________________
XXX : TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
When we discuss a learned author of a work of such monumental import, it does not suffice to consider, in isolation, either his family by birth or his lineage of learning. We have to consider both. Umāsvāti's Place And Family Of Birth - According to the laudatory composition (Praśasti) of the Tattvārthasūtra, it has been deduced that Umāsvati was born in a village called Nyagrodhikā whose present whereabouts are lost to the oblivion of time. However, as Kusumpur – the present day Patna in the state of Bihar – has been mentioned as the place where the Tattvārthasūtra was composed, it may be surmised that this place might not be too far away from Patna or the Magadha region of the days of yore. His parentage is more certain and it is known that he was born a brahmin from the womb of a mother belonging to the family of “Vatsis' and sired by father ‘Svāti from the family of Kaubhīsaņīs.
Dr. Suzuko Ohira has summarized these findings as
The samskrta text of the laudatory composition, ibid, is as follows :
Vācakamukhyasya śivasriyaha prakāśayaśasaha praśişyeņa | Sisyeņa ghoşanandiksamaṇasyaikādaśāngavidaha || 1 || Vācanayā ca mahā rācakaksamaņamundapādaśisyasya Šişyeņa vācakācāryamūlanāmnaha prathitakīrtehe || 2 || Nyagrodhikaprasutena viharatā puravare kusumanāmni | Kaubhīşaņinā svatitanayena vātsīsutenārdhyam || 3 ||| Arhadvacanam samyaggurukrameņāgatam samupardhāya | Dukhārtam ca durāgamavihatamatim lokamavalokya || 4 || Idamuccairnāgaravācakena sattvānukampayā drbdham Tattvārthādhigamākhyai spastamumäsvātina śāstram || 5 || Yastattvārthādhigamākhyam jñāsyti ca karisyate ca tatroktam |
Soavyābādhasukhakhyam prāpsyatyacireņa paramārtham || 6 || Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
