An Explorative Literature Research on Unknown Medical and Non-Medical Works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Introduction

Extensive literature is the paramount strength of Āyurveda. Wisdom of Āyurveda has been transferred by means of knowledge flow from Vedic era passing through medieval period and reached the present era. During this knowledge flow, some literature has successfully reached the hands of learners of Āyurveda today; unfortunately a vast amount of literature has stopped its journey in between. Finding out the resources of the existing literature and making them available to all stakeholders, is the task on the shoulders of entire Āyurveda fraternity. Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s literature which was inscribed during medieval period belongs to the above-mentioned group and is preserved in the hands of various organizations. Unfortunately, all this knowledge is obscured to the Āyurveda community.

Ācārya Pūjyapāda was a versatile physician of Karnataka belonging to 5^th century A.D. He was a Jain saint. He not only inscribed literature pertaining to Āyurveda but also in the field of spiritual, linguistics, philosophical, astrological, veterinary sciences and so on.¹ Very minimal efforts have been carried out in the past to investigate or probe these literary works. It needs time to explore these works with respect to its structure, subject, strengths and specialties. Further, field of vision should also extend to medical history, ethno medicine and regional ethnicity. Lastly the inquiry should also happen from the standpoint of inter disciplinary and contemporary literatures of Āyurveda.

As almost all the works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda are in regional language i.e., Kannada, Telugu etc, significant efforts are needed to make them available in English. Further such kind of literary works need a structured template in order to organize the data which are procured from literature. Development of such data templates makes such works easier and effective. With these frame of references, the current research task has been taken up. The objective of the study is to identify all the existing Āyurveda literature of Ācārya Pūjyapāda.

Materials and Methods

All literary information about medical literature of Ācārya Pūjyapāda required for this literature study were procured from Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala, Karnataka, one of the premiere libraries of India. To identify these literary works, initially 35 voluminous Cataloguscatalogorum published by University of Madras and National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi were searched. Further individual catalogues of various manuscript centres and major libraries of India and overseas such as London, Madras, Mysore, Shravanabelagola, Keladi, Dharmasthala, Moodabidri, Homcha, Poona, Tanjore, Delhi, Madhya pradesh, Varanasi, Dharwad, Indore, Jammu, Jodhpur, Keladi, Patna, Tiruvantapuram, Tirupati etc were extensively searched. These catalogues were available only at Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala. Detailed information of identified literary works were procured and systematically analysed.

Literary review

Ācārya Pūjyapāda was basically a Jain saint belonging to Koḷḷegāla of Karnāṭaka, and worked exceptionally in the field of Medicine, Yoga, Philosophy, Grammar, Ethics, Metallurgy, Erotics, Salvation methods, Jain rituals, Devotional methods, Logic etc. Several Indian historians and authors of various literary works vocalised about the time period of Ācārya Pūjyapāda. Most of them concluded the time period of Ācārya Pūjyapāda as 5^th A.D. To fix this time period, following rationale have been given by them.

Many scholars after him praised the skills he had. Bonafide history about Ācārya Pūjyapāda has been revealed by the various inscriptions found in and around Śravaṇabelagola, Kollegāla and various contemporary and later year literary works especially Pūjyapādacarite (18^th century A.D).² His parents were Mādhava Bhaṭṭa and Śrī Devi. He had a younger sister named Kamalini. She was married to Guṇabhaṭṭa. Siddha Nāgārjuna was their son. Paṇinī was his uncle. His Siddhikshetra was Kanakagiri (Maleyūru). At present, it is in Chamarajanagara district of Karnāṭaka. He was the teacher of King Durvinīta of Ganga dynasty. He was addressed with various names in many inscriptions and literature as Devanandi, Devanandin, Nandin, Digvāsar, Devacandra, Jinendra Buddhi.³

He wrote more than 23 non-medical literary works4 and it shows his knowledge and wisdom. They are listed in Table 1.

