संस्कृत शतक-परम्परा का आद्यशतक : जिनस्तुतिशतक
By डॉ. (कु.) आराधना जैन “स्वतंत्र'
Summary
Swami Samantabhadracharya, a prominent Digambara acharya of the second century CE, is revered as the first poet, first hymnist, and first author of a shataka in the Sanskrit tradition. His work *Jinastutishataka* is a high-quality hymn of 116 verses in various meters, composed in an ornate style to praise the twenty-four Tirthankaras. The text is rich in verbal, semantic, and figurative ornaments, including yamaka, shlesha, rupaka, utpreksha, vyatireka, virodhabhasa, and parisamkhyana, as well as complex citra figures like murajabandha and anuloma-pratiloma shlokas. The acharya’s humility is evident as he repeatedly expresses his inability to fully praise the infinite virtues of the Jinas, stating that even Indra and the Ganadharas cannot do so adequately. He emphasizes that true devotion purifies the devotee, destroys karmas, and leads to liberation. The work serves as a foundational text for later shataka literature and integrates bhakti yoga with Jain philosophical principles, aiming for spiritual development and mental concentration.
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Conclusion
The analysis of Samantabhadra's *Jinastutiśataka* reveals its foundational role in the Digambara Sanskrit tradition, establishing it as the first century of stuti poetry. The text demonstrates that devotional praise (*bhaktiyoga*) serves as a practical path for spiritual purification and liberation, with the author emphasizing that even partial glorification of the Jina's infinite qualities purifies the devotee and destroys karmic bonds. The work's sophisticated use of over 116 verses employing diverse meters, verbal and figurative ornaments, and complex citra-kāvya techniques—including one-syllable verses and yamaka—establishes a literary standard that influenced subsequent śataka compositions. By integrating philosophical doctrines with artistic expression, the text achieves its dual purpose of providing personal spiritual satisfaction (*svāntaḥsukhāya*) while benefiting all beings (*sarvajanahitāya*), ultimately positioning bhakti as both a means to