Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Traverses on less trodden path...
Haribhadra himself reveals that he was a pupil of Jinadeva who was a disciple of Devasūri (1-2) and this commentary is composed after going through all other commentaries existing before him, during the King Jayasimhadev's rule at Anahilapur, Patan in V.S. 1185.a 8 From this colophon we learn that this commentator Haribhadra flourished in the first half of the 12th century A.D. and there were many commentaries on PRP. already composed prior to the period of this commentator.
At the beginning of his commentary Haribhadra gives most valu. able information about the author of PRP., by stating that Umāsvāti was a great logiciall, acar ya, vācakamukhya, author of five hundred treatises and the glory of the entire Svetambara family. His father's name was Svati and Umā was his mother.34 This commentator divides this book into 22 chapters according to the subject-matter treated in it.
Haribhadra's commentary is very lucid and simple. He is satisfied with giving only the literary meaning of the verses. There are neither additional philosophical discussions which can be distingui. shedly pointed out nor there are any standard quotations from earlier works. Very few passages from Agamas are quoted, and the commen. tator's aim seems to be limited to giving literary meaning of the texts.
Another Commentary with avacaini by an unknown author appears to be older than Haribhadra's commentary and is more elaborative in its nature. This commentary, in addition to verbal explanation, gives detailed explanations about some important ethical and philosophical conceptions of Jainism though very standard passages are quoted from earlier texts.
But both the commentaries unanimously attribute this work to Umasvati and have commented upon all the 3132 8 verses. The style of both the commentaries is more or less similar. The verbal explanations are often the same word for word, but the unknown author's commen. tary is more elaborative. Hasibbadra's commentary appears to be very modest, gives word for word explanation of the text and the extent of it is shorter than that of unknown author's commentary.36 Hari. bhadra's style is more refined and be uses precisely-worded sentences, 23. PRP, Colopnon-4. 24. PRP. Introduction to Commentary, 25. The un-known author added one vers (243) which is simply a repetition of 127th.
verse of the same work. Again, the unknown author on its one important verso (276) of the text but quotes and comments upon it in the commentary. It is also found that the order of 13th and 14th verses interchange in the text accepted by an
unknown author. 26. Granthagra of Haribhadrasūri's commentary is 1800 (Sadvrtterastadasasarāni), while
Granthagra of unknown author's commentary is 2552, (M.S.No. 23489).