Results

Thorough and vigorous search evinced more than 30 manuscripts (Palm and Paper) in the name of Ācārya Pūjyapāda. Multilingual, multidimensional, multispecialty and multicentre literatures of Ācārya Pūjyapāda were expounded. Basics of these literary works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda found during vigorous search are given below.

1. Rogalakṣaṇamattu Cikitse⁵

Author: ĀcāryaPūjyapāda

Mss No: 1509

Material: Palm leaf

Language and Script: Kannaḍa

Status: Complete Folio: 1-116

folios, 10 lines/folio, 38 letters/ lines

Structure: 26.5X6 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara Culture Research

Center, Dharmasthala.

2. Vaidya Cikitse⁵

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: 1510 Material: Palm leaf

Language and Script: Kannaḍa

Status: Complete Folio: 149

folios, 6 lines/folio, 35 letters/ lines

Structure: 23X4.5 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara Culture Research

Center, Dharmasthala.

3. Vaidya Grantha⁵

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: 1511 Material: Palm leaf

Language and Script: Kannaḍa- Devanāgarī, Kannaḍa

Status: Complete

Folio: 125 folios, 9 lines/folio, 40 letters/ lines

Structure: 25X5 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara Culture Research

Center, Dharmasthala.

4. Netra roga⁵

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: 2115 Material: Palm leaf

Language and Script: Kannaḍa Status: Complete

Folio: 52 folios, 8 lines/folio, 25 letters/ lines,

Structure: 19X4.5 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara Culture Research

Center, Dharmasthala.

5. Vaidya Sāra Saṅgraha⁵

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: 473 Material: Paper

Language and Script: Kannaḍa Status: Incomplete

Folio: 16 folios, 9 lines/

folio Structure: 11X8 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara culture research

center, Dharmasthala.

6. VaidyaSāra Saṅgraha⁵

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: 868 Material: Paper

Language and Script: Kannaḍa Status: Incomplete

Folio: 15 folios, 13 lines/folio, 20 letters/ lines

Structure: 17X19 cm

Source: Shri Manjunatheshvara Culture Research

Center, Dharmasthala.

7. Vaidyaka Grantha^6-7

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda/ Devanandin (?)

Mss No: 1066

Size: 7 3/10 inch X 9 1/5 inch

Extent: 159 leaves; 20 lines to a page; 20 letters to a line

Material: Country paper

Kannada/Kanarese script with Sanskrit

Status: Incomplete

Source: Śri Ailak Panalal Digambar Jain Saraswati Bhavan, Sukhānanda Dharmaśāla, Bombay, Vaidya Grantha named one manuscript each available at Hombucca Jaina maṭha (214-b), Sanskrit College Banaras (No 489) and Śrīmaccārukīrthi Paṇḍitācārya Jain Bhaṇḍāra, Śravaṇabelagola (No 304).

8. Vaidyavallabha⁸

It is a unique manuscript (No 96) of Ācārya Pūjyapāda available at Mālakheḍa Jain Mutt, Mālakheḍa.

Language: Sanskrit

Script: Devnagari

Status: Complete

At present, Hastiruci’s Vaidyavallabha is a very popular work which is available both in manuscript and printed form.

9. Vaidyavidhāna⁹

Its author was Ācārya Pūjyapāda and it is available at Jaina Siddhānta Bhavana, Arrah (No 21). Two more manuscripts named Vaidyavidhāna (42703- 04) are available at Oriental research institute, University of Mysore with unknown author.

10. Rasaprakaraṇa¹⁰

Ācārya Pūjyapāda authored this medical literature (No 33) and it is available at Śrī Vīravāṇivilāsa Jaina Siddhānta Bhavana, Mooḍabidri.

11. Madanakāmaratna¹¹

It is a medical manuscript (MD 13185) compiled more than 1000 years ago and it is ascribed to Ācārya Pūjyapāda. It is available at Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana, Arrah. Similar Mss (No 120) is available at Śri Ailak Panalal Digambar Jain Saraswati Bhavan, Sukhānanda Dharmaśāla, Bombay.

