Prabhavak Charitna Ek Vidhanpar Samvichar

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Prabhavak Charitra na Ek Vidhanpar Samvichar" by M. A. Dhaky:

This article critically examines a specific statement found in the Prabhavak Charitra, authored by Rajagachchhiya Prabhachandracharya (Samvat 1334 | CE 1278). The statement, located in the latter part of the "Vridhvadicharita" section, claims that Padaliptasuri and Vridhvadisuri were leaders (Ganadhipatis) of the Vidyadhar lineage. It further states that the renovation (uddhar) of the Nemi-bhavana (temple of Neminath) on Raivatadri (Girnar) in Vikram Samvat 150 was based on a stone inscription found in a ruined monastery near the temple.

The author, M. A. Dhaky, dissects this statement by identifying four key facts presented by Prabhachandracharya:

1. Prabhachandracharya likely personally read, or was informed about, a stone inscription discovered in a ruined monastery at Girnar, which he used as the basis for his account.
2. The inscription pertained to a renovation undertaken by a layman named Jakuti.
3. The inscription dated the renovation of the Neminath temple to Vikram Samvat 150.
4. The inscription stated that Padaliptasuri and Vridhvadisuri belonged to the Vidyadhar lineage.

Dhaky then proceeds to scrutinize the validity and interpretation of Prabhachandracharya's claims, even though the inscription itself is no longer extant. He raises several points of contention:

1. Dating Discrepancy: Dhaky finds the date Vikram Samvat 150 (CE 94) highly questionable. He notes that Vridhvadisuri lived in the 4th century CE, and Padaliptasuri, of the Vidyadhar lineage, lived much later, around the 10th century CE. If the inscription were as ancient as CE 94, it would be in Kshatrapa-era Brahmi script, which a medieval person like Prabhachandracharya would not be able to read. Dhaky speculates that the date might have been "1050" (CE 994) and the inscription written in the Nagari script.

2. Existence of a Monastery: The existence of a monastery near the Neminath temple on Ujjayantagiri is supported by a eulogy (prasasti) from the work of Vijayasinhsuri, a disciple of Samudrasuri, which dates to Samvat 975 (CE 1053). This eulogy also mentions a three-story "madh" (monastery) dedicated for the residence of monks and the sangha by "Govai" (Gopaditya) of Someshwarnagar (Prabhāspaṭṭaṇa), who was a contemporary of the author of the article.

3. Corroboration of Jakuti's Renovation: Dhaky cites the "Puratan-Prabandh-Sangrah" which, in a manuscript dated Samvat 1528 (CE 1472), mentions minister Sajjan's renovation of the Raivat Tirtha. This record states that before Sajjan, the minister Jakudi of Malwa had initiated the construction of the Neminath temple. A Sanskrit verse related to this is quoted, which also appears in the Girnarkalpa of Tapagachchhiya Dharmaghoshasuri (CE 1264). This provides contemporary and later textual support for Prabhachandracharya's mention of Jakuti's renovation-related inscription.

4. Chronological Consistency: The "Puratan-Prabandh-Sangrah" further specifies that minister Jakuti's renovation of the Neminath temple occurred 135 years before the renovation by Sajjan Dananayaka. According to Nagendragachchhiya Vijayasen Suri's Revantagiri Raso (CE 1232), Sajjan's renovation was dated Samvat 1185 (CE 1129). Counting back 135 years from this date brings us to Samvat 1050 (CE 994). This date aligns perfectly with Dhaky's hypothesis that Prabhachandracharya's "150" was actually "1050." This strong correlation suggests that although later, the author of the "P" manuscript in the "Puratan-Prabandh-Sangrah" had access to original inscriptions, including those related to Sajjan Dananayaka and the earlier minister Jakuti.

Dhaky speculates that the inscription by Jakuti might have been moved to the monastery built by Gopaditya during the construction of Sajjan's temple. This monastery might have collapsed due to lightning or heavy rain, leading to the rediscovery of the inscription. He mentions a significant pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya-Girnar in CE 1264 led by Jhanjhana, son of Malva minister Prithvidhar, accompanied by his guru, Dharmaghoshasuri. Dhaky suggests that Prabhachandracharya might have participated in this pilgrimage or visited Girnar on another occasion and seen Jakuti's inscription, or that someone else saw it and informed the Acharya.

Due to a lack of further evidence, definitive conclusions are difficult. However, Dhaky concludes that a stone inscription commemorating the renovation of the Nemi-bhavana by minister Jakuti in Samvat 1050 (CE 994) did indeed exist on Girnar. The two key pieces of evidence supporting the existence of the Neminath temple before Sajjan's renovation are the note about the monastery dedicated to the temple around CE 1053 (or slightly earlier) by Gopaditya, and the inscription related to Jakuti's renovation from CE 994.

In essence, the article meticulously analyzes a historical claim within a Jain text, using textual evidence and chronological reasoning to suggest a correction in the date and a deeper understanding of the historical context surrounding the Neminath temple at Girnar. Dhaky argues for the existence of an inscription from CE 994 related to a renovation by Jakuti, and challenges the earlier dating presented by Prabhachandracharya.