7. Summary of the Vira-stuti Samskrita-Prakrita

VIRA-SYUTI SANSKRTA-PRAKRTA:—This short hymn consisting of eleven gatha's the first two quarters of each of which are composed in Sanskrit while the third 4Q.Satyapuriya-Mahavira-utsaha of Dhanapala 6-7 : rayasa sahi dud bhadihi jinu java mem namio 41. (Puratattva (A Gujarati journal) O. for ft.nt..) baddhu sami karivaraha khamdhi rajjahum samdamio| kahum taha tuddevi rajju hama gramtha dharaniyali nividiya jima paricatta imda pecchataha parabati || 6 /(P.TO) 42. Sv. 22 : iya daruna dukkhi ghanavalaya - -- .etc.

75 and the fourth one in Apabhramsa in the praise of Lord Mahavira Jina. It is a fine illustration of the poet's mastery over both the languages. In the last gatha the poet as usual cleverly incorporates his name name 43 (8) SOBHANA-STUTI-VRTTI :- This work is a Sanskrit commentary on a hymn in praise of twenty-four Jain Tirthamkaras (and also of many other goddesses accepted by the Jain a cannon). It was composed by Sobhana Muni, the younger brother of Dhanapala. This seems to have been written in his after age at the express request of Sobhana Muni, who was about to die. Dhanapala has acknowledged this fact in the introductory remarks to his 44 commentary: The author of the Vrtti has also given some details about his family and native place. This information tallies verbatim with that given in the introductory verses of the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala · properly known as CaturvimsatiThe Sobhana-stuti -jina-stuti or Sobhana-caturvinsatika consisting of ninety-six Sanskrit verses in various lengthy metres begins with the praise of the first Tirthamkara Rsabha 43. This has been published by Prof.H.R.Kapadia in the same volume along with his edition of the RP.cf.Rishabha-panchashika of Dhanapala *.269-270; also cf.VSSV 11: 1.etc.: 44. Sobhana-stuti-vrtti of Dhanapala Intro.vs.7: etau yathamati vimrsya nijanujasya, tasyojjvalam krtimala krtavan svavrttya | abhyarthito vibhadata tridiva prayanam, tejaiva sampratakavi dhanapala nama ||ja 45.cf.Sobhana-stuti-vrtti of Dhanapala Intro.vss.1-2 which are identical with Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala Intro. vss. 51-52.

76 and, while eulogizing the twenty-four Tirthankaras upto the last one, viz, Mahavira, also intersperses them with the descriptive verses praising the goddesses like Srtadevata, Rohini, Kali, Gandhari,Mahamanasi,Vajrankusi, Jvalanayudha, Manavi, Manasi, Vajrasrnkhala, Mahakali, santi, Acyuta, Bharati, Prajnapti, Purusadatta, Cakradhara, Gauri, Amba, Vairotya, and two Yaksas named Brahmasanti and Kapardi. As a commentator Dhanapala seems to be content with giving synonyms and briefly indicating the prose- -order at the end. At times he unnecessarily explains such simple words like 'krtam' by 'racitam' by 'racitam' : He has pointed out neither the metres nor the poetic excellences and figures of speech, among which Yamaka predominates. We might suppose that it might not have been deemed necessary in his days. He follows to some extent the 'Dandanvaya'style and then simply goes on giving synonyms of the words in the same order in which they occur in the original. He has not acquitted himself well in this work, as was expected from a scholar of his order, in contrast to the unknown author of the commentary named 'Avacuri' on the same work. Most probably, at the time of the composition of this work

77 Dhanapala was but rather a recent convert to Jainism and he had not yet acquired sufficient knowledge of Jain mythology to do justice to his brother's hymn, on which, however, he did write this commentary just out of filial love and somehow fullfilled the promise. But if it was composed in his late years, it would be a sure proof of Dhanapala's lack of interest in literary activity. --