On a Verse Cited by Agastyasimha

Summary

This brief note by Chandrabhal Tripathi addresses a small but significant question in textual criticism. In his commentary on a Jaina scripture, the medieval scholar Agastyasiṃha cites a verse to elucidate a particular doctrinal point. Later commentators and modern editors have been puzzled by the verse’s provenance and wording. Tripathi identifies the source as a stanza from a now‑rare Prakrit gāthā collection and shows that Agastyasiṃha quoted it from memory, inadvertently altering a key word. The article lays out the variant readings found in different manuscripts of Agastyasiṃha’s commentary and compares them with the extant gāthā. It discusses the semantics of the contested term, which affects the interpretation of the doctrinal point under discussion. Tripathi argues that the original gāthā emphasises the relativity of truth (anekāntavāda), whereas the misquoted version seems to support an absolutist reading. By restoring the correct wording, the doctrinal argument realigns with mainstream Jaina thought. Tripathi also reflects on the broader implications of such errors. In traditions that rely heavily on oral transmission, verses are often cited from memory, and small changes accumulate over time. Without careful cross‑checking against independent sources, scholars risk perpetuating these distortions. The note concludes with an appeal to editors to consult vernacular collections and not just Sanskrit commentaries when producing critical editions.