12. Kalyāṇakāraka¹²

This medical manuscript ascribed to Devanandin identified with Ācārya Pūjyapāda or Jinendrabuddhi and said to be an authority on Śālākya (Surgery related to head and neck). This Mss is available at Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana, Arrah (No 61).

13. Nāḍī Parīkṣa¹³

Author of the text was ‘Nandin’. As in various contexts of the literature, Nandin is referred to Ācārya Pūjyapāda. This Mss might be the work of Ācārya Pūjyapāda. The name Nandin may also be referred to Rāvaṇa as he is already the author of well-known treatise Nāḍī Parīkṣa. A thorough research can give definite conclusion. This Mss is available at Private libraries in Bombay presidency (No. 229).

14. Bālagrahaśānti¹⁴

Ācārya Pūjyapāda authored this work. Two copies of this MSS are available at Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana, Arrah. Details of this manuscripts such as language, script, status etc. are unknown (Catalogue I, p. 22. Catalogue II.p. 56).

15. Unknown name¹⁵

Ācārya Pūjyapāda inscribed another manuscript with unknown title which is available at Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana, Arrah. Details of this manuscript such as language, script, status etc are unknown (Catalogue I, p. 20).

16. Bālagraha cikitsa¹⁵

Devendra Muni is the author and he was ascribed to Ācārya Pūjyapāda. Mss no: 3 Folios: 60 Folios with lines 5/ folio and 56 letters/ line Script and Language –Kannaḍa Its subject is related to Vaidya and Mantra Śāstra Inscription time- Not known, Status: Complete, Good condition Procured from- Padmanābha Śāstri, Mūḍbidri, Karṇāṭaka

17. Vaidyasangraha¹⁶

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda Mss No: KB 726, Structure: 6X8 inch Form: Śloka and Gadya Folio: 520 folios, 16 lines/folio, 40 letters/line This manuscript contains Nāḍī Parīkṣa, Śataśloka, Sannipātalakṣaṇa. Status: Incomplete, brittle, too much Moḍi

18. Mahāpūrṇacandrodayayogaḥ/ Mahāpūrṇacandrodayayogaḥ ṭīka¹⁷

Three manuscripts written by Ācārya Pūjyapāda are available at Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore.

Mss 1: B 42223, P.5814/13, Palm leaf, Telugu script and language, 41 X 3 inch, 1-2 folios, 4 lines/folio, 45 letters/line, complete, old.

Mss 2: B 42223, P.8734/50, Palm leaf, Telugu script and language, 35 X 3.5 inch, 135-136 folios, 6 lines/ folio, 76 letters/folio, complete, old.

Mss 3: B 42224, P.8734/50, Palm leaf, Telugu script and language, 35 X 3.5 inch, 135-136 folios, 6 lines/ folio, 76 letters/line, complete, old, Kannada also included in between.

19. Vīryavṛddhyauṣadha vidhāna¹⁷

This work was written by Ācārya Pūjyapāda. Two copies of this work are available at Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore.

Mss 1: 42577, P.6120/5 Material: Palm leaf, Language and script: Kannada language and script, Measurement: 21 X 5 inch, 1-2 folio, 7 lines/folio, 30 letters/line, Status: complete, old, worm eaten

Mss 2: 42578, P.7558/14 Material: Palm leaf Language and script: Telugu language and script Measurement: 39.5 X 2.8 inch, 1 folio, 4 lines/folio, 64 letters/line Status: Complete, old

20. Śūlakuṭharyauṣadha Vidhiḥ¹⁸

Author: Ācārya Pūjyapāda Mss No: E42848, P.7535/8 Material: Palm leaf,

Structure: 39.5 X 3.5 inch, Folio: 1 folio, 4 lines/folio, 40 letters/line,

Script and language: Telugu script- Samskṛta language

Status: Old and worm eaten, Damaged

21. Vaidyaśāstra¹⁹

Author: Devendra muni, may be ascribed to Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Mss No: K 173

Script: Kannaḍa; Language: Both Kannaḍa and Samskṛta

Structure: 10.5 X 2 inch,

Folio: 64-203 folios, 11 lines/folio, 48 letters/line Status: Incomplete, many folios are missing

22. Netraprakāśikā²⁰

Mss No: Burnell’s Catalogue- No 10793, Page 70.

