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II. Prabandhakośa of Rājaśekharasūri (1349 A.D.)
The Prabandhakośa is another Prabandha work, also known as Catur-
vimsatiprabandha, composed by the Svetämbara Jaina pontiff Maladhārin Rāja-
sekharasuri of the Harşapuriya Gaccha. As stated at the close of the work, it
was written in Delhi at the instance of, and was completed in the residence
offered by, Mahaṇasimha, a promotor of the six systems of philosophy and son
of Samanta Jagatsimha of Sapādalakṣa who gave relief to the people during
famine and was honoured by Mahamadasāhi, on the 7th day of the bright half
of the month of Jyeṣṭha in 1405 V.S. (1349 A.D.).
The author has mentioned at the very outset that the present work is a
compilation of twentyfour extensive and interesting Prabandhas as learnt from
his religious elders. It clearly appears that he has drawn upon such preceding
works as the Prabhāvakacarita (1334 V.S.), the Prabandhacintāmaṇi (1361 V.S.),
the Vividhatirthakalpa (1381 V.S.) and the Purātanaprabandhasangraha. He
has also acknowledged his indebtedness to a work called Nāgamata for the
Prabandha of Vatsarāja Udayana. Despite all this, we do find in the Pra-
bandhakośa a considerable new material which carries special interest.
Though the present work is written in a very simple colloquial Skt. prose,*
in order that it may be easily understood, according to his own statement, by
one possessing just the working knowledge of the language, the author appears
to be highly proficient in the language, quite conversant with the intricacies
of its grammar.
The Prabandhakośa was first rendered into Gujarātī by the late Prof.
Manilāla Nabhubhãi Dwivedī and the translation was published by the Education
Department of the former Baroda State in 1895 A.D. Another Gujarātī trans-
lation by Prof. Hirālāla Rasikadāsa Kāpaḍiā was brought out by the Forbes
Gujarātī Sabhā, Bombay in 1934 A.D. (G.T.). Ācārya Jinavijayaji has pro-
mised in the Introduction to his edition of the work (1935 A.D.) to publish a
Hindi translation of the same, which has, however, not niaterialised as yet.
It will not be out of place here to note that besides the Prabandhakośa,
Rajasekharasūri has composed. Nyayakandalīpañjikā (1385 V.S.), a Vrtti on
Hemacandra's Pkt. Dvyāśraya-kavya (1387 A.D.), Şaddarśanasamuccaya,
Caturaśītikathā, Dānaṣaţtrimśikā, Ratnākarāvatārikāpañjikā, Kautukakathā or
Antarakathāsangraha, Syādvādakalikā and Vinodakathā, the last being a col-
lection of humorous tales. He is also said to have revised Jñanacandra's
Ratnavatārikāṭippaṇa and Munibhadra's Sāntināthacarita ( 1410 V.S.).
Only one Prabandha, viz. that of Mallavādin, is written throughout in
verse, which too is easily understandable.
6
The Prabandhakośa is another Prabandha work, also known as Catur-
vimsatiprabandha, composed by the Svetämbara Jaina pontiff Maladhārin Rāja-
sekharasuri of the Harşapuriya Gaccha. As stated at the close of the work, it
was written in Delhi at the instance of, and was completed in the residence
offered by, Mahaṇasimha, a promotor of the six systems of philosophy and son
of Samanta Jagatsimha of Sapādalakṣa who gave relief to the people during
famine and was honoured by Mahamadasāhi, on the 7th day of the bright half
of the month of Jyeṣṭha in 1405 V.S. (1349 A.D.).
The author has mentioned at the very outset that the present work is a
compilation of twentyfour extensive and interesting Prabandhas as learnt from
his religious elders. It clearly appears that he has drawn upon such preceding
works as the Prabhāvakacarita (1334 V.S.), the Prabandhacintāmaṇi (1361 V.S.),
the Vividhatirthakalpa (1381 V.S.) and the Purātanaprabandhasangraha. He
has also acknowledged his indebtedness to a work called Nāgamata for the
Prabandha of Vatsarāja Udayana. Despite all this, we do find in the Pra-
bandhakośa a considerable new material which carries special interest.
Though the present work is written in a very simple colloquial Skt. prose,*
in order that it may be easily understood, according to his own statement, by
one possessing just the working knowledge of the language, the author appears
to be highly proficient in the language, quite conversant with the intricacies
of its grammar.
The Prabandhakośa was first rendered into Gujarātī by the late Prof.
Manilāla Nabhubhãi Dwivedī and the translation was published by the Education
Department of the former Baroda State in 1895 A.D. Another Gujarātī trans-
lation by Prof. Hirālāla Rasikadāsa Kāpaḍiā was brought out by the Forbes
Gujarātī Sabhā, Bombay in 1934 A.D. (G.T.). Ācārya Jinavijayaji has pro-
mised in the Introduction to his edition of the work (1935 A.D.) to publish a
Hindi translation of the same, which has, however, not niaterialised as yet.
It will not be out of place here to note that besides the Prabandhakośa,
Rajasekharasūri has composed. Nyayakandalīpañjikā (1385 V.S.), a Vrtti on
Hemacandra's Pkt. Dvyāśraya-kavya (1387 A.D.), Şaddarśanasamuccaya,
Caturaśītikathā, Dānaṣaţtrimśikā, Ratnākarāvatārikāpañjikā, Kautukakathā or
Antarakathāsangraha, Syādvādakalikā and Vinodakathā, the last being a col-
lection of humorous tales. He is also said to have revised Jñanacandra's
Ratnavatārikāṭippaṇa and Munibhadra's Sāntināthacarita ( 1410 V.S.).
Only one Prabandha, viz. that of Mallavādin, is written throughout in
verse, which too is easily understandable.
6