Granth Shiromani Shree Bhuvalaya

This document is a review of the Jain text "Granth Shiromani Shree Bhuvalaya" (Lord of Books, Shri Bhuvalaya), authored by Balkrishna Akinchan. The review highlights the immense significance and multifaceted nature of the original work, credited to the learned scholar Kumudendu Acharya.

Here's a comprehensive summary:

The Reviewer's Admiration for Acharya Deshbhushanji Maharaj: The reviewer, Dr. Balkrishna Akinchan, begins by praising Acharya Shri Deshbhushanji Maharaj as a "new Bhagirath" for his efforts in reviving lost Jain literature. While acknowledging the Acharya's broader contributions (restoring temples, establishing educational institutions, etc.), Akinchan emphasizes that the translation of "Shree Bhuvalaya" is particularly valuable. This is because Acharya Deshbhushanji's mastery of languages and translation has opened up numerous Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Bengali, and other important Jain texts to the Hindi-speaking world. The reviewer asserts that even if the Acharya had done nothing else, his translation of "Shree Bhuvalaya" alone would have been a monumental achievement due to the original text's importance, utility, depth, complexity, and diversity.

The Significance of Shree Bhuvalaya:

• An Example of Indian Intellect: The book is presented as an extraordinary testament to Indian intellect, specifically the knowledge, science, literature, and capabilities of Jain scholars.
• The "Eighth Wonder": India's first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, declared "Shree Bhuvalaya" to be the eighth wonder of the world. This designation stems from its comprehensive introduction to numerous branches of knowledge and science, as well as multiple languages like Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Kannada.
• Early Use of Numerical Language: A groundbreaking aspect highlighted is the author's use of numbers to represent language. This provides "irrefutable proof" that over a thousand years ago, a sophisticated tradition existed for writing language numerically, akin to modern computer language. This is presented as a new area for scholarly research.

Author and Timeline:

• Kumudendu Acharya: The text was authored by the renowned scholar Shri Kumudendu Acharya. While other Acharyas of the same name exist, internal and external evidence places the author of "Shree Bhuvalaya" in the 8th century CE or later.
• Evidence of Age: The frequent mention of Amoghavarsha, who reigned from 814 to 877 CE, is cited as strong evidence that the text is over a thousand years old.

Linguistic and Grammatical Importance:

• 718 Languages: Kumudendu Acharya meticulously lists 718 languages, including Devanagari, in his enumeration of languages. The review notes the familiarity with some names and the unfamiliarity with others, listing peculiar examples like "Chaanikya," "Paashi," "Amritraka," "Pavan," etc., and regionally associated names like "Saraswat," "Laat," "Gaud," "Magadh," etc.
• Linguistic Challenge: The text is considered a new challenge for linguistics, as many of the listed languages are still known and written today (e.g., Sanskrit, Prakrit, Dravidian, Brahmi, Turkish, Devanagari, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.). It is also deemed significant from a grammatical perspective, a fact acknowledged by Kumudendu Acharya himself.
• Translation Nuances: The review praises the accuracy of Acharya Deshbhushanji's translation of the numerical language but points out some "awkward word usage" in the Hindi translation that, while perhaps correct in Sanskrit or other traditions, are not standard in refined Hindi. Examples include "oon" (hair) for "body's slight hair," "anuvigyan" for "physics," "dohon" for "verse" in the context of the Bhagavad Gita, "bhediye" (wolves) for "sheep," and "tishthte hain" for "baithte hain" (sit).

Structure and Content of "Shree Bhuvalaya" (Based on the 14 Translated Chapters):

