Tiloy Pannati Part 2

Author(s): Vrushabhacharya, A N Upadhye, Hiralal Jain
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 16

7
INTRODUCTION
dasangadharins, in 220 years; and 4 Acarängadharins, in 118 years. Thus for a period of 683 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira there was the continuity of Angajñana, i. c., upto 683-527-256 A. D. Incidentally it is noted how Candragupta was the last crowned monarch to accept renunciation. The author of TP (IV. 1496-1504) records. different opinions as to when Saka flourished after the Nirvana of Mahavira. The fact that so many opinions are recorded clearly shows that either our author flourished long after the Saka king, or that these opinions have been added by intelligent copyists as time passed on from different sources. There is no sufficient documentary evidence for the second alternative; so, for the present, the first may be prosumed, as it does not involve any major contradiction.
Turning to the ruling dynasties, TP (IV. 1505 f.) tells us that the coronation of Palaka, well-known in Avanti, was simultaneous with the liberation of Mahavira (i. e, both the events took place on the same day). King Palaka ruled for 60 years; then followed the Vijaya dynasty for 155 years; thereafter Murudaya (Maurya or Murundaya) for 40 years; Pusyamitra for 30 years; Vasumitra and Agnimitra for 60 years; Gandharva (Gaddabbha Gardabhilla) for 100 years; Naravahana for 40 years; Bhatthatthana (Bhṛtyändhra?) kings for 242 years; Gupta kings for 231 years; and then lastly Kalki for 42 years; and he was sucereded by his son. This brings us to the total of 1000 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira, i. e., upto 1000-527473 A. D. According to Gunabhadra's Utttarapurana (76. 394) Kalki was born after 1000 years after the beginning of Dusama period; he lived for seventy years and ruled for forty years. According to TP Dugamá began three years and eight months after the Nirvana of Mahavira. Thus the death of Kalki can be placed roughly 1000+70+3=1073 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira, i. e, 1073-527-546 A. D. According to Nemicandra's Trilokasära (gatha 850), the Saka king was born 605 years and 5 months after the Nirvana of Mahavira; and Kalki, with a life of seventy years, was born 394 years 7 months after the Saka king and ruled for 40 years. Thus Kalki died 1000+70 1070 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira, i. e. in 1070-527-543 A. D. According to the opinion of K. B. Pathak (Gupta Era and Mihirakula, Bhand. Com. vol. Poona 1919, p. 216) this Kalki is the same as the Huna ruler Mihirakula who was on the throne in 520 A. D. when the Chinese traveller Song Yun visited India. There is no sufficient. reason to believe that such details were added later on with the lapse of time. The way in which (see gatha IV. 1510) they are expressed shows that these details were given by the author himself. They indicate, therefore, that the author of TP, Yativṛṣabha, cannot have flourished earlier than 1000 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira, i. e., earlier than 473 A. D. As the historical details apparently stop with Kalkin, the composition, or compilation of TP must have taken place soon after Kalkin.
In the light of the above evidence, Yativṛsabha flourished later than Gunadhara, Arya Manksu, Nagahasti, Kundakunda and Sarvanandi (458 A. D.); he comes possibly soon after Kalkin (473 A. D.) who is the last of the outstanding kings mentioned by him; and all that is definitely known is that he is earlier than Virasena (816 A. D.). and possibly also Jinabhadra Kṣamasramana (609 A. D.). So Yativṛgabha and his TP are to be assigned to some period between 473 A. D. and 609 A- D.
By proposing the above period for Yativṛṣabha and his TP and chronological sequence of authors, my position comes into conflict with the views of some of my prodecessors in the field, and it is necessary that I should explain myself.