Prashamratiprakaran

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 19

Sarvadaršanasangraha, calls him as Umāsvåti Vācakācārya?. It seems that Vācaka is honorable title added to his name. This title shows his profound scholarship in Purva literature. He was so popular writer that later writers and commentators of Jaina literature mention him by mere Vācaka or Acārya. Another important point is that in olden days, there was a class of teachers known as Vācakavarga. These Vācakas were the great Scholars of Agamic literature and capable of imparting Agamic knowledge on others. Umāsvāti was belonging to this class of Vācakas,
Caste :
The word "Vātsisuta'-son of a female descendent of Vatsa, mentioned by Umāsvāti himself in the colophon of Svopajñabhāşya indicates that he was a Brahmin by birth.° 1 His mother's gotra was Vatsa. Vatsagotra was popular among Brahmin community. The history of this gotra is as old as BỊhadāraṇyaka Upanişad. 11 Prof. MacDonell and Keith rightly pointed out that Vatsiputra-son of a female decendent of Vatsa, as the name of a teacher mentioned in the last Vamsa (list of a teachers) of the Brhadaraṇyaka Upanişad, as a pupil of Parāśarīputra according to Kāņva recension, as pupil of Bhāradvājīputra according to the Madhyandina. 12 Bhatta Bana and Vätsyāyana were belonging to this Vatsagotra. Asvalāyana in his srautasütra mentions two branches of Vatsagotra. We learn from the Bijoliā Inscrpintion that some of the Brabmin kings of the 9th and 10th centuries were belonging to this gotra. This was the gotra of the Chahamanas. 1 3 Kubhişaņa 14 gotra of Umäsvati's father; implies that he was a son of Saivabrahmin. Sri Gunakarasūri. (15th A. W.=1426 V. S.) commenting on 11th verse of Bhaktamarastotra clearly states that Umāsvāti was a convert from Saiva Brahmin sect. 15 Another important point in support of this argument is that it was un-usual for Jainas to have profound knowledge of non-Jaina Schools of thought in the classical period. Umāsvāti's mastery over Sanskrit language and familiarity with the concept of Brahmanical Schools of thought, especially with Nyāya-Vaiseșika, Sankhya-Yoga, Rāmāvana and Mahābhārata, shows that he was probably a convert from the Brahmanical faith. We also learn from the early History of Jaina literature that most of the Jaina masters were learned Brahmins. In Acāranga (which is the earliest Agama) the auster Mahavira is addressed as a great Brahmin (Mahana). It is from the beginning of Kalpasūtra that Mahavira is known as Ksatriya, on account of possibility of dominance of the Ksatriya caste in society. All the great Gañadharas were Brahmins by birth. So, it is quite possible that Umisväti was also Brahmin by birth before canversion to Jaina faith,