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Tattvārthasūtra Commentaries of Karnataka
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hundreds of gāthās and only eleven Sanskrit ślokas, which suggests that early commentators had also used more Prakrit verses. Divākaranandi is not the first commentator in temporal terms, because Cūdāmaņi of mid-seventh century of an unknown commentator was the first work. Since that work is not extant, ivākaranandi is credited as the first known commentator in Kannada. His Karņāalaghu-vítti, composed in a prose style of later old Kannada of eleventh century has popularised Tattvārthasūtra in Karnataka. His prose is simple but effective; only occasionally there are flashes of poetic excellence. For centuries this has served as a standard text, an authentic primer for the students of Jainalogy.
Divākaranandi has followed the model of Pūjyapāda; but I am not in a position to say how far he has been influenced by Bha and refers to it's author as Grdhrapiccha-ācārya and not as Umāsvāti. Divākaranandi quotes from Gommaasāra-Jivakānda [gāthā No. 614; this gāthā is from Sakhandāgama, Trilokasāra (gāthā No. 332), Jambūdvīpa Prajñapti (13.21), Mūlācāra and other works]. He authored this work to facilitate the sluggish, young scholars to learn Tattvārthasūtra and to acquire correct view of reality.
Tattvaratna-pradīpike of Bālcandradeva (AD 1170) is the second Kannada gloss in temporal terms but in quality the best. Bālacandradeva alias Adhyātmi-Bālacandra, also a monk, and a pupil of samasta-saiddhāntika-cakravarti Nayakīrti siddhānta deva, composed Tattvārtha-tātparya-vrtti olim Tattva-ratnapradīpike, a Kannada gloss to enlighten his disciple Kumudacandra-bhaāraka. Adhyātmi-Bālacandra belonged to the line of monks of the original congregation (mūla-sangha), Desi-gana Pustaka-gaccha Kondakunda-anvaya. He is a prolific author with the following works to his credit: 1. Jinastuti: containing only twenty verses in praise of the
virtues of jina.
