Asht Lakshi Ek Parichay

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Asht Lakshi Ek Parichay," by Vinaysagar, focusing on the content of the initial pages:

The text introduces Asht Lakshi, a significant work by the renowned 17th-century scholar Mahopadhyay Kavi Samaysundar. Samaysundar was a polymath, deeply versed in Jain Agamas, literature, hymns, grammar, lexicon, prosody, astrology, and various other branches of knowledge. His fame in Rajasthan is such that a popular saying compares him to Maharana Kumbha's fortresses and Samaysundar's songs.

The text then provides biographical details about Kavi Samaysundar:

• Lineage: He was a disciple of Shri Sakalchandra Ganiji, who was the first disciple of Shri Jinchandrasuriji, the scholar who enlightened Emperor Akbar.
• Birth and Early Life: Born around Vikram Samvat 1610 in Sanchor, he belonged to the Pragvat community. His parents were Liladevi and Rupshi.
• Initiation and Education: He was initiated into monastic life between Vikram Samvat 1628-1630. His education was under the guidance of Vachak Mahimraj (Shri Jainsuriji) and Samayrajoapadhyay.
• Demise: He passed away in Ahmedabad on Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi, Vikram Samvat 1703. His extensive lineage of disciples continued until the 20th century.
• Recognition: He was granted the prestigious Gani-pad by Shri Jinchandrasuriji in Vikram Samvat 1641. He accompanied Acharya Jinchandrasuriji to Lahore when the latter enlightened Emperor Akbar. During the grand celebration when Jinchandrasuriji was given the Yugapradhan title and Vachak Mahimraj the Acharya title, Samaysundar was honored with the Vachanaacharya title by Jinchandrasuriji himself.

The core of the text then shifts to Asht Lakshi itself, highlighting its unique nature:

• Unprecedented Achievement: While previous poets created complex works like Dvīsāndhāna, Pañcāsāndhāna, and Shatārthī, Samaysundar's Asht Lakshi (also known as Artharatnāvali) is described as an unparalleled and immortal creation. It aims to prove the Jain principle of "Ananto attho" (infinite meanings) from a single sutra by deriving an astonishing number of meanings from each letter of the Sanskrit phrase "Rājāno dadate saukhyam" (Kings give happiness).
• Scope of the Work: The text emphasizes that no other work of this magnitude exists in Indian or world literature.
• Methodology and Citations: Samaysundar, in creating this work, systematically analyzed each letter of the phrase, attributing millions of meanings. He cites numerous texts and scholars to support his interpretations, including:
  • Jain Agamas: Aavashyak Niryukti, Aavashyak Sutra Brihadvritti, Sthānāṅga Sutra.
  • Other Jain Works: Jayasundarsuri's Shatārthī.
  • Puranas: Skanda Purana, Mahabharata.
  • Grammar: Siddh-Hem Shabdanushasan Brihan-nyas, Brihadvritti Saroddhar Karkapot, Pāṇinīya Dhātupāṭh, Avyaya-vritti Vyākhyā, Kālāpak Vyākaraṇa, Sarasvat Vyākaraṇa, Viṣṇuvārtika.
  • Poetics/Rhetoric: Kāvyaprakāśa, Rudraṭālaṅkāra Ṭīkā, Vāgbhaṭālaṅkāra, Kāvyakalpalatā Vr̥tti.
  • Kāvya (Poetry): Naiṣadha Kāvya, Kumāra Sambhava Kāvya, Meghadūta Kāvya, Khaṇḍapraśasti, Champū-kathā, Nītiśataka.
  • Lexicons: Amarakosha, Abhidhāna Chintāmaṇi Nāmālamā, Dhanañjaya Nāmālamā.
  • Monolingual and Polysemous Lexicons: Anekārtha Saṅgraha, Viśvaśambhu Nāmālamā, Sudhākalashīya Ekākṣarī Nāmālamā, Anekārtha Tilaka, Kālidāsīya Ekākṣarī Nāmālamā, Vāruṛchi-kṛta Ekākṣar Nighaṇṭu.
  • Astrology: Ratnakoṣa.

The text then details the creation context and numerical breakdown of meanings:

• Akbar's Involvement: The work was presented to Emperor Akbar in Vikram Samvat 1649 (around 1593 CE) on a Thursday, Shravan Shukla 13. The Emperor had camped in Raja Ramdas's garden while on his way to conquer Kashmir. In the presence of nobles, chieftains, and scholars of grammar and logic, Emperor Akbar summoned Jinchandrasuriji and his disciples, including Samaysundar.
• Akbar's Reaction: Akbar listened attentively to Asht Lakshi and was immensely pleased, praising it highly and stating that its study and dissemination should spread everywhere. He then took the manuscript and presented it back to Samaysundar, thereby validating the work.
• Numerical Calculation of Meanings: The text provides a detailed, albeit complex, breakdown of how the millions of meanings are derived from the phrase "Rājāno dadate saukhyam":
  • The word "Rājāno" is analyzed for its various grammatical forms and meanings, yielding 4,295 initial meanings.
  • When considering the different case endings for "te," the number of meanings escalates to 21,475.
  • Additional interpretations, like "Rajan" as a Yaksha-indicator or Sun-indicator, are mentioned.
  • The word "dadate" is further analyzed through various grammatical constructions (like non-compounds) and connections with other words.
  • The word "saukhyam" is given 10 meanings, and when combined with the prior calculations, the total number of meanings reaches 2,55,350.
  • By considering the negation (Nañ samāsa) of "saukhyam" (meaning "duḥkha" or sorrow), the number doubles to 5,10,700.
  • If interpreted through "Kāku" (intonation/emphasis), the number further doubles to 10,21,400.
  • Further classifications based on question-answer formats, verse types, and inclusion of earlier interpretations of "Rājāno" bring the total closer to 8,00,000.
  • The text notes that a final calculation leaves approximately 8,00,000 meanings as viable and consistent with the overall interpretation.
• Meaning of "Raja" for Akbar: A specific interpretation of the word "Raja" is provided, breaking it down letter by letter (R, A, JA, NA) to derive "Shri Akbar," highlighting the personalized praise for the emperor.
• Praise for Akbar: The text mentions that Samaysundar composed 8 verses praising Akbar's qualities, such as his justice, benevolence, his role in facilitating pilgrimage tax exemptions, his respect for different philosophies, his protection of Jain holy sites, his devotion to Jainism and other religions, and his universal acceptance.
• Title and Alternative Name: The work is titled "Artharatnāvali Vr̥tti" due to its commentary on "Rājāno dadate saukhyam." It is also famously known as "Ashtalakṣārthī" because of its eight lakh (800,000) meanings.
• Guru Parampara: Following the main text, Samaysundar included 33 verses detailing his lineage of gurus.
• Publication and Editing: The book was edited by Dr. Hiralal Rasikdas Kapadia and published with a detailed introduction in "Anekārtharātnamañjūṣā." The first edition was published in 1933 by the Devchand Lalbhai Jain Pustakoddhar Samstha, Surat.
• Editorial Note and Call for Reprint: The editor notes a discrepancy in the dating of a verse concerning Akbar's Yugapradhan title and suggests that the word "rasa" in a particular verse should refer to the nine Navarasas rather than the six Shadrases. The text also mentions that the first edition (1933) is now unavailable and urges literary institutions to publish a second, edited edition for the benefit of scholars.

In essence, this excerpt from "Asht Lakshi Ek Parichay" serves as an introduction to the life and monumental work of Kavi Samaysundar, emphasizing the profound linguistic and interpretive depth of Asht Lakshi and its historical context involving Emperor Akbar.