________________
A. M. SHASTRI
87
however, found at the commencement of some chapters.5 6 In the introductory portion, the author promises to deal with every topic in brief (samāsatah) as well as in detail (vyāsataḥ) ;but he keeps this promise only in a few cases. 57 Then, at the beginning of the Svapn-ādhyāya (Ch. XXVI), there is a fresh mangal-acarana' 8 which shows that originally it did not form a part of the work and was added to it in later times, probably because the topic is mentioned in the list of contents given in the opening chapter (I. 17). The same is the case with Ch. XXX called Pariśişt-ādhyāya.5sa The chapters are pot arranged in a scientific manner. Thus no intelligible system is adopted in the delineation of planetary movements (graha-cāra) which form the subject matter of Chs. XVXXIII. The movements of Venus, which receive the most elaborate treatment, claim the first place (Ch. XV) and are followed by those of Saturn (Ch. XVI). One would naturally expect it to be followed by the treatment of the remaining planets from Sun to Jupiter in their fixed serial order. But such is not the case, and an arbitrary order is adopted. After Saturn comes Jupiter (Ch. XVII) to be followed by Mercury, Mars, Rāhu, Ketu, the Sun and the Moon (Chs. XVIII-XXIII). The case is not very different regarding the arrangement of other chapters.69 In some cases, part of one topic is dealt with in one chapter while another part of the same subject is reserved for treatment in a stanza of a
55 Cf. Chs. III, XIX, XXII, XXIII, XXV, XXVII. 56 Bhadrabāhusarhită, II.2.
57 Thus, ulkā is described in brief in Ch. II and in detail in Ch. III. This practice is not followed in respect of other topics. 58 Namaskrtya Mahāvīraṁ sur-asura-janair=nutam/
Svapn-ādhyāyar pravakşyāmi śubh-āśubha-samīritam (XXVI.1) 58a Srimad=Vira-jinaṁ natvá Bhāratiñ=ca Pulindinīm/
smrtvā nimittäni vaksye sv-atmanah karya-siddhaye (Parisista, v. 2) 59 Clouds, rainfall and connected matters are dealt with in four chapters (VI, VIII, X, XII) which are separated from one another by chapters dealing with other topics like twilight (VII), winds (IX) and gandharva-nagara (XI).
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
