Syadvadbhasa of Shubhvijay Gani

Author(s): N M Kansara
Publisher: Z_Nirgrantha_1_022701.pdf and Nirgrantha_2_022702.pdf and Nirgrantha_3_022703.pdf

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SYĀDVĀDA-BHÁŞĀ OF SUBHAVIJAYA GANI
N. M. Kansara Among some of the famous Jaina ācāryas, Śrī Vijayahirasuri, popularly known as Sri Hīravijayasuri, flourished in the first half of the 16th century A. D. He is distinguished in the Jaina monachical tradition as the acārya who enlightened Akabar the Great, the Mughal Emperor of that period. Pandit Subhavijaya Gani has mentioned himself as a disciple of this acarya', who inherited the leadership of the famous Tapā-gaccha after the death of Sri Vijayadānasüri in V. S. 1621 (A. D. 1665). Subhavijaya Gani is recorded to have composed the following works : Haimi-namamalabījaka (V. S. 1661 / A.D. 1605), Mahāvīra-svämi-saptavimsati-bhāva-stavana (V. S. 1662 / A. D. 1606), Tarkabhäsā-vārtika (V. S. 1663 / A. D. 1607), Kavya-kalpalatā-vrttimakaranda (V. S. 1665 / A. D. 1609), Syadvada-bhāṣā with its vrtti (V. S. 1667 / A. D. 1611), and Kalpasūtra-tikā (V. S. 1671 / A. D. 1615). Thus, he seems to have lived during the latter half of the 17th century of the Vikrama Era, corresponding to the first half of the 17th century A. D. The Syādvāda-bhāṣā has been composed as an introductory monograph meant to enable the beginners to study the Syadvada, the well-known doctrine of Jaina logic. This work is meant to provide a facility for the Jainas, much in the same way as the Tarkabhāsā was composed by Keśava Miśra for introducing the beginners to the Nyāya-Vaiseșika system of Indian philosophy. Obviously, śubhavijaya Gani seems to have been inspired in the matter when he composed his Varttika on the Keśava Miśra's Tarkabhāsā, about a couple of years ago, before he undertook the task. He seemingly had utilized his proficiency acquired due to his deep study of Miśra's works for composing his Syadváda-bhāsā. The Syādavăda-bhāṣā was first published in the Pothi form by N. G. Jahveri in the Śresthi Devacandra Lālbhāi Jaina Pustakoddhāra Series (No.3), Mumbai, in A. D. 1911. It was reprinted and published again by Sri Jina Sāsana Arādhanā Trust, Murnbai, in Vira Samvat. 2516 (i.e. C.E 1990), along with the Devadharma-pariksa and other works of Mahopadhyāya Yaśovijaya. These two editions showed some parts of the text as sutras printed in bold types, while the rest of the text printed in running types was supposed to be the auto-commentary. On close examination it was clear that the editors of both these editions were not sure which portion of the text comprised the sūtras and which the commentary. Consequently, the problem was opened anew, and the work has been re-edited and published in the Sambodhi Vol. XVIII, Ahmedabad 1992 (pp. 103122) by the present author. Herein, the sūtra portion has been clearly printed in bold fonts in contrast to the commentary portion; and both these parts make a whole homogeneous work. Moreover, in view of the comparative study of the text of this work, since it is declared to be meant also as an introduction to the principles of