Sambodhi 1998 Vol 22

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 36

Vol XXII, 1998
INVOCATORY SANSKRIT VERSES IN
lotuses, the bowing bhavyas (Jainas), Bālendu-yógi gave instruction in Anupreksas, the topics of meditation, which are 12 in number and embrace a wide range of subjects practically covering all the principles and cardinal teachings of Jainism Able in the process of refuting at first sight by illustrations proofs, the premises of the nature of Akshapada who is the rishi Gautama, was Bālenduamun [EC IX (R) 402 (V Be 132) C 12-13th C Bastihalli P 368-69] 9 After a critical study of these invocatories, the following observations can be made i The material contained in the invocatory lines, whether a verse or a
prose, have new dimensions worth a detailed study 11 Out of about two thousand Jain inscriptions of Karnātaka state (India),
many contain the invocation poems, though there are stereotyped
invocatory verses, there is also variety 11 There are eulogies of Jaina preceptors, either of the Jina, the pathfinder,
or of pontiff of higher rank The invocation refers both to a person of mythology (Purana-purusa) and to historical persons None of the Jaina invocation contain a Prakrit verse Non-Sanskrit invocatory verses are in Kannada which had been the regional and
administrative language of Karnātaka for over two thousand years vi Even when the language of the invocatory verse or the entire text of the
inscription is in Sanskrit, the script used is only Kannada Vu Whether these invocatories are just stray verses, exclusively composed for
the concerned inscription or quotations taken from some texts is a matter to be carefully examined The usual and famous invocatory śloka-Srimath-parama-gambhira-syād-vād-āmõgha-lāñcanam --IS a quotation from Akalamka-achārya's work 'Prāmāna-Samgrah' (above A D 7th century) But, except the other slokas composed by poet
Ravikīrthy and Mangarāja, the source of most of the verses is wscure VIL Even when some of the invocatories are repeated, it is found that there
are some different textual readings, at times, it is observed, that some corrupt forms are used in such cases, it is not the defect of the
1V