Agnatkartuk Avachuri - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Agnatkartuk Avachuri" by Shrichandravijay, based on the provided content:

Title: Agnatkartuk Avachuri (Unknown Author's Commentary) Author: Shrichandravijay Publisher: ZZ_Anusandhan Source: Jain Education International (for private and personal use only)

This document presents an analysis and summary of an unknown author's commentary (Avachuri) on the Shri Bhaktamara Stotra, composed by Shriman Tunga Acharya. The commentary itself is attributed to Shri Chandravijay.

Key Aspects and Content:

Discovery and Nature of the Commentary: The commentary was obtained from the personal collection of Acharya Shri Vijayshilchandra Suriji Maharaj. It is a handwritten manuscript of 10 pages and, according to an inscription at the end, pertains to the 376 verses of the Bhaktamara Stotra.
Definition of "Avachuri": The author defines "Avachuri" as a commentary that:
1. Presents the essential core of the original commentary (vrutti), omitting lengthy explanations, detailed elaborations, alternative meanings, etc.
2. Is a condensed or summarized version of the original text.
3. Explains the text in a simplified or alternative manner.
Authorship and Date Uncertainty: The specific author of this Avachuri and its composition date are unknown, as there are no concluding remarks mentioning the author's name or the year of creation.
Connection to a Known Commentary: Crucially, the Avachuri is identified as being on top of a known commentary ("वृत्ति उपरनी आ अवचूरि छे"). This referred commentary is the Vivrutti Tika, composed in Samvat 1426 by Pujya Gunakar Suri Maharaj of the Rudrapalli Gachha, which is a more extensive work of 1572 verses. The author notes that the Avachuri aligns well with the meaning derived from this Vivrutti Tika.
Location Reference: The commentary begins with a salutation to Lord Yugadish-Aadishwar Bhagwan, the "Delaullapur Nayak" (Lord of Delaullapur). The author's guru, Acharya Shri V. Somchandra Suriji Maharaj, suggests that "Delaullapur" might refer to "Delwada," drawing parallels with other historically known place names like Iladurg-Idar and Vatpad-Vadodara.
Specific Verse Analysis: The author then delves into a verse-by-verse explanation of the Bhaktamara Stotra, highlighting specific readings and interpretations within the Avachuri:
- Verse 10 (first charan): Clarifies that the word "भूत!" (bhoot!) in "भुवनभूषणभूत!" means "like" or "similar to."
- Verse 11 (fourth charan): Notes a variation in reading compared to the printed Vivrutti Tika. The Avachuri reads "जलमऽशितुं स्वादितुं" (to drink, to taste water), while the printed version is "जलं रसितुं-स्वादितुं पातुमिच्छेत्" (desires to taste, to drink water).
- Verse 20: Mentions that the commentary and the main text refer to a "Surimantra" being present from verse 20 to verse 26.
- Verse 25 (first charan): Discusses the interpretation of "विबुधार्चितबुद्धिबोधात्." The commentator's interpretation differs from the Vivrutti Tika's, suggesting a Bahuvrihi compound for "बोधो यस्य" (whose knowledge) making it a fifth-case accusative.
- Verse 33 (second charan): Points out that the Avachuri prefers the reading "तयाऽपरस्य" instead of "तथा परस्य," as it aligns with the meaning "similarly for another."
Concluding Inscription: After verse 44, there is an inscription stating: "Thus the Bhaktamara Stotra is completely written. Compiled by Pandit Dungarji, disciple of Pandit Aanandkirtigani, disciple of Pandit Hemmandirgani, disciple of Yugapradhan Bhattarak Shri Jinchandra Suri." This inscription, however, refers to the scribe and lineage of the manuscript, not the author of the Avachuri itself.
Gratitude: The author, Shri Chandravijay, expresses gratitude to Acharya Shri V. Shailchandra Suriji Maharaj for providing the manuscript from his personal collection, thus facilitating the service to scriptural knowledge.

Summary of the Stotra's Explanation (as interpreted by the Avachuri):

The Avachuri then proceeds to provide a commentary on the initial verses of the Bhaktamara Stotra, explaining them in detail:

