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A N Upadhye
[V-VI) The Vicārasāa-pi ahaiana of Piadyumnasūli [c. 1278 ADI, The Gathāsahası i of Samayasundaia (c 1630) and thic Pattaral of Ravivardhana gani ( 1683 AD] have also to say few things about Bappa Bhatti, especially huis dates of birth, death ctc, after the date of Nirvana of Mahävira
It is quite probable that the details recorded in the above soui ces s are based on oial traditions which have suffered additions and modificationis in course of tiansmission The dates given have no agreement, his date of birth, for instance, varies butween AD 771 to 774 They can be taken as tentative to be confirmed by authentic epigraphical and literary evidence.
Bappa Bhatti had his Teacher in Siddhasena Sūri who made him a Sūri at the recommendation of king Ama, the son and successor of Yasovarman of Kanauj whom he converted Bappa Bhatti is said to have defeated a Buddhist scholar Vardhana-kunjaia by name in a miraculous nianner, with the help of a deity in this, he was helped by Vāk pati whom also he converted etc Vākpati's conversion is not confirmed by any other soui ces or from the works of Vākpatı The Prabandhas say that Väkpati composed the Mahumaha. vijaya after the Gaudavalo, but Vākpatibimself tells us that he had written the former long before the latter The biographic details of Bappa Bhatti are obviosly built up with the object of religious edification his close association with Āina and his being a contemporary of Vākpati (7th-8th century AD) may be accepted as facts of history But there are held different views about the identification of Ama with some ruler or the other Lately M. W Meister has observed thus 'It is likely that Ama should be seen as mythical hydra king of the 14th century in whom are united several early kings of Gwalioi who supported the Jaina community-from Yaso Varman to Nagabhatta II of the conquering Pratihära dynasty'! 3. HR KAPADIA Caturvim salika, Āgamodaya Samitiel, Appends
kha, pp 187 ff, Bombay, 1926 4 M 1' Meister Ima, Amrol, and Jainism in Gwalior Fort in the
Journal of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, Vol. XXIT 3, March 1973.
