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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
271
commentaries are the same viz, Sivatatvapradipikā, (b) The names of the author of the Gommațasāra and the author of the Sanskrit Jivatattvapradipikä are the same viz., Nemicandra. (c) The vague reference, ... Gommatārayena jā kayā desī. . . Vīramattamdi' etc., found in gāhā 972 of the Ka. Kā. of the same viz., Gommaļasāra, led to believe that Cāmundarāya was the author of the Kannada Sivatattvapradipikā (d) Besides, some queer readings in the verse sritvā karnatakavrtti. .... etc., in some MSS of the Sanskrit Jivatattvapradipikā led to believe that Keśavavarni was its author. And this confused view was carried over by several later scholars until 1940, when Dr.A.N.Upadhye gave serious thought to this confusion, examined the concerned manuscripts of the commentaries and clearly proved that Kesavavarni (1359 A.D.) is the author of the Kannada commentary and one Nemicandra (originally from the Gurjara country and contemporary of Saluva Mallirāya - 1st quarter of the 16th century A.D.) is the author of the Sanskrit commentary, which is the translation of this Kannada commentary itself; and he also stated that no MS of the vrtti of Cāmundarāya has come to light."1
After duly acquainting ourselves with these four commentaries on the Gommatasara, a question stands before our eyes : What could be said about the desī (Kannada) commentary, or otherwise, of Camundarāya alluded to by his own preceptor, Ācārya Nemicandra, in gahā No. 972 of the Ka. Kā. of the Gommațasāra?
That no MS of any vrtti, or anything like it in Kannada, on the Gommatasāra by Cāmundarāya has come to lightl?, cannot be denied. Pt.Nathuram Premi observes that the right anvaya of this gahā cannot be achieved as the reading appears rather incorrect. He thinks that Camundarāya might have prepared a copy in Kannada script (pratilipi - transcription) of the Gommatasāra.13
Pt.J.K.Mukhtar, giving due thought to this question, noting the Jain Education International. For Private & Personal Use Only
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