Risht Samucchaya

Author(s): Durgadevacharya, A S Gopani
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 50

INTRODUCTION
beyond doubt his authorship of it'. It also is in Jaina Sauraseni Prākrit, and contains 149 stanzas, devoted to the description of different astronomical and astrological circumstances and conditions leading to the rise and fall in prices of various commodities, articles of food, drink and daily use, of animals and others. 6 It passingly, refers also to certain astronomical occurrences foreboding famine or foretelling abundance of provisions etc. The schemes of Udpurisa and Samvaccharapurisa have also been found briefly outlined.
(b) MANTRAMAHODADHI: The line PHETCU: To faciatsigi-10 देवकृतः मं० गा० ३६ occurring in the said BT leaves no doubt regarding Durgadeva's authorship of the work?. It also makes clear that Durgadeva was a Digambara Jaina and that the work was written in Präkrit. I had no access to this work and hence I am unable to make any statement concerning it. Still, however, is it should be said in this context that the mantras as they are found in the RS and which are about eight in number, and which have a Jaina as well as, to a small extent, a Brāhmanic background, reveal original colour. Thus it is my inference that so far as the mantras also are concerned, Durgadeva is a 20 representative of a distinct tradition.
(v) APPRECIATION AND ESTIMATE: The author himself had had some glimpses of his fast approaching end and therefore he was in a hurry to dash off this work which was completed in course of three days, as he states. So we may safely take 26 this as his last production in which his views on omens and portents had finally stabilized. As previously said, the BỊ recognizes Durgadeva as a Digambara Jaina and the Digambara Jaina writers almost exclusively employ Jaina Sauraseni Prākrit in their literary compositions. This consideration which is entirely » well-grounded tempted me to believe that Durgadeva also must 1 नमिऊण वढमाण संयमदेवं नरेंदथुअपावं ।
वोच्छामि अग्घक भणि('वि')याण हियं पयत्तेण ॥१॥ विरगुरुपरंपराए कमागया एत्थ सयलससत्थं । SEU H(*' )Hot Area giorgau 112 11
(From the Ms, of the Arghakanda) ? See line 27 on page 5 of the Intro. 3 See st. 243 of the text. 4 See st. 253 of the text. 5 See line 28 on page 5 of the Intro, 6 e. g. Kundakunda. cf. his Pravacanasāra, Samayasăra etc.