Gyanarnav Ek Vishleshan

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Gyanarnav Ek Vishleshan" by C L Shastri:

The book "Gyanarnav Ek Vishleshan" is an analytical study of Gyanarnav, a significant work in Jain yoga literature authored by Acharya Shubha Chandra. Acharya Shubha Chandra was a renowned philosopher and scholar of the Digambara Jain tradition.

Author and Historical Context:

• Little is known about the historical details of Acharya Shubha Chandra's life, including his birth, initiation, and life's work. This is a common occurrence with many ancient Indian ascetic scholars and writers, reflecting their detachment from worldly desires and recognition.
• Shubha Chandra paid homage to earlier Jain scholars like Samantabhadra, Devanandi (Pujyapada), Jinasena, and Akalanka. This suggests that Jinasena was the last among these to whom Shubha Chandra paid respect, implying Jinasena preceded him.
• The text indicates that Jinasena started writing the Mahapurana but only completed the first part, Adipurana. His principal disciple, Gunabhadra, completed the remaining portion of Adipurana and the latter part of the Mahapurana, naming it Uttarapurana, which was finished around 898 CE. Jinasena likely passed away shortly before this.
• The precise timeframe of Acharya Shubha Chandra is difficult to ascertain due to the lack of later scholars mentioning him.

The Story of Shubha Chandra and Bhartrihari:

The book presents a narrative account of Acharya Shubha Chandra's life, primarily based on the Sanskrit work Bhaktamaracharita by Acharya Vishwabhushan. This account connects Shubha Chandra to the legendary figure Bhartrihari.

• King Simha and the Found Child: The story begins with King Simha of Malva, who ruled righteously but was childless. During a forest excursion, he found a beautiful infant named Munja beneath the muñja grass, whom he adopted as his son.
• Birth of Singhal and the Twins: King Simha's queen later conceived and gave birth to a son named Singhal (also called Sindhuraj). Singhal married Mrigavati, who subsequently gave birth to twin sons: the elder named Shubha Chandra and the younger named Bhartrihari.
• Early Inclination to Spirituality: From childhood, both Shubha Chandra and Bhartrihari showed a strong interest in spiritual knowledge.
• King Simha's Renunciation: Witnessing the ephemeral nature of worldly pleasures like clouds in the sky, King Simha experienced detachment and renounced his kingdom, embracing asceticism.
• The Iron Rod Incident: While on a hunting trip, King Munja, Singhal, and their companions encountered an oilman boasting of his strength. The oilman challenged anyone to move an iron rod he had firmly planted in the ground. All of Munja's warriors failed. Singhal then easily pulled the rod out and re-planted it even deeper. When the boys, Shubha Chandra and Bhartrihari, asked for permission, they used their hair to create a noose and effortlessly pulled the rod out, impressing everyone and earning the oilman's shame.
• Munja's Treachery and the Brothers' Departure: King Munja, driven by greed and fear that the boys' strength might threaten his reign, plotted to kill them. His minister, unable to carry out the cruel act, advised the princes to flee secretly.
• Divergent Paths: The brothers approached their father, Singhal. Singhal, angered by Munja's betrayal, suggested killing Munja. However, the spiritually inclined brothers declined, believing the perpetrator's own karma would suffice. Feeling a strong detachment from the material world after this event, they decided to dedicate their lives to spiritual practice. They took leave of their father and departed into the wilderness.
• Shubha Chandra's Asceticism: Shubha Chandra embraced Digambara Jain monasticism, dedicating himself to rigorous asceticism and the practice of righteous conduct.
• Bhartrihari's Tantric Path: Bhartrihari, on the other hand, was initiated into Kaula Tantra. He lived a life of austerity, adorned with matted hair, ashes, and carrying a water pot and tongs. After wandering, he found a yogi who possessed knowledge of mantras and tantras. He stayed with this yogi for twelve years, learning various arts, and was given a vial of a special elixir that could transmute base metals into gold.

