Gadyachintamani

The provided text is the Preface (Prastavana) and the First Chapter (Prathamo Lambh) of the Jain text Gadyachintamani, authored by Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri and edited by Pandit Pannālāl Jain. The publisher is Bharatiya Jñānapīṭha.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

Gadyachintamani: A Summary

1. Introduction and Editorial Basis (Page 2):

• The book is part of the Tāpīya Mūrtidēvī Jain Granthamālā, Sanskrit Granthāṅk - 31.
• The editor, Pandit Pannālāl Jain, states that the editing of Gadyachintamani was based on five manuscript copies:
  • 'ka': On palm leaves, Kannada script, good condition, readable, includes some annotations. Lacks final two verses. Dated 'Paridhāvisamvatsare Maghamāse prathama pakṣe pratipadithī Ravivāsare bahugulā pure likhitam'.
  • 'kha': On paper, Kannada script, 131 pages, written by Narasiṃha Śāstrī in December 1899.
  • 'ga': On paper, Andhra script, 130 pages, good condition, well-bound. Last entry reads 'Jaya samvatsara āśvina bahula 14 Tiruvallara Vīra Rādhācāryeṇa likhitam'.
  • 'gha': On palm leaves, Kannada script, 214 pages, in extremely dilapidated condition, script mostly illegible due to ink fading. No writing period found.
  • 'ma': A printed edition edited by T.M. Kuppusvāmī, based on 7 ancient manuscripts. The second edition of this printed text had some text omissions.
• The editor regrets that no manuscript in Nāgarī script was found. He expresses gratitude to Pandit Dēvarabhaṭṭa of Vārāṇasī for compiling text variations from the four manuscripts in Andhra and Kannada scripts, and to Pandit Amṛtlāl Jain Darśanācārya of Vārāṇasī for their cooperation. The editor acknowledges his inability to benefit from the manuscripts on his own due to not knowing the Andhra and Kannada scripts.

2. Popularity of Jīvandar's Life and Various Texts (Page 3):

• Jīvandar Swāmī's life story is filled with extraordinary events, and many authors have considered it an honor to depict it.
• The text lists eleven other available works that narrate Jīvandar's life:
  1. Gadyachintamani (prose poetry by Vādīsiṃhasūri)
  2. Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi (verse poetry in Anuṣṭup meter by Vādīsiṃhasūri)
  3. Jīvandharacarita (a section from Guṇabhadra's Uttarapurāṇa)
  4. Jīvakachintāmaṇi (famous Tamil work by Tiruttakka Dēvar)
  5. Jīvandharacariu (99th Sandhi of Puṣpadanta's Apabhraṃśa Mahāpurāṇa)
  6. Jīvandhar Champū (Sanskrit Champa text in prose and verse by Hariścandra)
  7. Jīvandharacarita (13 Sandhis in Apabhraṃśa by Raiṣū Kavi)
  8. Jīvandharacaritē (18 Adhyāyas, 1000 verses in Kannada by Bhāskara, son of Vāsa)
  9. Jīvandharasangātya (20 Adhyāyas, 1449 verses in Kannada by Tērka Nambi Bommarasa)
  10. Jīvandhar Shatpadī (10 Adhyāyas, 118 verses in Kannada by Koṭīśvara)
  11. Jīvandharacarita (a part within Śubhacandra's Pāṇḍavapurāṇa)
  12. Jīvandharacaritē (Kannada work by Brahmakavi)
  13. Jīvandharacarita (Hindi verse composition by Kavi Nathmal)

3. Basis of Gadyachintamani's Narrative (Pages 3-4):

• The narrative of Gadyachintamani, Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi, Jīvakachintāmaṇi, and Jīvandhar Champū is similar in locations and characters, with a similar sequence of events.
• However, Guṇabhadra's Uttarapurāṇa's narrative, while having similarities, also has many differences. Its locations and characters' names are sometimes different, and it includes events not found in the other three.
• Despite Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri mentioning "Jīvandhara prabhava puṇya purāṇa yogād vākyaṃ mamāpy abhayalokahitapradāyi" (My words will also be beneficial to both worlds due to their connection with the sacred Purāṇa originating from Jīvadhara) in his introductory statement, and scholars understanding this "Purāṇa" to refer to Jīvaka's story within Guṇabhadra's Uttarapurāṇa, the differences in narrative suggest Vādībhaṃsiṃha based his work on a different Purāṇa, not Uttarapurāṇa.
• While a Purāṇa can be poetically adapted and unnecessary parts omitted, changes in place and character names are difficult to justify.
• The Tamil Jīvakachintāmaṇi author, Tīstakkatēva, likely took his narrative from Vādībhaṃsiṃha's works—Gadyachintamani and Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi, as demonstrated by T. S. Kuppusvāmī in the preface to Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi, by quoting from both works.

