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PREFACE : XXI
wherein the author says, '... I have already mentioned the procedure for the practice in Bhaktaparijña). Among the prakirnakas we do not find any inention of the authors of many – such as Candravedhyaka, Tandulavaicārika, Mahāpratyākhyāna, Maranavibhakti, Gacchācāra etc. The case of Sārāvalī Prakirnaka is also no different. Therefore, it is very difficult to say anything conclusive about its author.
The Period Of Composition Of Sārāvalī Prakīrnaka -
The classification of prakirnakas carried in the Nandisūtra and the Pāksikasūtra has nowhere mentioned Sārāvalī Prakīrnaka. There is no mention of Sārāvali Prakīrnaka in the Tattvärtha Bhāsya and the Sarvārthasiddhi commentary of the Digambara tradition. Similarly, the works of the Yāpaniya tradition, also, do not mention it. It follows from these facts that Sárávali Prakirnaka did not exist prior to the 6th century AD. If we further limit te period of its composition, it becomes clear that this work did not exist even upto the 14th century AD because there is no mention of Sārāvalī Prakirnaka in the 'Vidhimārgaprapā of Ācārya Jinaprabha as well as in the 'Siddhāntāgamastava'. It is, therefore, plain that this work came into being sometime after the 14" century AD.
The author of Sārāvali prakirnaka has not given any pointer to the period of its composition just as he has not mentioned his name anywhere in this work. Hence, to conclusively say something as to its period of composition, even after the 14h century AD, will be overstepping the mark. What can only be said with reference to the period of its composition is that it was
" Ārāhanāvihini puna bhattaparinnāini vannimo puvvami
Ussanam sa cceva sesāna vi vannanā hoi ||
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