Varahamihira and Bhadrabahu

Author(s): Ajay Mitra Shastri
Publisher: Z_Anandrushi_Abhinandan_Granth_012013.pdf

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Varähamihira and Bhadrabahu
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really compose a work on astrology, the internal evidence of the extent work, discussed above, clearly proves that it is neither based on nor is a Sanskrit verson of Bhadrabahu's work. So also the 11th-12th century date suggested by Jinavijayaji can at best be regarded as a pure surmise. The dated manuscript indicates that the work must have been in existence or some time prior to the date of its copying, V. S. 1504. This rules out Gopani's suggestion that it came into existence after the 15th century of Vikrama. It is impossible that the episode of Bhadrabahu and Varahamihira found in the Prabandha-cintamani and the Prabanda-khosa may have an important bearing on the present question. Although the former work is fully aware of Bhadrabahu's mastery over astrology, it does not contain any allusion to the Bhadrabahu-Samhita which is first mentioned in the latter work. There is, of course, no reason to doubt that the Bhadrabahavi-Samhita known to Rajasekharasuri was the same as the extent Bhadrabahu-Samhita. Can we, on this basis, conclude that the available Bhadrabahu-Samhita, came into existence some time during the gap between the dates of these two works, i. e., between V. S. 1361 and 1405 ? It will be clear from the foregoing discussion that the work now known as Bhadrabahu-Samhita has nothing to do with any of the Bhadrabahus and is quite a recent compilation, and an unintelligent one at that, dating from about the middle of the persent millennium. Its compiler, who was a man of ordinary calibre, ascribed it to Bhadrabahu, evidently with the object of giving it sanctity, popularity and authoritativeness. His knowledge of Bhadrabahu's traditional mastery of astrology" must have emboldened him to do so. This was not uncommon in ancient India as a number of comparatively late texts ascribed to traditionally reputed astrologers and astronomers are known to exist even now.68 The extent Bhadrabahu-Samhita is thus a very late compilation forged in the name of the renouned Jaina patriarch Bhadrababu.69
The text of the Bhadrabahu-Smhita as it has come down to us bears the appearance of a Jaina work of the Digambara school. It begins with a salutation to Jina Vira, i.e., Mahavira,70 and, as we have seen above, is represented to have been composed by Bhadrabahu in response to the request of his pupils. The object of its composition, among other things, was to enable the Jaina monks to know in advance the places to be visited by calamities and to take refuge in other prosperous countries (i. 11). Bhadrabahu is styled Nirgrantha (i. 6) and described as sky-clad (Digcvasas, ii. 1). The work is said to have been based on the words of Sarvajña (1. 11. 14) or Jina (is. 2), and a statement found in it is represented to be from the Nirgrantha-sasana or the sayings of the Nirgrantha (iv. 28). In the colophons of individual chapters the title of the work, i.e., Bhadrabahuka Nimitta or Bhadrabahu-nimitta-sastra, is generally qualified by the adjective Nirgrantha, i. e., belonging to the Nirgranthas. Then again at the end of some of the chapters the monks are advised to leave one country
आचार्य 36 पाव अभि श्रीआनन्द जन्थ
आचार्य प्रव श्री आनन्द
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30 अभि ग्रन्थ ११
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