4. Comparative Study of Jīvandhara Swāmī's Life (Pages 4-41):

• This section provides a detailed comparative analysis of Jīvandhara Swāmī's life based on Gadyachintamani, Uttarapurāṇa, and Jīvandhar Champū. It highlights significant differences in plot, character names, and events between these texts, suggesting Vādībhaṃsiṃha's independent source or adaptation.
• The summary then delves into the narrative of the first chapter (Prathamo Lambh):
  • King Śreṇika and Lord Mahāvīr's Samavasaraṇa: King Śreṇika is walking in the four gardens of the Samavasaraṇa and sees Muni Jīvandhara meditating under an Ashoka tree. Impressed by his beauty and peaceful posture, Śreṇika inquires about him from Sudharma Ācārya, a Gandhara of Lord Mahāvīr.
  • Origin of Jīvandhara: Sudharma Ācārya narrates the story of King Satyandhara and Queen Vijayā of the country Hemāṅgada in the Bharata sector of Jambu Dvīpa. Queen Vijayā dreams of the King giving her a crown adorned with eight bells and of an Ashoka tree being cut down and a smaller one growing in its place. The King interprets these dreams as a son being born to her after his death, who will enjoy earthly pleasures and eventually attain liberation.
  • Gṛhapatikaṃdhōṭaka and his Wife Sunanda: A wealthy merchant named Gandhotkaṭa asks Muni Śīlagupta if he will have a long-lived son. The Muni predicts a son born to him after his currently deceased son is abandoned in the forest, and this son will enjoy the entire earth and finally attain moksha. A Yakṣī, overhearing this, decides to help Gandhoṭkaṭa's future mother.
  • The Yakṣī's Intervention: When the time for the royal birth arrives, the Yakṣī, motivated by the merchant's prophecy, enters the royal household in the form of a Garuda-yantra.
  • Rudra Datta's Conspiracy: The Purohit Rudra Datta advises the minister Kāṣṭhāṅgārika to kill King Satyandhara, as the unborn son will be his killer. Rudra Datta dies of illness and goes to Naraka.
  • Kāṣṭhāṅgārika's Treachery: Kāṣṭhāṅgārika, fearing his own death, hires soldiers to kill the King. The King escapes with Queen Vijayā in the Mayūra-yantra. The soldiers, upon seeing the King, side with him against the minister. King Satyandhara defeats Kāṣṭhāṅgārika, but Kāṣṭhāṅgārika's son Kālāṅgārika arrives with an army, kills King Satyandhara, and becomes king.
  • Vijaya's Ordeal and Jīvandar's Birth: Queen Vijayā, in the Mayūra-yantra, reaches a crematorium and gives birth to a son in the darkness of night. The Yakṣī appears, comforts her, and helps her abandon the infant.
  • Gandhoṭkaṭa Finds Jīvandar: Merchant Gandhoṭkaṭa, searching for a long-lived son as predicted by Muni Śīlagupta, finds the infant crying in the crematorium. He picks him up, hears the Yakṣī's voice, and recognizes the child. He takes the infant home and asks his wife Sunanda to raise him, passing him off as their own son. They name him Jīvaka or Jīvandhara.
  • Vijaya's Hermitage: Queen Vijayā, disguised as a hermitess, goes to an ashram in the Daṇḍaka forest, where the Yakṣī occasionally visits her.
  • The Narrative Continues: The chapter details the upbringing of Jīvadhara with Gandhoṭkaṭa, his companions (including King Satyandhara's sons Maghara and Bakula, and the sons of four ministers), his education by Āryanandi, and his early encounters, including defeating the Bhīla king Kālakuṭa and marrying Gōdāvarī. It also describes his journey to other kingdoms, his marriages to Gandharvadattā (daughter of Vidyādhar king Garuḍavēga), Suramañjarī, and Guṇamālā, his eventual victory in a duel with Kāṣṭhāṅgārika's son Kālāṅgārika, and the subsequent installation of Jīvandar as King Satyandhara's successor. The chapter concludes with Jīvandhara receiving religious instruction and later renouncing worldly life to become a monk, eventually attaining Kevala Jñāna and Moksha.

