Nirgrantha-1

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 35

Jagadish Chandra Jain
Nirgrantha
16.
Pāśa-kevalī or Pāśaka-kevali, it is also known as Pāśaka-vidyā, pāśa being a particular constellation in astronomy. It is an art of foretelling events by casting dice (pārsā in Hindi). It has been ascribed to Garga, who has been called a great Jaina muni (The Jodhpur Collection, Pt. I, 1963, p. 220). Garga also has been referred to by Varāhamihira along with Parāśara, Kaśyapı, and other exponents, and by Thakkura Pheru along with Haribhadra, Jauna, Varāha, and others in his Jyotişasāra.
17.
One other Pāśa-kevalī in manuscript form contains certain technical words with the help of which good or bad events are predicted.
18.
Keith has referred to two treatises under the title of Pāśakevali, preserved as parts iv and v of the Bower manuscript in bad Sanskrit with many signs of Prakritic influence. The language of this work is of peculiar character, being popular Sanskrit, heavily affected by Prakritism (perhaps 4th century A. D.). Pañca-paksin or Pañca-pakși-parijñāna is still another work on science of divination, containing auguries, ascribed to Siva: through it one is able to foretell the future events in which five vowels are associated with five birds.
19.
20.
The Pañca-pakși-stavaka in Old Gujarāti and the Panca-paksi-sakunāvali by Nārāyaṇa Bhatta (V. S. 1840) are recorded in the Catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit Manuscripts, part III, Munirāja Śri Punyavijayaji, Ahmedabad 1969. Varāhamihira has also composed a work under the same title.
21.
The Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute Jodhpur Collection (part II B, 1965, pp. 328, 330) has recorded several works, bearing the titles Pañca-paksi-praśna; Pañca-paksi-sakuna-śāstra, Pañca-paksi-sakuna-śāstra (with commentary), Pañcapakși-tippaņa by Kalyāņakarana śukla (V. S. 1908).
22.
Ramala or Pāśaka-vidyā: Ramala is an Arabic word, meaning a mode of fortunetelling by means of casting dice, marked with points. These points give an answer to one's question. Obviously, this art has been borrowed from the Arabs and numerous works have been composed on the subject. According to the Jaina tradition, Ācārya Kālaka is said to have brought this art from Yavana (deśa). Muni Bhojasāgara (18th century A. D.) has written the Ramala-vidyā, still unpublished. The Ramalaśāstra has been referred to by Meghavijaya in his Meghamahodaya, also known as Varşaprabodha (V. S. 1735). It is written in mixed Sanskrit and Prakrit. It has been published. Various works on Ramala have been recorded in the catalogues of manuscripts of Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Jodhpur Collection and elsewhere. This indicates the popularity of the subject in later centuries.