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78
then Devabhadra, Siddhasena, Yaśodeva, Manadeva, Ratnaprabha, Devaprabha. This prasasti was composed and copied by Ratnākarasūri. It is identical with the other one found in Cc. no. 83, also copied in V. S. 1308, but the Cc. version is damaged so that some portion is left out.
ŚRUTA-SARITĀ
On the other hand, we know that Devaprabha had enshrined the image of Neminatha at Cambay in V. S. 1258 (= 1201 A. D.). Ācārya Vādidevasūri the author of the Syādvādaratnākara who was born in V. S. 1143 (= 1086 A. D.) and died in V. S. 1226 (= 1169 A. D.) had many pupils whom he awarded sūripada10; and as we know that Bhadreśvara was awarded sūripada by Devasūri, it means that Bhadreśvara was living at least before 1169 A. D. when Devasūri died.
(6) Bikaner Jaina Lekhasamgraha11, lekha no. 241, mentions one Bhadreśvara, pupil of Madanasūri who enshrined the image of Pārśva in V. S. 1368 (= 1311 A. D.). This Bhadreśvara must be different from the previously mentioned one. The former was the guru of Abhayadeva whose pupil was Madanasūri, himself being mentioned as the guru of the latter. And it is certain that the first Bhadreśvara must be earlier than 1311 A. D. which is the date for the second Bhadreśvara.
(7) Cc. no. 149 (2) Karmavipāka-karmagrantha-vṛtti, has the following lineage: Bhadreśvara, Śantisūri, Abhayadeva, Paramananda, author of this commentary. No date of composition or of copy is given but the ms is of about V.S. 15th century according to Muni Śrī Punyavijayaji. This Bhadreśvara may be the author of the K. as here Abhayadeva is mentioned as his pupil. This fact is confirmed by the prasasti of the ms of the Vivekamañjari-prakarana quoted in (3).
As Bhadresvara, the author of K. has not given the name of his preceptor, it is difficult to identify him with any of the above mentioned Bhadresvara. Thus it will be only a conjecture if I identify him with any of them considering the above data, he might have been the pupil of Devasūri (1086-1169 A. D.), having lived between 1100-1190 A. D.
General remarks on K
From the very beginning the Jaina preceptors were interested in storytelling. This can be asserted by the fact that many story-books beginning with the Nāyādhammakahão are included in the Anga-class of the Jaina canonical literature; Ayāranga, Suyagaḍanga, Ṭhāṇanga, Samavāyanga and Viyāhapaṇṇatti are also not deprived of stories or facts about the lives of Tirthankaras and others.
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