Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 66

Sec. II]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SOTRA
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its present extent at the time of these two texts when the fifth Anga had 84,000 and 1,44,000 Padas respectively. Definition of Padas :
It is not clenrly explained in the commentary on the Bhs by Śri Abhayadeva Śūri what is meant by 'Pada.' In this respect the Gommațasāra' gives an explicit definition of the term •Pada' that one letter (knowledge), getting increased upto numerable letters one by one letter forms the scriptural knowledge called 'Padu' (foot).
"Eyakkharādu-uvarim egegeņā-kkhareņa vaddhamto /
Samkhejje khalu uddhe padaņāmam hodi sudaņāņam //''S
The total number of letters (Varna- Aksara' of a Pada (foot) is 1634, 83, 07, 888 (sixteen hundred thirty-four crores, eightythree lakhs and seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight.
“Solasasayacautīsā Koại tiyasīdilakkhayam ceva /
Sattasabassāļķhasayā atbāsīdī ya padavaņņā" //*.
In the commentary on the Gommafasāra 'Pada' has been divided into three kinds, viz., (1) Arthapada denoting foot, a union of letters which communicate some idea as "bring fire" (Agnim ānaya), (2) Pramāņa.pada (measure-foot), a fixed number of letters or syllables used "for a particular kind of combination in prose or poetry, e. g. “I bow to Lord Mahāvīra" (Namah. Śri.Varddhamānāya). Here the foot comprises letters ; constituting a fourth part of the verse of the metre called Anustupa and (3) Maddhyama pada (middle foot) consisting of 163+, 63, 07, 888 letters as mentioned above. The contents of the different Angas or parts of the scriptural knowledge in verse (gäthā) 350 and which follows''.
"Bāruttarasa yakodi-tesidi taha ya homti lakkhāņam/ Atthāvaņņasahassā pasceva padāņi Angāņam"ell.
lb.
1 Bhs (Comm.), 1, 1, 2. : Gommatasara (Jivakāņqla), p. 194, v. 335, J. L. Jainį.
Ib v, 336, p. 195, J. L. Jaini. 5 1b, Comm. 336, p. 195. • Ib, 350, p. 199,