Dhananjaya And His Dwi Sadhana

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Dhananjaya and his Dvi Sadhana" by Dr. A. N. Upadhye:

The article by Dr. A. N. Upadhye delves into the identity and works of a distinguished Sanskrit author named Dhananjaya, distinguishing him from another well-known Dhananjaya, the author of the Dasarūpaka. The primary focus is on Dhananjaya, the author of the Dvisandhāna-kāvya (DS), also known as Rāghavapāṇḍavīya (RP). This Dhananjaya is traditionally credited with two other works: the Sanskrit lexicon Nāmamālā (or Dhananjaya-nighantu) and a hymn called Viṣāpahāra-stotra in praise of Jina, possibly Rishabha.

The author meticulously examines the existing scholarly debate regarding the age and identity of Dhananjaya, the author of the DS. This debate began in the late 19th century with scholars like K. B. Pathak, R. G. Bhandarkar, and E. V. Vira Raghavacharya offering various dating and identification theories.

• K. B. Pathak identified Dhananjaya with Śrutakīrti Traividya, author of an RP in the gata-pratyāgata style, and assigned him to around 1123 A.D.
• R. G. Bhandarkar, accepting Dhananjaya as the author of Nāmamālā as well, dated him between 996–1141 A.D., placing him younger than Kaviraja.
• E. V. Vira Raghavacharya proposed an earlier date for Dhananjaya, between 750–800 A.D.
• A. Venkatasubbiah contested Pathak's views, suggesting Dhananjaya might be Hemasena (c. 985 A.D.), identified as Vidyā-Dhananjaya in a Śravaṇa Belgoḷ inscription, and placing the DS-Kavya between 916–1000 A.D.

The article then provides details about the attributed works:

• Viṣāpahāra-stotra: A devotional hymn of 40 Sanskrit verses praising Jina. It's noted for its lucid language and captivating concepts, with the last verse subtly mentioning the author's name through śleṣa (pun). A legend associates its recitation with being an antidote to poison.
• Nāmamālā: A Sanskrit lexicon of synonyms, also known as Dhananjaya-nighantu in some manuscripts. It also includes an Anekārthanamamālā. The closing verses of the Nāmamālā explicitly link the author of the DS to the author of the Nāmamālā, referring to them as a "triad of gems" alongside Akalanka (in Pramāṇaśāstra) and Pujyapāda (in grammar). This confirms that the DS and Nāmamālā were indeed written by the same Dhananjaya, a poet with a strong command of Sanskrit vocabulary.

The author, Dhananjaya, does not provide autobiographical details. However, Nemicandra's commentary on the DS states that Dhananjaya was the son of Vasudeva and Śrīdevī, and a pupil of Dasaratha.

The article systematically presents evidence to establish the timeframe for Dhananjaya:

• Vardhamāna (1141 A.D.) quotes the DS in his Gaṇaratnamahodadhi.
• Bhoja (mid-11th century A.D.) mentions Dhananjaya and his DS alongside Dandin and his Dvisandhāna-prabandha, indicating the DS's significance and its comparison with Dandin's work.
• Prabhācandra (11th century A.D.) refers to the DS in his Prameyakamalamārtaṇḍa, noting the challenges of anekārthata (polysemy) in interpreting verses in dvisandhāna compositions.
• Vādirāja (1025 A.D.) mentions Dhananjaya and his skill in multiple sandhānas (interpretations) in his Pārśvanāthacarita.
• Durgasimha (c. 1025 A.D.), author of the Kannada Pañcatantra, refers to Dhananjaya's RP.
• Nagavarmā (c. 1090 and c. 1145 A.D.) mentions Dhananjaya among earlier poets in his work Chandōmbudhi.
• Jalhaṇa (c. 1257 A.D.) quotes a verse in his Sūktimuktāvali that praises Dhananjaya's skill in dvisandhāna.

Based on these references, Dr. Upadhye places Dhananjaya between Akalanka (7th-8th century A.D.) and Virasena (who completed his Dhavala in 816 A.D.), suggesting a date of c. 800 A.D. He argues that Dhananjaya cannot be later than Bhoja (11th century A.D.).

The Dvisandhāna-kāvya (DS) itself is described as having 18 cantos and 1105 verses, composed in various meters. It narrates the stories of both Rama and the Pandavas, often using śleṣa. The tale is presented as being narrated by Gautama to King Śreṇika, a common feature of Digambara Jain works. The poem prioritizes detailed descriptions and is rich in figures of speech. The colophons suggest Dhananjaya referred to himself as Dhananjaya, Kavi, or Dvisandhāna-kavi, and his poem as Dvisandhāna-kavya or Rāghava-Pāṇḍavīya.

The title Dvisandhāna signifies the compositional style where each verse has two interpretations, while Rāghava-Pāṇḍavīya indicates the dual narrative content. The article highlights that while other poets like Kaviraja also wrote RPs, Dhananjaya's primary title is Dvisandhāna, positioning him as a pioneer of this genre after Dandin.

A comparison is made with Kaviraja's RP:

• Dhananjaya's work has 18 cantos and 1105 verses, while Kaviraja's has 13 cantos and 664 verses.
• Dhananjaya uses śleṣa for his own name, whereas Kaviraja mentions his patron Kāmadeva, calling his work Kāmadēvānka.
• Dhananjaya's work is characterized by more detailed descriptions and profound arthāntaranyāsas, but his Sanskrit can be dense. Kaviraja's style is lucid and delightful, and he demonstrates greater mastery in śleṣa. The author notes that it's difficult to determine if one poem is an imitation of the other.

The article also addresses Śrutakīrti Traividya, who wrote an RP in the gata-pratyāgata style. Based on inscriptions and references, Śrutakīrti's period is placed between c. 1100 and 1150 A.D. The author refutes K. B. Pathak's identification of Dhananjaya and Śrutakīrti, citing key differences:

1. Status: Dhananjaya was a householder, while Śrutakīrti was a vrati and later an Ācārya.
2. Evidence: No sources suggest the two names refer to the same poet.
3. Chronology: A verse from Dhananjaya's Nāmamālā is quoted by Virasena (816 A.D.), and Dhananjaya's DS is mentioned by Bhoja (c. 1010-62 A.D.), whereas Śrutakīrti flourished much later.
4. Fame: Dhananjaya's DS was already renowned and compared to Dandin's work by the mid-11th century, a status Śrutakīrti, an Ācārya in 1135 A.D., couldn't have achieved for his work by Dhananjaya's time.

Finally, the author dismisses Venkatasubbiah's theory of Dhananjaya being identical with Hemasena, arguing that Hemasena's status as a pontifical predecessor is unproven and that Dhananjaya was a householder who never mentioned his ascetic lineage. The interpretation of "Vidya-Dhananjaya" as a proper name is also questioned.

In conclusion, Dr. Upadhye firmly establishes Dhananjaya as a significant Jain scholar and poet who predates Kaviraja and Śrutakīrti, likely flourishing around 800 A.D., and highlights his pioneering role in the Dvisandhāna literary genre.