Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta

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RELIGION AND CULTURE OF THE JAINS
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as incidental. We also know that the late Svetambara tradition, which speaks of Bhadrabahu and Varahamihira contemporaries, does not distinguish him from the śrutakevalin Bhadrabāhu and is full of many other anachronisms. Thus, in spite of the alleged association with Varahamihira, we would not be quite unjustified if we conclude that the niryuktikāra and astrologer Bhadrabahu of the Svetāmbara authors is probably no other than Bhadrabahu II of the Digambara tradition. 46 But if any value is to be attached to the reported association of Bhadrabahu with Varähamihira described by late Svetambara writers, he will have to be regarded as Bhadrabahu III. Some scholars accord the credit of composing the niryuktis to Bhadrabahu II47 and others to Bhadrabahu III.48 Both these suggestions are equally probable. And according as we accept one or the other of these views, the composition of the niryuktis will have to be placed in the first century B.C. or sixth century A.D.
Muni Punyavijayaji goes a step further and suggests that the same Bhadrabahu who composed the niryuktis about the sixth century A.D. was also responsible for the composition of the astrological treatise known as Bhadrabahavi Samhita after his own name and the Upasargaharastotra.48a As regards the latter work, we have nothing to say. But it is difficult to accept his suggestion about the authorship of the former
46 It must be remembered in this connection that a late tradition met with in the Jyotirvidabharana makes Varahamihira one of the nine gems of the court of Vikramaditya who is credited with the institution of the Vikrama era of 57 B. C. In case it is held that Merutunga and Rajasekharasuri followed this tradition which was quite popular in their time, the identification of the two Bhadrabahus will have to be regarded as a certainty.
47 A Comprehensive History of India, Vol. II, ed. K. A. Nilakanta Sastri alcutta, 1957), p. 662.
8 Punyavijaya, op. cit., intro., pp. 1-17..
Sa., pp. 15-17. In support of his proficiency in astrology, Punyavaya inves attention to some statements with astrological implications fontein the yuktis and to the fact that the Suryaprajñapti was one of theters chosen by Bhadrabahu for writing his niryuktis.