Acharya Hasti Mala
Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra of Bhaṭṭāraka tradition's Paṃcastūpānvayī Senagaṇa is also counted as one of the foremost composer of texts in his time. Following the footsteps of his teacher Jina Sena and his teacher Bhaṭṭāraka Vīra Sena, Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra also gave exemplary services for the cause of Jain literature and preaching Jainism throughout his life.
After the death of his teacher, Ācārya Jina Sena, he completed the remaining part of 'Mahāpurāṇa' started by his teacher.
Guṇa Bhadra was the disciple of Daśaratha Sena who in turn was the disciple of Vīra Sena. Daśaratha Sena and Jina Sena (composer of Jayadhavalā) were co disciples of Vīra Sena. In citation of verse 14 of 'Uttarapurāṇa', Loka Sena had written that his teacher Guṇa Bhadra was the disciple of both Daśaratha Sena and Jina Sena. This shows that Guṇa Bhadra was initiated by monk Daśaratha and he got all his education of scriptures and training from Ācārya Jina Sena who in turn was the brother of Daśaratha muni (who initiated him into monkhood).
After the death of Jina Sena, Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra composed 1620 verses of the last sections (from 43 to 47) of 'Ādipurāṇa' and thus completed the earlier part 'Ādipurāṇa' of 'Mahāpurāṇa'.
After this, Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra started composing 'Uttarapurāṇa'. Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra completed 8000 verses of 'Uttarapurāṇa'. However from citation's verse 27 it seems that he died before completing 'Uttarapurāṇa'. Therefore the last verses from 28 to 37 of citation were completed by his disciple Loka Sena in Śaka 820 (Vikram 955) in Baṃkāpura.
Ācārya Jina Sena wanted to give 'Mahāpurāṇa' the same stature as Mahābharata having the detailed history of 24 Tīrthaṃkara s. The first part 'Ādipurāṇa' of Mahāpurāṇa was composed in the way Jina Sena desired but the later part of 'Mahāpurāṇa' could not be completed as per his vision. This fact had been accepted by Guṇa Bhadra himself.
Throwing light on the reasons for his not being able to complete 'Ādipurāṇa' as composed earlier by Jina Sena, in the citation of 'Uttarapurāṇa', Guṇa Bhadra made the following comments.
'Facing the ill effects of time and his own continuous degradation coupled with the text being extremely large, and keeping his own health age and intellect in mind, Guṇa Bhadra in a hurry and brevity completed this purāṇa.'
In the citation of 'Uttarapurāṇa', Ācārya Guṇa Bhadra has also accepted that he had taken great help from 'Vāgartha Saṃgraha purāṇa' composed by the supreme poet. This proves that 'Vāgartha Saṃgraha purāṇa' was available at that time.
Two texts, namely, 'Ātmānuśāsana' and 'Jina Datta caritra' by Guṇa Bhadra are available today. 'Ātmānuśāsana' with 266 verses is very helpful for discerning and inquisitive followers. 'Jina Datta caritra' is a Saṃskṛta poetic rendering of history.
Baḍa gaccha
According to chronological listing of Baḍa gaccha, 35th pontiff Ācārya Sarvadeva Sūri, teacher of Udyotana Sūri established Baḍa gaccha. According to this gaccha, this gaccha remained active from the time of its founder 35th pontiff Ācārya Sarvadeva Sūri till the time of its eighth ācārya and according to the details of its chronological listing till the time of 44th pontiff Ācārya Jagaccandra Sūri. 44th pontiff of Lord Mahāvīra's tradition, Ācārya Jagaccandra Sūri vowed to observe to observe ācāmla fast for his entire life. Besides ācāmla fast, he also used to observe fasts of two days, three days etc to continue his sever penance. After twelve years of observing such fasts and sever penance, he arrived in Āghāḍa (Āhaḍa or Āghāṭaka) after undertaking routine wandering and preaching Jainism on the way. Āghāḍa at that time (Vikram 13th century) was the principal and capital of Mewāḍa. Hearing stories of his large praise of the sever penance undertaken by him, the king of Mewāḍa also started praising him and adorned him with the title of 'Tapā' or the purified one. Before endowment of this title on Ācārya Jagaccandra Sūri by the king, monks and followers of this gaccha were known as Baḍagacchīyā or belonging to Baḍa gaccha. But due to the popularity of Ācārya Jagaccandra Sūri s 'Tapā', this gaccha started being called as Tapā gaccha in Vikram 1285.
Writings found in Jain literature are as follows:
'Once upon a time after completing his pilgrimage of Arbudācala, Udyotana Sūri was coming down from mount Ābū and was resting under a giant Vaṭa tree in a village called Ṭelī. While resting under the tree, Udyotana Sūri thought that by anointing some able disciple as a, his gaccha can continue for a long time and service of Jainism can continue and the same can significantly prosper for a long time also. He thought that this is an auspicious time, so while sitting under the Vaṭa tree, he immediately anointed his eight principal and scholar disciples including Sarvadeva Sūri as ācāryas. However some scholars are of the opinion that Ācārya Udyotana Sūri anointed only Sarvadeva Sūri as ac and not to seven other disciples. It seems that disciple of Sarvadeva Sūri known as Sarvadeva Sūri anointed his eight disciples out of whom one was known as Dhaneśwara Sūri. Due to this similarity perhaps mention is made that Udyotana Sūri anointed eight disciples including Sarvadeva Sūri.'