The Reunion and the Power of Renunciation:

• Bhartrihari's Concern: While practicing his tantric arts, Bhartrihari remembered his brother Shubha Chandra. He sent a disciple to find him.
• The Disciple's Report: The disciple found Shubha Chandra in a state of extreme renunciation, possessing only a water pot and utterly devoid of material possessions. The disciple reported Shubha Chandra's destitution to Bhartrihari.
• Bhartrihari's Offer: Bhartrihari, moved by his brother's plight, sent half of his elixir to Shubha Chandra, with instructions to use it to create gold as needed.
• Shubha Chandra's Rejection: Shubha Chandra instructed the disciple to pour the elixir onto a stone. When the disciple hesitated, questioning the waste of such a precious substance, Shubha Chandra insisted. The disciple complied, but Bhartrihari was saddened and doubted if he had conveyed the elixir's true value.
• Bhartrihari's Visit and Demonstration: Bhartrihari then visited Shubha Chandra himself, bringing the elixir. Shubha Chandra inquired about its contents. Upon learning it was an elixir that turns copper into gold, Shubha Chandra threw the vial against a rock, which did not turn to gold.
• The True Power of Spirituality: Bhartrihari expressed his dismay at the perceived waste. Shubha Chandra then questioned why Bhartrihari had abandoned his kingdom if his sole desire was wealth. He explained that true liberation from the cycle of birth and death could not be achieved through such means. Shubha Chandra then picked up a small amount of earth from beneath his feet, threw it on the stone, and it turned into gold. This demonstrated the power of his spiritual practice.
• Bhartrihari's Realization and Initiation: Astounded by his brother's spiritual power, Bhartrihari realized the futility of his worldly pursuits. He repented his wasted years and sought initiation into Jain monasticism from Shubha Chandra.
• The Composition of Gyanarnav: Shubha Chandra then imparted spiritual knowledge to Bhartrihari, explaining the seven tattvas and nine padarthas. To aid Bhartrihari in his continued spiritual and yogic practice, Shubha Chandra composed the Gyanarnav. Bhartrihari diligently studied it and remained steadfast in his pursuit of spiritual yoga.

Analysis of Gyanarnav:

