Rasratna Samucchay

Author(s): Manikyadevsuri
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 19

Thus the statement clearly reveals the historical fact of flourishing Jainism in Gujarat at the time of Sri Māņikyadeva Sūri.
Geography :
The life and work of Sri Māņikyadeva Sūri as revealed in the Rasaratna Samuccaya throws light upon the geographical belt covering Gujarat and other adjacent culture-areas of Rajasthan where vața gaccha flourished in his time. Alchemical and medical thoughts and practices prevailed among the Kharatara gacchiya monks like Jinadattal Sūri (12th Century A.D.) etc. in Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is natural that the Jaina monks of different gacchas were interested in alchemy and medicine in the cultureareas of these two states. Peculiarities of language, metres, style of writing, method of exposition etc., adopted in the composition of the Rasaratna Samuccaya :
The language of the Rasaratna Samuccaya of Sri Māņikyadeva Sūri is uniform as it is clearly stated in his concluding remark made in this work.
'शिष्यः श्रीदेवचन्द्रस्य रसरत्नसमुच्चयम् । चक्रे माणिक्यदैवोऽत्र वक्रेतरपदांचितम् ।।
This work has been composed by him in Sanskrit in poetic order from the beginning to the end with some commentaries as noted below :
औं नमः समस्त सिद्धेभ्यः । वषकेतनोऽस्तनिधनो विकटजटाजूटमांसलांसतटः । विलसदसमानध्यानप्रतिहतवृजिनो जिनो जयति ।।
(1) See his work (MS.)
“Suvarna Raupya Siddhi Sāstra at L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad-9, edited by Dr. J.C. Sikdar