Verse 1-2: The author begins by saluting Lord Yugadish and describes the stotra's purpose as explaining the essence of the great Bhaktamara Stotra. It mentions the story of Mayura and Bana, scholars serving King Bhoja, and how Tunga Suri's miraculous powers (releasing from chains) impressed King Bhoja, leading him to accept Jainism. The author explains the first two verses, highlighting the Lord's magnificence, his role as a refuge for those falling in the ocean of life, and his being praised by divine beings. The verses are also analyzed for their stylistic and devotional merits.
Verse 3: The author explains the humility of the poet (Tunga Acharya) who admits his limited intellect in trying to praise the Lord, comparing himself to a child trying to grasp the moon's reflection in water.
Verse 4: The poet acknowledges the difficulty of describing the Lord's virtues, even for those like Jupiter (Brihaspati), using the analogy of crossing the ocean filled with sea monsters at the end of time.
Verse 5: Despite his lack of strength, the poet is motivated to compose the stotra out of devotion, likening it to a deer facing a lion to protect its fawn.
Verse 6: The poet attributes his ability to speak about the Lord to his devotion, even with limited scriptural knowledge, comparing himself to a cuckoo whose sweet song is due to the mango blossoms.
Verse 7: It's stated that praising the Lord eradicates accumulated karma, just as sunlight dispels darkness.
Verse 8: The poet, considering the difficulty and efficacy of the praise, begins composing it with his limited intellect, believing it will captivate noble minds.
Verse 9: The text emphasizes that even the Lord's stories (sankatha) can destroy misfortunes, just as the sun's radiance causes lotuses to bloom.
Verse 10: It's not surprising if those who praise the Lord become equal to him, as a master makes his dependents like himself.
Verse 11: Seeing the Lord's captivating form, the eyes find no satisfaction elsewhere, just as one who has tasted the ocean of milk would not desire the salty ocean water.
Verse 12: The Lord's form is made of pure atoms, and no equivalent form exists in the world.
Verse 13: The Lord's face is compared to the moon, which, despite its blemishes and pale appearance during the day, is incomparable to the Lord's face.
Verse 14: The Lord's virtues are pure like moonlight and transcend the three worlds, and no one can obstruct their movement.
Verse 15: It's not miraculous if the Lord's mind remains unaffected by celestial nymphs, just as Mount Meru is unmoved by the winds of cosmic dissolution.
Verse 16: The Lord is like a unique lamp that is smokeless, oil-less, and illuminates the entire universe, unmoved by winds.
Verse 17: The Lord surpasses the sun in glory, never setting, invisible to Rāhu, and illuminating the worlds instantly and simultaneously.
Verse 18: The Lord's lotus-like face, ever radiant and dispelling the darkness of delusion, shines brighter than the moon, which is obscured by Rāhu and clouds.
Verse 19: When darkness is dispelled by the Lord's face, the moon and sun become unnecessary, just as rain clouds are unnecessary when crops are already grown.
Verse 20: The Lord's knowledge is incomparable to that of deities like Vishnu and Shiva, just as the brilliance of a gem is far greater than that of a piece of glass.
Verse 21: The poet considers deities like Vishnu and Shiva preferable only if they were not seen, for having seen the Lord, no other deity captivates the mind.
Verse 22: While many women bear sons, only one mother (Marudevi) bore a son like the Lord. Similarly, while all directions have stars, only the East gives birth to the sun.
Verse 23: Sages consider the Lord the supreme being, radiant like the sun, pure, and beyond darkness. By realizing Him, one conquers death, and there is no other path to liberation.
Verse 24: The Lord is described as the imperishable, all-pervading, inconceivable, infinite, Brahma, Ishvara, the lord of Yogis, and the embodiment of knowledge. These attributes are associated with various deities in other traditions but are all attributed to the Jin.
Verse 25: The Lord is identified as Buddha (the enlightened one), Shankara (the bestower of happiness), and Dhātā (the creator), clearly establishing him as the Supreme Being.
Verse 26: The verses express salutations to the Lord for removing the suffering of the three worlds, being the pure ornament of the earth, the supreme lord of the three worlds, and drying up the ocean of existence.
Verse 27: It's not surprising that the Lord is filled with all virtues without any space left, and is never seen even in dreams by those with pride and various attachments to faults.
Verse 28-31: These verses describe the Lord's physical attributes and the four auspicious signs (prātihārya): the Ashoka tree, the lion throne, the fly-whisks, and the three umbrellas, all symbolizing his supreme status.
Verse 32: Where the Lord's feet touch the ground, lotuses bloom, signifying his divine touch.
Verse 33: The Lord's glory in preaching Dharma is unparalleled, just as the sun's brilliance in dispelling darkness is unmatched by the lesser planets.
Verse 34-42: These verses explain how the Lord's remembrance protects from various fears: elephants, lions, forest fires, snakes, battles, oceans, diseases, and imprisonment. The power of his name and mantras is highlighted in overcoming these dangers.
Verse 43: The fear arising from elephants, lions, fires, snakes, battles, oceans, diseases, and imprisonment is instantly destroyed by anyone who intelligently recites this stotra.
Verse 44: The poet states that anyone who adorns their neck with this garland of stotra, woven with the Lord's virtues and beautiful flowers of devotion, will surely attain the 'Maantunga' (a reference to the poet himself, implying the devotee attains his state or the Lord, whose name is associated with the poet). The commentary mentions that this verse encapsulates the essence of the preceding verses.

Overall Significance:

The "Agnatkartuk Avachuri" is a valuable contribution to Jain literature, offering a specific interpretation and commentary on the widely revered Bhaktamara Stotra. Its significance lies in its historical context (being a rare, unknown author's commentary), its detailed verse-by-verse analysis, and its elucidation of the stotra's devotional and philosophical content, linking it to the broader tradition of Jain commentaries. The exploration of the historical and linguistic aspects, such as the place name "Delaullapur," adds further depth to the study.