Pundarik Shikhari Stotra Aparnam Shatrunjaya Mahatirth Paripatika

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Shri Pundarikshikhari Stotra, also known as Shri Shatrunjay Mahatirtha Paripatika," by M.A. Dhaky, based on the provided pages:

Introduction and Significance:

The text introduces the "Shri Pundarikshikhari Stotra," also known as "Shri Shatrunjay Mahatirtha Paripatika," a significant Jain composition describing the pilgrimage and temples of Shatrunjaya. The author notes that in addition to major works by renowned Jain scholars and artists, numerous tirthmalas (pilgrimage guides), chaitya paripatikalas (temple arrangements), and hymns have been created by monks and poets throughout the medieval period. These works are crucial for understanding the history of the ancient Jin temples on Shatrunjaya, their locations, timelines, and the development of subsequent temple complexes. The current work is highlighted for its historical and literary value, particularly its contribution to tracing the sequence of temples on Shatrunjaya.

Unique Nature of the Stotra:

This particular Paripatika is presented as a hymn (stotra) and is noteworthy for being composed in Sanskrit. While previous chaitya paripatikalas were primarily in Prakrit, old Gujarati mixed with Apabhramsha, or early forms of modern Gujarati, this Sanskrit composition provides a unique perspective. The author estimates its composition date to be within the first quarter of the 14th century CE, making it one of the oldest available descriptions of Shatrunjaya.

Manuscript History and Editorial Process:

The editing of this stotra was initially based on a single manuscript from the Shri Hemchandracharya Jnanamandir in Patan. After preparing the text, a second manuscript, from the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Bharatiya Sanskriti Vidyamandir in Ahmedabad (numbered 2841, dated 1417 CE), was made available. This second manuscript, designated 'A', helped resolve many textual discrepancies. The contribution of Shri Lakshman Bhojak in collating the readings from the second manuscript is gratefully acknowledged. Later, a third manuscript from the collection of Muni Punyavijayji (numbered 8601/31) was also consulted, further refining the text and resolving remaining minor issues. This third manuscript is designated 'C'.

The manuscripts contained some spelling and grammatical errors, which were corrected with the assistance of scholars Pandit Babulal Savachand Shah and Pandit Harishankar Ambashankar Shastri. The 'B' manuscript (the first one used) was estimated by experts in medieval Western scripts to be from the 16th century. It had some damage from holes and wear, with a small section at the end missing. Manuscript 'A', though older, was missing several verses (12, 14, 23) and had incomplete verses (22). Manuscript 'C' was found to be the most accurate and appeared to be from the 15th century based on its script.

Attribution and Style:

The hymn is titled "Shri Pundarikshikhari Stotra" by the composer himself in the final verse. However, the scribe of manuscript 'B' referred to it as "Shatrunjay Chaitya Paripati," while manuscript 'A' titled it "Shri Shatrunjaya Mahatirtha Paripatika" at the end.

The composer is described as a competent poet of the middle rank, capable of weaving the subject matter into the poetic form without resorting to excessive complexity. The stotra maintains the chronological order of the temples on Shatrunjaya and flows smoothly. The meter is natural, and the use of embellishments is neither excessive nor unnecessary, contributing to its readability and pleasant simplicity. The hymn consists of twenty-six verses. The last verse is in the Shardulvikridita meter, while the preceding twenty-five are in Vasantatilaka. A recurring phrase at the end of the second verse and repeated in the 25th verse ("Shri man asau vijayatam Giripundrikah") creates a continuous rhythm and draws the reader's attention to each element described.

Content of the Stotra (Temple Descriptions):

The stotra begins with salutations to Lord Rishabhanatha (Yugadideva), the lord of Shatrunjaya, and emphasizes the glory of his darshan. The pilgrim then proceeds to the city of Palitana, paying homage to Lord Parshvanatha (the principal deity of the Tribhuvanavihara temple built by minister Vabhata), Lord Vardhamana (built by minister Vastupala), and Lord Neminatha, encountered after ascending a short distance from the foothills.

Upon reaching the summit, the stotra describes the rows of temples, mentioning the renovation of the Yugadi temple by minister Vabhata, who spent three crore and three lakhs of valuable wealth. It then mentions the kapura-dhavala (white marble) idol of Jin, the amritapāran (torana) at the entrance, and the composer's devotional exclamations to the lord of the pilgrimage. The text also recounts the tradition of the installation of the image by Javadi Shaha in 108 VS (Vikram Samvat). It further mentions the traditional belief about the main image of Yugadideva being crafted from a luminous gem from the Maniparvat, followed by more praise for the pilgrimage lord. The dual images of Pundarikaswami, installed on the right and left of Yugadi's idol installed by Javadi Shaha, are also mentioned.

After describing the main temple of Yugadi, the stotra moves to the temple of Lord Parshvanatha built by Samraga (Samara Shaha) to the right of Yugadi's temple. It then describes the Kotakoti Chaitya, built by minister Prithvir, containing images of countless monks of the Ikshvaku and Vrishni lineages who attained liberation on Shatrunjaya. The temples of twenty Viharman Jinas, including Chandranana, are also mentioned. The text also refers to the stone images of the five Pandavas and their mother Kunti, and the chaitanya tree Priyala (Narayan) which showered milk, and the miraculous cessation of natural violence in the presence of wild animals like peacocks and snakes. It then mentions the lepya images (painted representations) of the footwear of twenty-two Jinathas starting from Ajita.

