Prashamratiprakaran

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

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gives detailed explanation about some important ethical and philosophical conceptions of Jainism though very few standard passages are quoted from earlier texts.
COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO COMMENTARIES :
Both the commentaries unanimously attribute this work to Umäsväti and comment upon all the 313 verses 45. The style of both the commentaries is more or less similar. The verbal explanations are often the same word for word. But the unknown authhor's commentary is more elaborative. Haribhadra's commentary appears to be very modest, gives word for word explanation of the text and the extent of it is shorter than that of the unknown author's commentary 46. Haribhadra's style is more refined and he uses precisely worded sentences. His commentary is very prëcise and systematic. It seems that Haribhadra follows this old commentary and thus docs not feel it necessary to give detailed explanations of many well-known principles of Jainism. His commentary justifies
47 his statement 'samasena' (very briefly), made in the colophon.
Though it is very difficult to say as to which commentary is older, still Haribhadra's commentary seems to be later than the unknown author's commentary on the basis of the following grounds :
Haribhadra mentions some alternative readings of the text in his mmentary which are found in the unknown author's commentary and
48 in the text that it follows.
Secondly, Haribhadra divides Praśamarati into 22 chapters on the
basis of different topics dealt in it, while these divisions are not found either in the text accepted by the unknown author or in his commentary. It is certain that, if the unknown author's commentary is later than Haribhadra's commentary these divisions could have been mentioned by this commentator also.
Thirdly, Haribhadra's commentary is very precise and seems to be a summary form of the unknown author's commentary.
Fourthly, Haribhadra commenting on 204th verse of Prasamarati, clearly mentions that, some scholars explain this verse as indicator of doctrine of sevenfold judgment (saptabhanginaya) and gives complete explanation found in the unknown author's commentary, word to word. Again commenting on 211th verse, he mentions that the word 'Ca', used in the verse here is not found in many texts. It is very important