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The Commentator's Ethics: Abhayadeva's Colophon to his....
163
-Ajitasimhācāryāntevāsi - Yaśodevagani – nāmadheya - sādhor uttarasādhakasyeva vidyā – kriyā - pradhānasya sāhāyyena samarthitam / tad evam siddha - mahānidhānasyeva samāpitādhikṛtānuyogasya mama mangalārtham pūjyapūja //
In accordance with (tatha ca) what I have said right at the beginning [of my commentary], i. e. "I undertake the examination of the Sthānanga, which is as if I unseal a big treasure-store", I, Śrīmad Abhayadevasūri, staying in the succession of Mahāvīra, the royal Jina, and by that way being born into the lineage of a great king, have [now] finished (samarthitam) this (tac) [commentary] with the help (sāhāyyena) of the monk Yaśodevagani, who [stood by my side] as if he was my assistant (uttarasādhaka) and who is most excellent in knowledge and deeds. He is the disciple of Śrīmad Ajitasimhācārya, who is [the best] among the monks who strive for final emancipation (samvigna-munivarga).3
I compare myself with a bee [drinking nectar] at the lotus-feet of Śrī Buddhisāgarācārya, author of treatises on grammar etc., who is the successor of Śrī Jineśvarācārya, who was the best among the virtuous monks, a support of the wise, a clever one among the teachers, whose statements on the main topics of the doctrine disseminated irresistibly, who was inclined to (pravana) etymological explanations by using means of right cognition, who was the author of explanatory books (prakaraṇa) and biographies (prabandhas), who [himself] served at the feet of the leader of monks, Śrī Vardhamāna, who had elucidated the doctrine, who had continuously lived a wandering life, who led a captivating way of life and had belonged to the Candrakula.
So now that I have finished the examination which I had endeavoured to do (adhikṛta) and through which I have, as it were, also achieved a big treasure, I have to show my honour to those worthy of honour, as an auspicious sign.
II. mangala
namo Bhagavate vartamāna - tīrthanāthāya Śrīman - Mahāvīrāya namaḥ pratipanthi - sārthapramathanāya Śrī - Pārśvanāthāya namaḥ pravacana prabodhikayai Śrī - Pravacanadevatayai namaḥ prastutanuyoga - śodhikāyai Śrī – Droṇācārya – pramukha pandita - parṣade nameś caturvarṇāya Śrī - śramaṇasangha - bhatṭārakāyeti //
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Veneration to the Bhagavat Śrīman Mahāvīrā, the protector of the Jaina-religion in the present world-period (vartamāna). Veneration to Śrī - Pārśvanātha, the conqueror of the hostile crowd. Veneration to the Goddess of the Jaina-doctrine, who procures clarity about matters of religion. Veneration to the assembly of the learned monks (pandita) who removed the mistakes from the submitted examination and whose head is Śrī Dronācārya. Veneration to the Bhattaraka, the leader of the fourfold sangha.
III. Address to the reader
evam ca nijavamsa-vatsala-rājasantānikasyeva mamāsamānam imam āyāsam atisaphalatām nayanto rājavaṁśyā iva Vardhamāna-jina-santāna-vartinah svīkurvantu yathocitam ito
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