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After having cited such clear evidences, no more testimony is required to show that Vāsī is neither a bad smelling substance, nor ordure, nor a place of dwelling, but a tool of the carpenter particularly the adze. Still we would like to quote here some more commentators who have explained this controversial phrase.
COMMENTATORS OF THE JAIN CANONS
I. First of all we quote the famous commentator Lakshmi Vallabhsūri,1 who in his commentary to the Uttaradhyayana Sutra, interprets the text under discussion thus:
"ga: agu: ? faferat faufga:, fq argıq a aisfa, aqı gafte aìà <rsurfexìì aur_qeath_qzatmıfayàsfaferat faxi a aixà, qa: स मृगापुत्रो वासीचंदनकल्पः - यदा कश्चिद् वास्या – पर्शुना शरीरं छिनत्ति, कश्चिच्चंदनेन शरीरमर्चयति, तदा तयोरुपरि समानकल्पः सदृशाचार स्तथा पुनरशने आहार करणं, तथाऽनशने आहाराकरणे सद्दशः ।। "
This means "Again how was he (Mṛgaputra) ? He desired no shelter, nor protection from anyone and again he did not wish to take shelter under worldly lures of the kingdom in this world and the pleasures of heavens in the next world and again, he i.e. Mrgaputra was Vāsī-Chandana-Kalpa i.e. if some one would chop off the body with vasī (i.e. paraśu—a hatchet) and some one else might anoint the body with sandalwood, he would have identical reactions for both of them; and also he had the same feeling in feasting and fasting."
Thus according to the learned commentator, Mrgaputra had achieved that state of equanimity of mind that he would not dislike the person who would cut his body with a hatchet nor he would appreciate the person who would anoint the body with sandalwood.
II. Shanti Sagar2, a commentator of the Kalpa Sutra, in his commentary to the above quoted passage3 of the text, contends4:
1. Dīpīkā was written by him on Uttaradhyayana Sutra. Cf. H. D. Velankar, op. cit., 45. Uttaradhyayana Sutra Dipikā, pub. by Hiralal Hans Raj Jain Bhaskarodaya Printing Press, Jamnagar, p.726. 2. A commentary called Kaumudi written by him in 1707 (Vik. Sam) cf. Velankar, Op. cit. p. 77.
3. Kalpa Sutra, Sūtra 119.
4. Kalpa Sutra with Kaumudi pub. by Rishabhadev Kesarimal, Ratlam, 1936, Sūtra 119.
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