Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): G C Tripathi, Ashokkumar Singh
Publisher: Bhogilal Laherchand Institute of Indology

Page 15

The Works of Vācaka Umāsvāti 5
AD 353 or 366 apparently at the Mathurā Synod), cites a group of eight verses relating to dāna (charity) which he ascribes to Vācakamukhya Umāsvāti'.16 The author therein designates the dāna types according to the donees involved and the motive (of the donor) behind the charity. I cite here only the first verse from this lot:
Uktam ca Vācaka-mukhyair-Umāsvāti-pādaiņ: Krpane-nātha-daridre vyasana-prāpte ca roga-soka-hate, yad dīyate krpā-arthād-anukampā tad bhaved dānam//
The style of the eight verses in question clearly endorses the authorship as of Umāsvāti as rightly attributed by the commentator from the source and information he had. 17
Incidentally, the earlier referred to śānti Sūri, in his Vrtti, cites a verse in āryā as of Vācaka's, which is related apparently to the topic of dhyāna:18
Āha ca vācakah:\ Yāvat para-guna-dosa-parikīrtana vyāpstaṁ mano bhavati/ tāvad varam visuddhe dhyāne vyagram manaḥ kartum//
I had at first sight thought that it may have belonged to some prakaraṇa related to dhyāna: But it turned out to be the kārikā 184 of the Praśamarati-prakaraņa.
(4)
The Dharma-prakaraña Seemingly, Umāsvāti had composed a work on the topic of dharma as the three Āryā quotations in the name of Vācaka' (and these indeed are in his style), figuring in śānti Sūri's Vrtti, reveal: Na bhavati dharmaḥ śrotuḥ sarvasy-aikāntatā hita-śravanāt/ bruvato-'nugraha-buddhyā vaktus-tv-ekāntato bhavati//
(Sānti Sūri, p. 19)