• Author's Skill: Acharya Shubha Chandra is praised for his profound intellect and eloquent writing style. He presents complex subjects like spirituality and yoga in a beautiful, accessible, and captivating manner.
• Structure and Style: Gyanarnav is a vast work comprising 42 sargas (chapters). It employs both poetic and prose styles. The verses are fluid and dynamic, flowing like a river. The text utilizes a variety of Sanskrit meters, including Anushtup, Indravajra, Upendravajra, Upajati, Malini, Shikhari, Shardula Vikridita, Sragdhara, Mandakranta, Arya, Vamshastha, Prithvi, Vasantatilaka, and Indravansha. The prose is mature, aesthetically pleasing, and imbued with deep meaning.
• Content Breakdown:
  • Chapter 1: Begins with auspicious invocations, praises the greatness of true scripture and knowledge, and extols virtuous individuals. It inspires liberation from the illusion of the world, highlighting the world's suffering, impermanence, and the fleeting nature of sensory pleasures.
  • Chapter 2: Discusses twelve cardinal reflections (bhāvanās): impermanence (anityata), helplessness (asharana), the cycle of existence (samsara), oneness (ekatva), otherness (anyatva), impurity (ashuchitva), influx of karma (asrava), stoppage of karma (samvara), shedding of karma (nirjara), dharma, the universe (loka), and the rarity of enlightenment (bodh-durlabha). The text emphasizes the relentless nature of time, which consumes all beings regardless of age, wealth, or status.
  • Chapters 3-5: Cover meditation (dhyana) in terms of its indications, nature, and qualifications.
  • Chapters 6-7: Discuss right faith (samyakdarshan) and right knowledge (samyakgyan), along with the nature of soul (jiva) and non-soul (ajiva) elements.
  • Chapters 8-17: Detail the vows of non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possession (aparigraha).
  • Chapter 18: Explains the fivefold vigilance (samitis) and three controls (guptis).
  • Chapter 19: Addresses the passions of anger (krodha), pride (mana), deceit (maya), and greed (lobha), advocating for forbearance (kshamā), equanimity (prasham), and tranquility (upasham).
  • Chapter 20: Advises on controlling the senses and the mind.
  • Chapter 21: Delves into the concepts of Shiva-tattva, Garuda-tattva, and Kama-tattva. It asserts the soul's inherent omnipotence, describing it as an ocean of virtues, omniscient, all-seeing, benevolent, and pure. Meditation is highlighted as the means to manifest these qualities and eradicate accumulated karma.
    • Shiva-tattva: Refers to the soul's inherent divinity and auspiciousness, attained through right faith, knowledge, and conduct, leading to the eradication of delusion and the manifestation of infinite knowledge, perception, bliss, and strength.
    • Garuda-tattva: Interpreted in a yogic context, Garuda represents swiftness, power, and the ability to overcome obstacles. The symbolic imagery of Garuda with serpents in its beak and the elements integrated into its body relates to awakening Kundalini energy and transcending worldly poisons.
    • Kama-tattva: Explores desire (kama) as a driving force. It suggests channeling the intensity of desire towards spiritual realization, using the mind as a bow and spiritual efforts as arrows to achieve liberation. The text reinterprets worldly attractions as spiritual metaphors for achieving self-realization. This concept aligns with the psychological principle of sublimation.
  • Chapter 22: Focuses on controlling the mind (manojaya). It emphasizes that mastering the mind is paramount, as controlling other senses is futile without it. Mental purification leads to the attainment of the soul's true nature and the fulfillment of life's purpose.
  • Chapter 23: Advises on overcoming attachment and aversion.
  • Chapter 24: Analyzes equanimity (samata), defining a true yogi as one who maintains an even temperament in all situations.
  • Chapters 25-26: Describe the meditations of sorrow (arta-dhyana) and fierce (raudra-dhyana).
  • Chapter 27: Discusses adverse locations for meditation, such as places frequented by the impure, wicked rulers, heretics, and places of great falsehood.
  • Chapter 28: Covers posture (asana-jaya), the qualifications of a meditator, and suitable environments for meditation, listing various serene and auspicious locations.
  • Chapter 29: Describes breath control (pranayama).
  • Chapter 30: Deals with sense withdrawal (pratyahara) and concentration (dharana).
  • Chapter 31: Discusses potent meditation, the supreme soul as the object of meditation, and the state of equanimity.
  • Chapter 32: Differentiates between the outer soul (bahirātmā), inner soul (antarātmā), and supreme soul (paramātmā), focusing on the realization of the supreme soul.
  • Chapters 33-35: Detail the types of dharma-dhyana: contemplation of scripture (ājñā-vichaya), contemplation of the path of suffering (apāya-vichaya), and contemplation of karmic fruition (vipāka-vichaya).
  • Chapters 36-39: Cover different types of meditation: pindastha (meditation on gross forms), dharana (concentration), padmastha (meditation on specific postures), and rūpastha (meditation on forms).
  • Chapter 40: Discusses rūpātīta (meditation beyond forms).
  • Chapter 41: Explains the fruits of dharma-dhyana.
  • Chapter 42: Describes shukla-dhyana (pure meditation), its categories, liberation (moksha), and the glory of the Siddha soul.

Connection to Bhartrihari's Vairagyashataka

The analysis notes a strong resemblance in thought and expression between Gyanarnav and Bhartrihari's Vairagyashataka. Bhartrihari's writings express a deep inclination towards Jainism's emphasis on forbearance (titiksha) and renunciation. Several verses from Vairagyashataka are quoted, highlighting the ideal life of an ascetic, which strongly resonates with the principles of a Digambara Jain monk. The comparative study suggests a significant conceptual overlap, with many verses exhibiting similar sentiments.

In essence, "Gyanarnav Ek Vishleshan" provides a detailed exploration of Acharya Shubha Chandra's Gyanarnav, illuminating its historical context, the biographical narrative connecting it to Bhartrihari, and a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of its profound teachings on Jain yoga and spiritual practice.