5. Nature of Gadyakāvya (Pages 12-14):

• The text defines "Gadya" as arising from the root "gad vyaktāyāṃ vāci" (to speak clearly), meaning prose is that which is suitable for clear expression.
• It contrasts prose with poetry (Padya), noting that poetry, bound by meter and rhythm, limits the author's ability to fully express themselves. The natural order of subject, object, verb, and their adjectives is disrupted in poetry, making it difficult to understand without analyzing the "anvaya" (syntactical connection).
• The author argues that prose is ancient and poetry is a later development, like a child's first words being in prose. Prose is considered natural speech, while poetry is artificial.
• However, poetry's popularity stems from its musicality, which captivates even animals and birds. The text suggests that prose, while lacking the inherent musicality of poetry, often possesses greater "rasa paripakva" (perfection of sentiment) and better showcases "antyānuprāsa" (end rhyme) and other figures of speech.
• The text notes that despite the abundance of popular poetry, prose remains a guiding light for poets, and a poet's true scholarship is judged by their prose, not poetry, as per the Sanskrit saying "Gadyam kavīnām nikaṣam vadanti" (Prose is the touchstone of poets). Poetry's metrical structure can hide a poet's shortcomings, but prose offers no such sanctuary, forcing the writer to confront challenges in an open field.
• The rarity of prose might be due to the limited number of scholars capable of writing it. The text lists prominent Sanskrit prose writers: Subandhu (Vāsavadattā), Bāṇa (Kādambarī and Harṣacarita), Daṇḍī (Daśakumāracarita), Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri (Gadyachintāmaṇi), Dhanapāla (Tilakamañjarī), and Ambikādattavyāsa (Śivarājvijaya). Champa literature, combining prose and poetry, is noted as more abundant.

6. Classification of Prose (Page 14):

• Visvanātha, in Sahityadarpaṇa, categorizes prose into four types:
  • Muktaka: Free from poetic meter (gandha), without long compound words.
  • Vṛttagandhi: Contains a hint of meter.
  • Utkalikāprāya: Characterized by cascading sequences of long word-combinations.
  • Chūrṇaka: Composed of unstressed or short compound words.
• Prose works are further divided into two genres:
  • Kathā: Primarily prose, with occasional use of Āryā, Vaktra, and Apavaktra meters, often beginning with invocations and praise of saints, and criticism of the wicked (e.g., Kādambarī, Gadyachintāmaṇi, Tilakamañjarī).
  • Ākhyāyikā: Similar to Kathā but also includes descriptions of the hero's lineage and occasionally other poets' works in verse. The pauses between narrative sections are called "Āśvāsa", and the beginning of each Āśvāsa often contains a suggestion of the future meaning conveyed through Āryā, Vaktra, and Apavaktra meters (e.g., Harṣacarita).
• The distinction between Kathā and Ākhyāyikā is sometimes debated, with some suggesting Ākhyāyikā must be by the hero, while Daṇḍin rejects this. Ākhyāna, Parikathā, Khaṇḍakathā, etc., are subsumed under Kathā.

7. Author: Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri (Pages 14-16):

• The author is confirmed as Śrī Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri through the colophons at the end of each chapter.
• Two concluding verses in three manuscripts suggest his name was Oḍayadeva, and he received the title "Vādībhaṃsiṃha" (Lion among debaters) due to his logical prowess.
• He is believed to be the same Ācārya Ajitasena mentioned in the Malliṣeṇa Praśasti at Śravaṇabeḷgoḷā (inscription no. 54).
• Vādībhaṃsiṃhasūri also mentions his guru, Puṣpasena Muni, in the sixth verse of the Pūrvapīṭhikā, attributing his learning and title to his guru's power. Puṣpasena is identified as a contemporary of Acalaṅka in the Malliṣeṇa Praśasti.
• His logical skill is evident in his work "Syādvād Siddhi," published by Māṇikacandra Granthamālā, Mumbai.
• His time is estimated to be the late 8th and early 9th century CE, considering the influence of Bāṇa's Kādambarī and Harṣacarita, and the critical analysis of Bhāṭṭa and Prabhākara in his Syādvāda Siddhi.
• Potential contradictory evidence for his timeline is discussed, including the supposed use of Uttarapurāṇa (attributed to 848 CE) and the influence of Bhoja (1010-1050 CE), but these are countered by arguments about textual basis and the posteriority of later works.