• Poetic Structure: The original text is written in Kannada and is structured poetically. A unique feature is that reading the initial Kannada letters from top to bottom in each chapter yields a Prakrit poem, while reading the letters from the 27th position downwards reveals a Sanskrit poem. This layered linguistic construction is highlighted as a testament to Kumudendu Acharya's linguistic genius.
• Ohm Worship: The text extensively details the significance of "Om," showcasing Kumudendu Acharya's devotion to this sacred syllable, a common practice among Jain Acharyas.
• Knowledge and Siddhis: The second chapter delves into the classical exposition of knowledge, categorizing it into five types: Mati, Shruti, Avadhi, Manahparya, and Kevala. It suggests that knowledge can lead to supernatural powers (siddhis), including flight. The chapter also mentions methods for creating aircraft and discusses various types of knowledge like Kamakala (art of love), Pushpayurveda (flower-based medicine), and different "Gitas" (Neem Gita, Bhagavad Gita, Mahavir Gita, Kumudendu Gita). It establishes the concept that numbers are letters and letters are numbers, enabling the creation of words in various languages through numerical encoding.
• Yoga and Spirituality: The third chapter focuses on spiritual yoga, defining it as righteous conduct that destroys afflictions. It explains the tradition of yoga and its importance, detailing the actions of Charitra Yoga. The four destructive karma of the Arhat Parmeshthi are explained with beautiful analogies, and Darshan (vision), Gyan (knowledge), and Charitra (conduct) are presented as the three limbs of the soul.
• Liberation and Alchemy: The fourth chapter describes "Shree Bhuvalaya" as a poem that leads to liberation (moksha). It discusses auspicious thoughts and words and features a profound analysis of subtle elements. It concludes with descriptions of Pushpayurveda and the alchemical mastery of mercury (rasa siddhi). The text explains how purified mercury, when combined with specific elements and celestial energies, can grant abilities like flight and subterranean travel. It details the use of specific flower extracts to achieve these feats.
• Mathematics and Vedas: The fifth chapter emphasizes the glory of the number nine in mathematics and how numbers can create various languages. The sixth chapter proclaims mathematics as the science that leads to liberation, referencing the Rigveda and suggesting the existence of a numerical version of the Rigveda. It explains how numbers 1 to 9 lead to the twelve Angas of Jain scripture, and adding 1 to 9 results in the number 10, which gives rise to the Rigveda. The text acknowledges the reverence shown to Vedas, differentiating between human and demoniacal aspects and praying for the protection of cattle, Brahmins, and the equality of the Jain faith.
• The Glory of Jineshvara and Floral Alchemy: The seventh chapter is dedicated to the glory of Lord Jineshvara, describing all Tirthankaras as destroyers of Kama (desire). It discusses the use of various flowers, including those of the Ashoka tree, for medicinal and alchemical purposes, such as removing poison and solidifying mercury. It also outlines mathematical methods for achieving these alchemical goals.
• Symbolic Numbers and Sacred Mountains: The eighth chapter describes symbolic numbers like "Simhasana" (throne) and praises the Nandi Giri mountain. It also mentions the Samavasarana of lions and the Gajeendra Nishkranata Tap (a specific penance).
• Divine Attributes and Geography: The ninth chapter details the divine and miraculous physical attributes of Lord Jineshvara, such as sustaining himself without food, appearing with multiple faces, having unblinking eyes, and emitting divine speech without lips or teeth. It describes the Samavasarana (the divine assembly) and the universal peace it bestows. This chapter also provides significant geographical and historical information, referring to India as being surrounded by the ocean, mentioning a metropolis named Vardhaman with a thousand cities, identifying Saurashtra with Karnataka, and noting the presence of hot springs and mercury wells.
• Transmutation and Ancient Knowledge: The tenth chapter discusses extraordinary concepts, such as transforming iron into gold through science and then refining that gold with the knowledge from "Bhuvalaya." It also includes a Prakrit verse referencing Jain saints and their attainment of liberation.
• Spiritual and Mathematical Concepts: The eleventh chapter explores material and immaterial aspects of knowledge, along with the mathematical significance of "Bhuvalaya." It covers knowledge related to "Om," "Anjan" (a type of pigment), "Ankakshar" (numerical letters), charity, attachment, desire, the soul, the state of liberation, and the abode of the Siddhas.
• Asceticism and Ancient Warfare: The twelfth chapter, titled "Ru," describes the austerities of monks, enumerating twelve types of penance and mentioning a count of nearly nine crore Digambara monks. It recounts stories like Lakshmana drawing outlines of Lord Bahubali and Renuka Devi being struck by her son Parashurama's axe. It also describes an offensive weapon that can defeat all other weapons, created by applying a paste of mercury to it. The chapter lists medicinal properties of various trees and the use of soil from the "Mesha Shrunga" tree for achieving flight and from the "Daru" tree for transmuting base metals into gold. It instructs readers to understand these sciences through the mathematics of Lord Parshvanatha.
• Ascetic Powers and Ancient Ayurveda: The thirteenth chapter details the powers of ascetics in the central region of Lad Desh within the 2.5 islands of India, who practice penance according to scripture and are free from pride in knowledge. The fourteenth chapter, named "Ku" (the fourteenth vowel), describes numerous accomplished monks and their miraculous abilities, such as their saliva, sweat, or earwax curing all diseases. It highlights the belief that even the flora in forests inhabited by these Siddha monks become highly medicinal. The chapter mentions Pushpayurveda, made from 18,000 flowers, and lists cities like Ayodhya and Chandrapuri as origins of non-violent Ayurveda, contrasting it with violent forms. It also lists the lineages and mothers of the Tirthankaras, emphasizing that Ayurveda taught by Lord Jinendra should be studied by all for their well-being. The reviewer notes that Kumudendu Acharya digitized the chemical science of the great Acharya Pujyapada into "Bhuvalaya" in numerical form, opening the door to disease-free living.

Overall Assessment: The reviewer concludes by stating that the 14 translated chapters reveal the astonishing content of the book, encompassing religion, philosophy, ethics, science, Ayurveda, mathematics, and paranormal knowledge. Kumudendu Acharya is commended for presenting this knowledge in a poetic rather than dry manner, employing various styles like explanatory, aphoristic, ornate, and narrative. The reviewer finds the explanatory style particularly appealing, with extensive discussions on concepts like "Ananta," "Om," "Bhuvalaya," Yoga, Moksha, and language. Metaphors like comparing "Bhuvalaya" to a "Garuda Mani" for society poisoned with worldly affairs are noted for their brilliance. The use of Kannada's Sagathya Chhanda is believed to add significant softness to the poetry. The mathematical methods for presenting knowledge, such as Chakra bandha, Hamsa bandha, Navamanka bandha, and Ank bandha, are highlighted. Philosophically, the text is compared to the Bhagavad Gita, and it's noted that "Bhuvalaya" compiles several "Gitas." The specific Gita included is believed to be excerpted from the lost "Bharat Jayakhyan" from before the Mahabharata. The reviewer expresses gratitude to the late scholar Allappa Shastri and Vidyavaridhi Deshbhushanji Maharaj for their translation efforts, believing their "Saraswati sadhana" will bring well-being. The review ends with a prayerful verse from Kumudendu Acharya, invoking the purifying power of Saraswati (Jain teachings).