Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
The third effort of the compilation of āgamas was undertaken around 827-840 years after the salvation of Lord Mahavira. In the cūrṇi of Nandī, there is a mention that due to the prolonged drought of twelve years, monks could not learn, revise or contemplate upon the āgamic contents; hence they began to wane.[1] The effect of drought was so severe that monks did not get enough food in alms to survive and they wandered here and there. Several scholastic and āgama proficient monks and Acharyas expired. This drought caused a great loss to the Jain treasure of knowledge. A major part of aṅga and upāṅga literature was lost. Meaning of the remaining part was also lost to some extent. When the draught was over, the whole of śramaṇa community gathered under the presidency of Skandilācārya in Mathura.[2]
Whatever known to the monks present in that synod was then compiled. In this synod Kālikaśruta and some parts of the pūrvagata were compiled. Since this synod was organized in Mathura, it was referred to as Māthuri Vācanā. It is also known as Skandilī Vācanā.
Another opinion about this synod is that due to the drought the aṅga knowledge did not get lost. It was surviving completely until then but all other scholarly monks had passed away and only Acharya Skandila was surviving as the possessor of all anuyogas. Hence, when the drought was over, he called a council and preached the anuyogas again in Mathura. So it is called as Māthurī Vācanā. It is believed to be of Skandila alone. Some scholars are of opinion that it was during this synod that āgamas were written down for the first time.[3]
- Jacobi Hermann, Jain Sutras, Delhi, 1980, XXII, p. XXXIO.Devardhi's position relative to the sacred literature of the Jains appears therefore to us in a different light from what is generally believed to have been. He probably arranged the already existing manuscripts in a canon taking down from the mouth of learned logicians, only such works of which manuscripts were not available.
- Maurice Winternitz, History of Indian Literature, Delhi, 1993, p.417.
Devarddhi's labours consisted merely of compiling a canon of sacred writings partly with the help of old manuscripts, and partly on the basis of oral tradition. - Dalsukh Malvania, Āgama Yuga kāJain Darśana, Jaipur, 1990, p. 19.