8. Vādībhaṃsiṃha's Works (Pages 16-19):

• Three works are definitively attributed to him: Syādvāda Siddhi, Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi, and Gadyachintāmaṇi.
• "Pramāṇanaukā" and "Navapadārtha Viniścaya" are also attributed to him, but their authenticity is questioned for "Navapadārtha Viniścaya."
• Syādvāda Siddhi: A work in Anuṣṭup meter, discussing 14 topics related to logic and philosophy, though the text is incomplete.
• Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi: A narrative of Jīvandhara Kumāra, contemporary of Lord Mahāvīr's disciple King Śreṇika. It excels in its style, where each verse's first half describes an event, and the second half offers a moral or ethical reflection (arthāntaranyāsa). This makes it a unique ethical treatise in Sanskrit literature.
• Gadyachintāmaṇi: Shares the same plot, hero, characters, and places as Kṣatracūḍāmaṇi, with eleven chapters in both works. It is written entirely in eloquent prose, with a few verses for praise. The prose is noted for its beauty, lyrical flow, clear narrative, surprising imaginations, and Dharma-related teachings. It employs various figures of speech like Upamā, Rūpaka, Utprekṣā, Pariṣaṅkhyā, Virodhābhāsa, and Uddēśya. The author's prose style is compared favorably to Bāṇa's Kādambarī and Harṣacarita, being less verbose and more accessible.

9. Social Conditions Reflected (Pages 20-23):

• Marriages: Polygamy was prevalent. Inter-caste marriages occurred between Kshatriyas and Vaiśyas, but not typically between higher castes and Śūdras. Child marriages were common. Marriage was arranged by parents or through self-choice (Svayaṃvara). Marriage often involved fire as a witness. Maternal uncle's daughter marriage was also mentioned.
• Attire: Clothes were limited in number. Men wore lower garments and upper cloths. Kings wore crowns. Women wore lower garments, upper cloths, and breast cloths. No mention of the Dravida Sangh or Arungalānvaya lineage of Vādībhaṃsiṃha is found in the text, which is notable considering his provenance from Tamil regions.
• Politics: Kings had 4-6 ministers, including a chief minister. A priest or royal scholar handled religious matters. Queens had a place in the royal court. Kings designated their successors as princes. Kings themselves adjudicated major cases.
• Warfare: Wars occurred when necessary, primarily using bows and arrows, sometimes swords. Chariots, horses, and elephants were used in battle. Palanquins were used for travel, mostly by women.
• Education: Both boys and girls received education, dependent on the guru's grace. Students were devoted to their gurus, and gurus were detached from worldly attachments.
• Travel: Transportation was limited. People traveled in caravans due to the danger of robbers like Bhīlas.
• Religion: Both Vedic and Śramaṇa (Jain) religions were prevalent.

10. Acknowledgments (Page 31):

• The editor expresses gratitude to Bharatiya Jñānapīṭha for its high-quality publications and to Sahū Śāntiprasādajī for his generosity.
• He thanks T. S. Kuppusvāmī for his pioneering work in editing Jīvandhara-related Sanskrit literature.
• He acknowledges the significant efforts of Pandit K. Bhujaḻī Śāstrī in procuring manuscripts and providing guidance.
• Pandit Kailāścandra Śāstrī's preface to Nyāyakumudacandrodaya and Pandit Dayārālajī Koṭhiyā Nyāyācārya's preface to Syādvāda Siddhi were helpful in determining Vādībhaṃsiṃha's time. Articles by Pandit Bhujaḻī Śāstrī in Jain Siddhānta Bhāskara and the late Premijī's "Jaina Sāhitya Aura Itihāsa" were also valuable.
• English prefaces to Jīvandhar Champū by Dr. A.N. Upādhye and Dr. Hīrālāl Jain provided direction.
• Special thanks are given to Śrī Dēvarabhaṭṭa and Pandit Amṛtlāl Jain Darśanācārya of Vārāṇasī for compiling textual variations and providing assistance.

This summary covers the key aspects of the provided text, from the editorial details and historical context to the narrative content of the first chapter and the critical analysis of the author and his work.