सम्पादकीय
By आचार्य शिवार्य, शिवकोटि, ड. ज्योतिप्रसाद जैन, डॉ. हीरालाल जैन, अपराजित सूरि, श्री विजय, आशाधर, आचार्य अमितगति, पण्डित आशाधर, देवसेन, प्रभाचन्द्र, ब्रहमने
Summary
The editorial discusses "Bhagavati Aradhana" by Acharya Shivarya, also known as Shivakoti, a major text in the Jain ascetic tradition, sometimes called "Mularadhana." It is an ancient and extensive work describing the conduct of Jain monks. Dr. Jyotiprasad Jain Premi concluded that the author's original name was Shiva, with suffixes like Bhuti, Koti, Kumara, or Datta added by later writers, and that Shivarya lived after Bhadrabahu II and before Acharya Kundakunda, around the beginning of the Common Era. As Shivarya did not specify his time, it is estimated from commentaries on his work, with Dr. Hiralal Jain placing its composition in the second or third century CE. The text expounds four types of Aradhana: right faith, right knowledge, right conduct, and right penance. Its main subject is sallekhana and types of death, describing five of the seventeen death types: pandita-pandita, pandita, bala-pandita, bala, and bala-bala. Pandita death has three subtypes: bhaktapratijna, prayopagamana, and ingini-marana. Written in Ardhamagadhi mixed with Shauraseni Prakrit, the text has many commentaries in Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Hindi. The oldest available is the Sanskrit "Vijayodaya Tika" by Aparajita Suri (circa 700 CE), which references earlier commentaries. Other notable commentaries include "Mularadhana Darpana" by Ashadhara (13th century) and "Sanskrit Aradhana" by Amitagati (11th century). The "Vijayodaya Tika" contains many stories related to the death state of the aspirant. The text is also known as "Aradhana," and later works like Devasena's "Aradhanasara" and Kannada "Vaddaradhane" are based on it
Conclusion
The document establishes "Bhagavati Aradhana" as a foundational text for Jain monastic conduct, particularly regarding the practice of sallekhana (ritualized fasting unto death). Its implications are significant for both Digambara and Shvetambara traditions, as it provides a comprehensive framework for achieving a peaceful, spiritually meritorious death. The text's enduring influence is evident through the extensive commentarial tradition it generated across Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Hindi, and its direct impact on later medieval Jain literature in various languages. The outcome is a solidified, cross-sectarian emphasis on the importance of a conscious, detached end of life as the ultimate expression of the three jewels (right faith, knowledge, and conduct). This focus has shaped Jain spiritual practice for centuries, making the text a central, living authority on the art of dying well.