According to writings in the chronological listings of ācāryas of Vṛhadgaccha (Baḍa gaccha), in Vikram 994, Ācārya Udyotana Sūri anointed Sarvadeva Sūri and other disciples as ācāryas under the great Lokaḍiyā Vaṭa tree in Ṭelī village. While anointing many of his disciples, he also assigned 300 disciples to each ācārya. In the beginning this gaccha was called Vaṭa gaccha. But Baḍa gaccha expanding like the giant Vaṭa tree became a very powerful gaccha with many able monks joining it continuously. Therefore everybody started calling this gaccha with respect as Vṛhad gaccha.
We thus find origin of Baḍa gaccha by Ācārya Udyotana Sūri and elsewhere by Sarvadeva Sūri, but this does not make any difference. Actually Ācārya Udyotana Sūri is the founder of Baḍa gaccha and Sarvadeva Sūri is its first ācārya. In other words it can be said that Ācārya Udyotana Sūri founded Baḍa gaccha and Sarvadeva Sūri made it expand and become powerful.
After Sarvadeva Sūri, Deva Sūri became the 37th pontiff. After Deva Sūri, the 38th pontiff was Sarvadeva Sūri-II. This 38th pontiff during his tenure Sarvadeva Sūri-II anointed his eight disciples as ācāryas and gave each one of them a group of monks. In this way during the tenure of 38th pontiff Sarvadeva Sūri-II, Baḍagaccha had eight ācāryas and it became a very big gacch becoming popular as Baḍaor Vṛhad gaccha.
Dhaneśwara Sūri was one the eight principal disciples who were anointed as ācāryas by Sarvadeva Sūri-II
Dhaneśwara Sūri: Dhaneśwara Sūri was a great and influential ac. According to the chronological descriptions of Vṛhad gaccha, he converted 701 Digambara monks to his gaccha and made them his disciples. Dhaneśwara Sūri consecrated an idol of Lord Mahāvīra in Caitrapura. Due to his the large number of his followers and devotees became popular as Caitra gaccha. This Caitra gaccha is in fact a branch of Baḍa or Vṛhad or Vṛhad PAU ṣadha śālika gaccha. Another popular name of Caitra gaccha is Citravāla gaccha. With the assistance of Ācārya Deva Bhadra gaṇi of Caitra gaccha, 42nd ācārya of Baḍa gaccha (Tapā virudadhara) Jagaccandra, eliminated the deeply entrenched laxity in the conduct of monks and the religious tax imposed by the ruler earlier. There are mentions in literature that Jagaccandra received knowledge from Deva Bhadra gaṇi.
Gargaṛṣi: In Vikram 10th century a famous scholar ācārya by the name Gargaṛṣi existed. He was a ācārya of Nivṛtti lineage. Gargaṛṣi or Gargācārya died in Vikram 912. His co-monk Durgaswāmī also dies in Vikram 902.
Kavi Caturmukha: In Vikram 8th century, an able poet by the name Caturmukha existed. He composed in Apabhraṃśa 'Riṭṭhanemi cariuṃ (Harivaṃśapurāṇa)' and 'Pauma cariuṃ(Padma Purāṇa)'.
Kavi Svayamabhū and Tribhuvana Svayambhū: In Vikram 9th century, both these poets who were father and son composed 'Riṭṭhanemi cariuṃ', and 'Pauma cariuṃ' and 'Svayambhū 'chanda'. Being of very high literary content, all these three texts by the two poets are considered as jewels in Jain literature. 'Svayambhū'chanda' by poet Ācārya Svayambhū is a high level chanda text.
Vijaya Siṃha Sūri: Disciple of Ācārya Samudra Sūri of Nāgendra gaccha, Vijaya Siṃha Sūri composed a Prākṛata story text called 'Bhuvana Sundarī' having 8911 gāthās (or verses in Prākṛta) in Vikram 97, 5or V.N. 15th century.
Ācārya Hariṣeṇa: In V.N. 15th century, a great scholar and composer of texts from Digambara tradition, by the name Hariṣeṇa existed. In Vikram 988 or Śaka853, he composed a story poetic text called 'Ārādhanā Kathā koṣa' with 12500 verses in Vardhamānapura. It is a very important text of Jain story literature. In all, 157 Jain stories in Saṃskṛta have been composed in this text. He was the disciple of Bharatasena and his guru was Ācārya Mauni Bhaṭṭāraka of Punnāra congregation.
Indranandī: In Vikram 10th century, a great depicter of mantras Ācārya Indranandī of Digambara tradition composed 'Jwālāmālini' text of mantra. His guru was Bappanandī and his guru was Vāsavanandī. Indranandī composed this text 'Jwālāmālinī kalpa' in Mānyakheṭa (Malakheḍa), capital of Rāṣṭrakuṭa ruler Śrīkṛṣṇa inŚaka 861.
'Jwālāmālinī kalpa' has a total of ten chapters. In these chapters, Indranandī had highlighted the principal characteristics of mantras and the method of their practice. This text was used extensively to gain royal patronage and enhance the influence of Jainism amongst the common people. Many ācārya s gained sufficient and expected leverage from these mantras.
