Agam 32 Devendrastava Sutra Hindi Anuwad - Book Summary

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Title: Agam 32 Devendrastava Sutra Hindi Anuwad (The Devendrastava Sutra, Agam 32, with Hindi Translation) Author/Editor: Muni Dippratnasagarji (also referred to as Deepratnasagar) Publisher: Deepratnasagar, Deepratnasagar Core Content: This text is the Hindi translation and commentary of the "Devendrastava Sutra," which is identified as the 9th section of the "Payannasutra" (Prakirnakasutra), within Agam 32 of the Jain canon. The book systematically describes the various classes of celestial beings in the Jain cosmology, their abodes, characteristics, lifespans, and the nature of their existence.

Key Topics and Structure:

The text begins with invocations and a table of contents, outlining the progression of the discourse. The core content is a detailed explanation of different classes of deities, primarily focused on the "Devendras" (kings of gods) and their respective realms.

Introduction and Invocation: The text starts with salutations to the purity of vision (Nirmal Darshan) and to Lord Neminath, the Brahmachari Tirthankar. It also pays respects to the gurus.
Structure of the Discourse (Table of Contents): The sutra is structured to cover various celestial realms, including:
- Bhavanpati (Residential deities)
- Vanvyantar (Wandering deities)
- Jyotishka (Luminous deities)
- Vaimanika (Celestial deities residing in aerial palaces)
- Ishat Prāgbhāra and the Siddhas (The liberated souls)
- Jain Riddhi and Conclusion
The Devendrastava Narrative: The core of the sutra unfolds through a dialogue between a householder's wife and her husband.
- The wife, curious about the "Thirty-Two Devendras," requests a detailed explanation from her husband.
- The husband then proceeds to describe these deities, their realms, and their attributes.
Detailed Description of Celestial Realms:
- Bhavanpati (Residential Deities):
  - Classes: Identified as residing in the Ratnaprabha earth.
  - Types and Indra Names: The text lists twenty Bhavanpati deities, with specific Indras for each class (e.g., Asura, Nāgakumāra, Suparna, Udadhikumar, Dishakumāra, Vāyukumāra, Stanitakumāra, Vidyutkumāra, Agn eprintlnkumāra). Examples of Indra names include Chamarendra, Asurendra, Dharanendra, Bhūtananda, Veṇudeva, Veṇudāli, etc.
  - Habitations: Describes their palaces, with numbers for each Indra's palaces (e.g., 64 lakh, 54 lakh, 72 lakh, 96 lakh).
  - Lifespans: Details the lifespan of these deities, ranging from a Sagōpama to slightly less than two Palyopama.
  - Cities and Palaces: Describes the construction and beauty of their cities and palaces, often adorned with various gems and flowers.
  - Powers: Illustrates their immense strength and powers, such as covering the entire Jambu Dvipa with their hood or wings.
  - Social Structure: Mentions their assemblies (Parshadas) and guards.
  - Residences: Specifies their dwelling places across different continents and oceans.
- Vanvyantar (Wandering Deities):
  - Eight Types: Lists eight types of Vanvyantar deities: Piśāca, Bhūta, Yakṣa, Rākṣasa, Kinnara, Kiṁpuruṣa, Mahōraga, and Gandharva.
  - Sixteen Indras: Further details sixteen specific Indras within this category.
  - Abodes: Explains their existence in the upper parts of the Ratnaprabha earth.
  - Palaces: Describes their palaces as vast, ranging from the size of Jambu Dvipa to Bharata Kṣetra.
  - Lifespans: Their lifespan is between 10,000 years (minimum) and one Palya (maximum).
- Jyotishka (Luminous Deities):
  - Types: Comprise Moon, Sun, Star groups, Constellations, and Planets.
  - Vehicles/Vimānas: Describes their luminous vehicles as diamond-like and semicircular (Ardha-kapittha).
  - Altitude and Size: Specifies their altitudes above the Earth and their dimensions in terms of yōjanas and smaller units (like parts of a yōjana).
  - Movement: Explains their orbital movements and relative speeds.
  - Riddhi (Power/Splendor): Details their increasing splendor from stars to the Sun.