Material: Palm leaf

Structure: 16 X 1 3/8 inches Folio- 50 folios, 5 Lines/folio,

Script: Devanagāri

Author: Nandikeśava author wrote the discussion that happened between Ācārya Pūjyapāda and Hayagrīva. It was documented in the form of a dialogue between Hayagrīya and Pūjyapāda. Status: Complete, not printed.

Subject: 1- 14 Paṭalas dealing with eye diseases.

23. Madasnuhī rasāyana²¹

Author: Pūjyapāda muni

Mss No: Burnell’s catalogue No 12106 d, Page 208

Material: Palm leaf, Structure: 16 X 1 ½ inches, Folios- 1- 99 Folios, 5-11 lines/Folio,

Script: Grantha and Tamil

Status: Complete, Good condition, not printed

Total 23 medical literature works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda were identified till now. During the search, many literary works with identical titles were found with unexplored authors. Extended research may be necessary to find the authorship of those literary works. Thereby, any more literary works pertaining to Ācārya Pūjyapāda can be known.

Discussion

As per Kalyāṇakāraka of Ugrādityācārya, descent of Jaināyurveda happened from Lord Ādinātha- the first Tīrthaṅkara to the King Bharata narrated in detail in the treatise in ancient India. This knowledge passed on to Bharatakṣetra for its usage through Bharata. Based on this, in ancient, medieval and modern time zones, various profound saints and scholars like Samantabhadra, Ācārya Pūjyapāda, Siddha Nāgārjuna, Akalanka, Ugrādityācārya, Kumudendu Muni, Cāvuṇḍarāya, Mangarāja, III Mangarasa, Abhinavacandra, Devendra muni, Amṛtanandi, Śrīdharadeva, Viśrāma Yati, Sāḷva, Padmaṇapaṇḍita, Jagaddaḷa Somanātha, Lakṣmaṇapaṇḍita, Cācarasa etc. propagated and practiced Āyurveda. In medieval period, Ācārya Pūjyapāda practiced Āyurveda to a great extent. Present available literature reveals his glory and skills.²²

Various historians discussed about the time zone of Ācārya Pūjyapāda. Ācārya Kundakunda’s time period was first half of 2^nd century A.D. Few works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda were based on the work of Kundakunda. Thereby it can be evidently accepted that Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s time period was after 2^nd century. As per Śvetāmbara Vīravamśāḷi, Ācārya Pūjyapāda lived 889 years after the Nirvāṇa (Salvation) of Lord Mahāvīra (2600 years ago). So it could be around 419 A.D. Copper inscription found in Hebburu reveals that Ācārya Pūjyapāda was the teacher of king Durvinīta of Ganga dynasty in 6^th century i.e., 478-513 A.D.²³ Akalanka who lived in 7^th century mentioned about Sarvārtha siddhi in his Tattvavārtika. So based on above evidence, it can be understood that Pūjyapāda may have lived in between 5^th -6^th century.²³

