Vaddhmanchariu

Author(s): Vibuha Sirihar, Rajaram Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 9

VARDHAMAŅA-CARIU same name. This topic is duly discussed by the editor in his Introduction, pp. 4 ff. Two of his works in Apabhraíša, the Pasanahacariü (PC) and Vaddhamanacariü are available; but his Camdappahacariü and Samtiņāha-caria (I. 2. 6) have not been discovered so far. Two other works, the Bhavisayatta kahā and Sukumala-cariü are also attributed to his authorship.
Vibudha Sridhara was born in the Agrawala-kula; his mother was Vīlha-devi and his father, Budha Golha. Originally he lived in Hariyānā, and from there he migrated to Yoginīpura or Delhi. He composed his PC at the instance of Sāhu Naftala of Delhi during the reign of Anangapāla (III) of the Tomara dynasty, in the year c. 1132 A. D. Sahu Naftala was a generous, pious and prominent Śrāvaka. He built a Jina-mandira in Delhi. He had business connections all over the country.
Sridhara composed his VC next year, i.e., in 1133 A.D. His patron Nemicandra was a resident of Vodauva. He belonged to the Jāyasavāla-kula. He hailed from a pious family, and occupied a respectable position in the state. One day he requested Śrīdhara to compose for him the biography of Mahāvīra, the last Tirthamkara like those of Candraprabha and Santinátha. That is how Śrīdhara undertook and completed the VC. At the close of each Samdhi, Nemicandra is complimented or blessed in a Samskrit verse; and the colophons at the close of the Samdhis specify his name (siri-Nemicanda-anumannie).
This VC is divided into 10 Samdhis and covers the earlier lives as well as the present life of Mahāvīra. The special features of this VC are its dignified descriptions, as in a Mahākávya, of the Town, Battle etc. Sridhara's style is spiced with poetic flavours and with various sentiments; and his expression is quite fluent.
The editer of this poem, Dr. Rajaram Jain, has added a learned and exhaustive Introduction ( in Hindi ) in which most of the aspects of this poem are exhaustively covered, such as, the sources of the story, influence of earlier authors on Sridhara, the Mahakāvya characteristics of the poem, the poetic embellishments and flavours found in it, peculiaritis of the language, proverbs etc. used in the poem, and the socio-cultural, administrative, religious and historical data found in the poem.
Dr. Rajaram Jain is specialised in Apabhramśa. He has studied Raidhū and his Apabhramsa works quite exhaustively; and his doctoral dissertation on the same is published by the Vaishali Institute, Vaishali (Bihar). He has on hand an edition of all the works of Raidha in Apabhramsa; and the Raidha Granthávali, Vol. I,would be out soon from Sholapur Maharastra, India in the Jivarāja Jaina Granthamala.
Dr. Rajaram has edited this work quite carefully utilising the material available to him from three Mss., so far known. More attention, of course, was needed in presenting the compound expressions precisely either by joining the words or by separating them with short hyphens (See for instance, I, 3.14, III, 1.3-5; V.5.8; V.23 (puspika and the Sanskrit verse); VI.19 (puspika and the Sanskrit verse); VII. 17 (puspika and the Sanskrit verse); VIII. 17 (as above). etc. These would be duly attended to in the next edition.
Dr. Rajaram has not only brought out an unpublished Apabhraíśa text, but has also equipped it with a learned Introduction, a careful Hindi Translation and other useful accessories. The General Editors are very thankful to him. It is hoped