  - Astrological Details: Mentions specific asterisms (Nakshtras) like Abhijit, Mūla, Swati, Bharani, and their conjunctions with the Moon and Sun, including durations in Muhurtas and Ahōrātras.
  - Numbers: Quantifies the celestial bodies in different regions (Jambu Dvipa, Lavaṇa Samudra, Dhātaki Khaṇḍa, Kālōdadhi Samudra, Puṣkaravaradvipa).
  - Influence: Notes that the movement of these celestial bodies influences human happiness and sorrow, and their proximity or distance affects temperature.
  - Lunar Phases: Explains the waxing and waning of the Moon due to Rahu's influence.
  - Fixed vs. Moving: Differentiates between moving celestial bodies in the human realm and fixed ones outside.
- Vaimanika (Celestial Deities in Aerial Palaces):
  - Twelve Kalpapati Indras: Lists the twelve great Indras who rule the celestial regions (Shakrendra, Ishanendra, Sanatkumar, Mahendra, Brahmendra, Lantaka, Mahashukra, Sahasrāra, Āṇata, Prāṇata, Āraṇa, Achyuta).
  - Vimānas (Palaces): Details the number of palaces for each of these Indras (e.g., 32 lakh, 28 lakh, 12 lakh).
  - Lifespans: Provides the lifespans of these deities in Sagōpamas, increasing significantly with higher Tirthas.
  - Graiveyaka and Anuttara Vimānas: Describes the nine Graiveyaka realms (divided into lower, middle, and upper) and the five Anuttara Vimānas (Vijay, Vaijayanta, Jayanta, Aparajita, and Sarvārthasiddhi).
  - Lifespans in Graiveyaka/Anuttara: Mentions lifespans for Graiveyaka deities increasing by one Sagōpama per level, and 33 Sagōpamas for Anuttara deities.
  - Structure of Vimānas: Describes the shape of the Vimānas (semicircular, circular, triangular, quadrangular) and their arrangement.
  - Materials and Colors: Mentions the construction with gems and the colors of the palaces.
  - Height: Details the height of the deities, decreasing with higher Tirthas.
  - Sensory Enjoyment (Kama-krida): Explains how higher deities experience pleasure through touch, sight, hearing, or mind, with the highest Anuttara deities not having physical pleasure of this kind.
  - Aroma: Notes the pleasant fragrances associated with these deities.
  - Avasthā (State): Describes their pristine physical state, adorned with self-manifested ornaments.
  - Food and Respiration: Details their feeding habits and breathing cycles, which are vastly different from humans.
  - Oka-sthiti and Avadhit: Explains their lifespan and the extent of their knowledge (Avadhijnana), which varies based on their lifespan and realm.
  - Purity of Vision and Knowledge: Highlights the capabilities of their pure knowledge.
Ishat Prāgbhāra and Siddhas (Liberated Souls):
- Location: Describes the Ishat Prāgbhāra earth, which is above the highest celestial realms.
- Description: Characterizes it as pure, luminous, and of a specific shape.
- Siddhashila: Explains the location of the Siddhas (liberated souls) at the end of the universe.
- Nature of Siddhas: Describes them as formless, free from pain, attachment, and karmic bonds, existing as pure soul-substance.
- Attainment of Siddhahood: Explains how souls attain liberation by shedding their physical form and residing at the apex of the universe.
- Size and Attributes of Siddhas: Details their size (height) and their state of infinite knowledge and bliss.
- Incomparable Bliss: Emphasizes that the bliss of liberation is immeasurable and beyond any worldly comparison.
Conclusion: The text concludes with a reiteration of the glory of the liberated souls and a final invocation for blessings from the deities and the Siddhas.

Overall Significance:

The "Devendrastava Sutra" serves as a comprehensive guide to the celestial beings within Jain cosmology. It provides detailed information about their different classes, their cosmic abodes, their lifespans, their powers, and the hierarchical structure of the heavens. The meticulous descriptions offer insights into the Jain understanding of the universe and the beings that inhabit its various realms, culminating in the ultimate state of liberation. The translation by Muni Dippratnasagarji makes this complex scriptural text accessible to a Hindi-speaking audience.