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INTRODUCTION
tract is called Ganividya which indicates, on the basis of knowledge of astronomy and astrology, proper tithi, karana, nakṣatra, muhurta and yoga for dikṣā, sāmāyikāropana, vratopasthapana, śrutānulakṣi uddeśa-samuddeśa-anujñā, gaṇāropana, diśānujñā and nirgama
praveśa.
Ac. Haribhadrasūri's Vrtti on the Namdisutra describes the tract as follows: gunagano'syāstīti gaṇī, sa că"cāryaḥ, tasya vidya jñānam ganividyā | tatrāviseṣe'py ayam viseṣaḥ-jotisa-nimittaṇānam ganino pavvāvaṇādikajjesu | uvayujjai tihi-karaṇādijāṇanaṭṭha'nnahá doso || (Nandisutram with Vṛtti, published by Prakrit Text Society, p. 71). The meaning of the passage is as follows: One who is possessed of a multitude of qualities is gani; and the gani is called ācārya. Acārya's knowledge is called Ganividyä. Here it is specially to be told that one should employ the knowledge of astronomy and astrology to ascertain proper tithi, karana, etc. for pravrajya etc.; otherwise there will be a shortcoming, that is, there is possibility of the loss or destruction of the good. The text-portion of the Pākṣikasūtravṛtti describing the Gaṇividya is almost identical with that of Ac. Haribhadrasuri's Nandisūtravṛtti describing
the same.
Nine topics dealt with in the Ganivijja are-divasas (natural days), tithis (lunar days), nakṣatras (constellations), karanas (divisions of a day), grahadivasas (planetary days), muhurtas (periods of 48 minutes), sakunabala (efficacy of omens), lagnabala (efficacy of the moment of the sun's entrance into a zodiacal sign) and nimittabala (efficacy of foreboding signs).
1. Divasas: This section treats of auspicious and inauspicious days and their efficacy.
2. Tithis: This section mentions tithis proper for commencing the tour, initiating a pupil and abandoning a pupil.
3. Nakṣatras: This section enumerates nakṣatras auspicious for commencing tour, those auspicious for prasthana and sthāna, those auspicious for taking a VOW of anaśana, those auspicious for commencing study, those auspicious for accepting vastra, those auspicious for pulling out the hair, those auspicious for initiating a pupil, those auspicious for vratasthapana, those auspicious for giving permissions to gani and vācaka, those auspicious for and ganadharasthapana, those auspicious for avagraha, vasati sthāna, those auspicious for commencing work, those auspicious for receiving lessons, those auspicious for the service of a teacher and those auspicious for the worship of a Caitya. It mentions the nakṣatras that are to be avoided in the initiation ceremony. Again, it enumerates nakṣatras that are to be avoided in pulling out the hair. It points out as to which nakṣatras enhance knowledge. It
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