bhavana-dipa. No definite date can be assigned to him. It is quite likely that this Bhattāraka Devasena, who also expounds the topics of the Samayasāra, etc. in his work, imitated Mâilla-dhavala in qualifying his work as Śruta-bhavana-dipa.
Though these texts were published many years back (in the Manikchandra D. J. Granthamālā, 16, Bombay 1920 ), sufficient attention was not given to their study and translation. So the authorities of the Bhāratiya Jñānapitha felt that a good edition of them ( based on some fresh material) with exhaustive translation and exposition in Hindi was an urgent need. These texts are difficult in some contexts and baffle one's understanding.
Pt. Kailashchandra Shastri is known for his traditional scholarship and balanced outlook. He is one of those few scholars who are at home both in Siddhānta as well as Nyāya. He is gifted with lucidity of exposition in a catching style howsoever obstruse the subject might be. It is extremely good of him that he edited these works along with his studied exposition of their contents for the Murtidevi Granthamālā. His introduction puts together useful information about the authors and gives an outline of the contents. His foot-notes have a special value,