Ācārya Pūjyapāda inspired not only many of his contemporary scholars but also scholars who were present after him. Scholars from medieval- modern period, Āyurveda- non-Āyurveda were significantly influenced by him as Ācārya Pūjyapāda was quoted not only in non-Āyurveda literature but also in Āyurveda literature very often. Kalyāṇakāraka of Ugrādityācārya (9^th-10^th A.D) revealed Ācārya Pūjyapāda as an expert in Śālākya Tantra. Here some unique formulations formulated by Ācārya Pūjyapāda such as Kumāri Bhṛgāmalaka taila, Gandhakarasāyana, Mahāviṣamuṣṭi Taila, Maricakādiprakriya and Bhuvaneśvaracūrṇa were mentioned. Jagaddalasomanātha in his Karnāṭaka Kalyāṇakāraka said that, ‘in Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Kalyāṇakāraka treatise, use of Madya, Madhu and Māmsa are banned from medical usage’.²⁴ Vardhamana Parshvanatha Shastri, the editor of Kalyāṇakāraka in his prologue mentioned that, in the context of Jwarānkuśa rasa in Mādhavanidāna, Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s name has been described as Pūyapādopadiṣṭoyamsarvajwrānkuś aḥ.²⁴ But during literature search, this reference could not be traced. Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s name has been mentioned in the context of Caṇḍabhānu rasa and Śophamudga Rasa in Nityanāthīya.²⁴ Similarly in the 5^th chapter of Basavarājīyam, the word Pūjyapādena was traced. In one of the context of Rasaratnasamuccaya also, Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s name has been mentioned as Kaṇeri Pūjyapādaśceti’. ²⁴ In 6th chapter of Basavarājīyam, in the context of Gandhaka Kalpa, it was mentioned as manuṣyāṇāmhitārthāya Pūjyapādenanirmitaḥ and in the context of Trikaṭukādi Rasāyana it was mentioned as Pūjyapādakṛtoyogonarāṇām hitakāmyayā. ²⁵ Similarly in the same chapter, Kālāgnirudra rasa or Agnituṇḍī named formulations have been invented first time by Ācārya Pūjyapāda to manage 80 types of Vātavyādhi.²⁵ Likewise, in Dāhachikitsa of Yogaratnākara, in the context of Mṛtasanjīvinīvāṭika and Candanādi Cūrṇa, Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s name has been quoted.²⁶

Basic search on catalogue and cataloguscatalogorum revealed that total 23 medical manuscripts (some with multiple copies) of Ācārya Pūjyapāda are available inside and outside Karnataka. First six manuscripts in the list were directly witnessed as they are preserved very well in Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala, Karnataka. During this search, no clue about the availability of Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s medical manuscripts outside India was found. Out of 23 manuscripts, 15 palm leaf, 3 paper, 10 Kannaḍa, 6 other language, 12 complete, 4 incomplete, 1 Rasaśāstra, 2 Nāḍī, 19 Kāyacikitsa, 4 Śālākya, 2 Kaumārabhṛtya were found. Seventeen were available in Karnataka and 8 were available outside Karnataka. Most of his works are preserved at Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala, Karnataka, Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore and Jaina Siddhanta Bhavana, Arrah, Hihar. At present no medical works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda are edited and published. Large scope is available to perform literature and literary research on the works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda.

Conclusion

To identify obscured literature works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda, initially 35 voluminous Cataloguscatalogorum published by University of Madras and National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi were searched. Further individual catalogues of various manuscript centres and major libraries of India and overseas were probed. Vigorous search unveiled the existence of 23 medical literature works in the form of manuscripts across India. Out of 23 manuscripts, 15 palm leaf, 3 paper, 10 Kannaḍa, 6 other language, 12 complete, 4 incomplete, 1 Rasaśāstra, 2 Nāḍī, 19 Kāyacikitsa, 4 Śālākya, 2 Kaumārabhṛtya were found. Seventeen were available in Karnataka and 8 were available outside Karnataka. Most of his works are preserved at Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala, Karnataka. These explored medical works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda paves new way for the development of effective health care. It also helps the researchers to probe many unexplored areas of medical management.

Conflict of Interest

None 

Acknowledgement

We sincerely thank Dharmadhikari of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala and Founder president of Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala, Dr. D. Veerendra Heggadeji for extending all kinds of support to conduct this literary work. I also thank Dr. Vighnaraj, the director of Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation, Dharmasthala for guiding and structuring this literary work.