The author then refers to the three structures built by minister Vastupala, namely Satyapuravatara Vir, and on the right, Shakunivihara, and Asthapada Tirtha behind the main temple. It also mentions the temples of Nandishwara and Girnar, built by Tejapala and Vastupala respectively.

North Summit and Concluding Remarks:

After describing the southern summit, the hymn turns to the north summit. On the way, it mentions the Svargarohana Prāsāda built by minister Vastupala, housing Jinathas served by the Vidyadhara Nam-Vinami, whose two images appear as reflections in their shining swords. Further north, it mentions the temples of the 16th Jin (Shantinatha), the first Jin (Yugadideva), Shreyansanatha, Neminatha, and Virajinendra. Finally, it mentions the temples of Jinamata Marudevi and the Sangh-protector Kapardiyaksha, concluding with traditional words about the fruits of pilgrimage.

The author notes that the description of the southern summit does not include the famous Indramandapa built by minister Vastupala or the temple complex built by Bandhudhya with its circumambulatory path (pratoli). This is explained by the stotra composer's focus on the principal Jin images and their temples, considering architectural features of secondary religious importance.

Dating and Stylistic Comparison:

The exact author is unknown, making dating difficult. The simple and clear language suggests a period slightly before the high medieval era, but this is not definitive. More precise dating comes from internal evidence:

• Vabhata's renovation in 1157 CE is mentioned.
• The mention of Samara Shaha's temple (Dasala Vihara) implies the work is post-1315 CE. The composer seems to consider the image installed by Javadi Shaha as the primary one.
• The stotra appears to reflect the situation after the temple destruction in 1313 CE.
• Temples built by Vastupala and Tejapala between 1221-1232 CE are mentioned, including the Svargarohana Prāsāda built by Tejapala after Vastupala's death in 1239 CE. The mention of Kotakoti Chaitya and the temple of the "Prathamahat" (first Jin) further helps date the work. The latter two temples were likely built around 1264 CE or slightly before by minister Pithad of Mandavgadh, and in the late 13th century by Seth Pethad of Sānder.
• The stotra does not mention the "Khartar Vasahi" built between 1320-1325 CE. Therefore, the stotra predates the construction of the Khartar Vasahi.
• There is significant linguistic and factual similarity between this stotra and Jinaprabhasuri's Shatrunjayakalpa, composed in 1349 CE. Although Jinaprabhasuri's work was completed in 1329 CE, its temple-related information largely reflects the pre-destruction period. The similarity suggests that both authors likely visited Shatrunjaya around the same time, either in the late 13th century or early 14th century.
• The stotra mentions the temple of twenty Viharman Jinas near the main temple of Adinatha, which is not mentioned in other sources like Vastupala-Tejapala literature or Jinaprabhasuri's Kalpa. A work by Amara Prabhasuri (c. 1270 CE) mentions a temple of Simandharaswami, suggesting the temple of twenty Viharman Jinas was built after the temple's destruction and during the time of Vastupala-Tejapala. The stotra likely describes this newly built temple, placing its composition after 1315 CE.
• The mention of the temple of twenty Viharman Jinas being "new" likely refers to its reconstruction after destruction, not a completely new temple. This supports the idea that the original temple existed before the destruction.
• The author concludes that the stotra was likely composed in the late 13th to early 14th century CE, reflecting the state of the temples after the reconstruction.

Influence and Authorship Hypothesis:

The striking similarities in language, sound, meter, and structure between this Pundarikshikhari Stotra and the Arbudagirikalpa of Acharya Somavijayasuri (composed in the first half of the 15th century CE) are noted. This led to speculation that Somavijayasuri might have been inspired by this stotra. However, the absence of later 14th-century constructions in the stotra suggests that Somavijayasuri might have used the Pundarikshikhari Stotra as a model for his Arbudagirikalpa.

Further support for the stotra's popularity in the 15th century comes from its quotations in Somadharmagani's Upadeshasatati (1447 CE) and Ratnamandiragani's Upadeshatarangiṇi (c. 1461 CE). This firmly places the stotra in widespread circulation by the 15th century.

A recent publication of the Revatachal Paripati Stavan in Sanskrit by Vijayachandra, edited by Pandit Babubhai Savachand Shah, reveals a very similar style and structure. Both hymns are in Vasantatilaka meter with a change of meter in the final verse. The recurring phrase "Shri man asau vijayantam Girirujjayantah" in the Shatrunjaya stotra is mirrored by "Shri man asau vijayatam Girirujjayantah" and "Shri man asau vijayatam Girirujjayantah" in the Revatachal stotra, with the final verse of the latter containing a hint of the author's name, "Vijayachandra Suri."

Given these similarities and the possibility that both hymns were found in the same manuscript, the author concludes that it is highly probable that the Pundarikshikhari Stotra was also composed by Vijayachandra. The author's dating of this stotra to the first quarter of the 14th century CE (1315-1320 CE) aligns with this conclusion. However, it is noted that there were several Suris named Vijayachandra in the medieval period, and the author of this stotra is likely an unknown Vijayachandra.

Conclusion:

The Shri Pundarikshikhari Stotra is a valuable Sanskrit hymn providing a detailed description of the temples and pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya. Its composition is estimated to be in the early 14th century CE. While the author remains anonymous, the stylistic similarities and textual evidence strongly suggest it might be the work of Vijayachandra, a poet whose work also influenced later compositions. The stotra's detailed account of the temples contributes significantly to the historical understanding of this important Jain pilgrimage site.