________________
GANADHARA MAURYAPUTRA.
122
Gaṇadhara Mauryaputra of ¶ Kāśyapa gotra was the seventh Gaṇadhara of Śramaņa Bhagavan Mahavira. He was born at मौर्यगाम Maurya - gāma. His mother was विजया देवी Vijayā dévi, the wife of Dhanadéva, and mother of Mandita and his father was Maurya of Kasyapa gotra, with whom she had re-married after the death of her first husband. He was a Brahmin by caste. He was well-versed in the four Védas and the six 3ains Upangas, the-Supplementary Sciences He had three hundred and fifty pupils, who were receiving instruction in various branches of learning under him.
Ārya Mauryaputra had a doubt in his mind about the existence of Déva, Gods-Celestial Beings-caused by various contradictory verses in the Védas.
When, however, Arya Mauryaputra approached Śramaņa Bhagavan Mahāvīra with the object of removing his doubt, he was addressed thus-
1. Atha Déva-visya
nāmānam;
अथ देवविषयसन्देहसंयुतं मौर्यपुत्रनामानम् ।
zà fàgduredi àgrå fé a mqafa ? | ? ||
sandéha-samyutam
Jain Education International
Ucé vibhu-r-yathāstham Védārtham kim na bhāvayasi ?
1. The Lord (Śramane Bhagavan Mahāvīra) told the learned man named Mauryaputra who had doubts on the subject of celestial beings "Why do you not trace out the exact meaning of the verses of the Védas?
Mauryaputra
For Private Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org