________________
168
Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
verses which legitimately belong to it; and in addition, it has some verses of the relevant Nijjutti as well; but the former cxceed the latter in number. This means that the verses in the extant corresponding texts of these two classes of cxegetical litcraiure arc partly intermingled. We today possess no Bhasyas for 5 Niryuktis. (There is no certainity whether these ever were written). The total number of the currently available Bhāsyas on the canonical texts is 11, which are broadly dated between A.D.500-700.2 Most of the Bhasyas comprise a few thousand Prakrit verscs cach. Rc-explanatory processes at length in the case of some important scriptural texts like the Avassaya have produced extraordinary commentaries like the Visesa Avasyaka-Bhasya (c.A.D.585-590) that comprises the more ancient mulabhasya as well as the Bhasya, and the Viścsa bhāsya. The author Jinabhadragani Ksamāsramana (latter half of the 6th cent.A.D.) is prominent among the Bhasyakaras, besides Sanghadāsagani Kşamasramana.
The Cūrnis mark a new phase in the growth of the Jaina cxcgesis, both in respect of form and linguistic trait. They are mostly in Prāk: it pose with the mixture of Sanskrit in varicd degrees.'" This indicates the need of the time - the Jaina Ācāryas being lempted to begin to adopt Sanskrit too in their excgctical writings, a trend that surther paved the path for the latter commentaries in Sanskrit, namely the Tikās. Curnis are found to have been written on some 20 canonical works between C.A.D.600-700. The prominent of the Cūrnikāras is Jinadasagani Mahattara. It may be noted that the sub-domains of Bhāsya and Cūrni cannot be duly demarked chronologically; at least one Bhāsya is posterior to the earliest Cūrnis; but a Bhasya on which we have a Cūrni is assuredly anterior to that particular Cūrni. The main value of the Cūrnis lies in the preservation of the old Prakrit narratives in their own grand style. And several quote from works now lost. Leaving aside the mixture of Sanskrit, thc Cūrni, on the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
