INTRODUCTION 13 a was abhiyoga). Real poets were required to be miniature pundits. Hence it is no wonder to find a good amount of learning and eru- dition in a poet of Svayambhu's eminence. His works and repu- tation both show that he occupied a lofty position as a poet as wen as a scholar. Attention has been already drawn to the big titles like Kavirāja, Chandaścüdāman etc., enjoyed by Svayambhu. His reference to 'five spics’, to Bāna and Harsa, to Bhamaha and Dandin, to Bharata, Pingala and indragomin is indicative of his familiarity with various disciplines like Rhetorics, Merics, Drama- turgy, Music and Grammar as also with the Sk. Kavya and Nātaka. Citations from about three scores of Pk. and Ap. poets in his Svayambhücchandas provide a concrete evidence of his com- prehensive and critical knowledge of both these literatures. It is therefore quite natural that numerous later poets and authors have paid glowing tributes to Svayambhū. The tippana on MP. 1 9 5 gives note on Sva- yambhū as pămthadī-baddha- Rāmāyaṇa- karta Apalisařghiyah. From this reference wee understand that Svayambhú be- longed to the Yăpaniya sect. Premi' and Upadhye have col. lected together various literary and inscriptional references to the Yāpaniva sect and have brought forth its importance, mostly in the South in and about the Karņāțaka region, as a Jain schism worthy of being mentioned alongside the Svetāmbara and the Digambara sects. It shared some tenets and beliefs characteris- tic of either. In this case also we do not have any direct or indirect state- ment from Svayambhū. But in one point, I think, this can be supported from his voluminous epics. The Yāpaniya sect comparatively tolerant of other religious beliefs and held that not absolutely giving up all possessions (sagrantha) and allegiance to a non Jain denomination did not disqualify one from attaining salvation'. Such a catholic outlook on religious matters is found to be characteristic of Svayambhū from what we gather from several passages occurring in his three extant works. The following passage is taken from the Riţthanemicariu, the occasion being the last moments of Abhimanyu on the battle- grounds. सउहदेण एम चवन्तएँण, सो सुमरिउ देउ मरन्तऍण ॥ जो सव्वहं देवह अग्गल, तइलोक्क-सिहरे जमु थावलउ।। जे अटठ वि कम्मई णिज्जियउँ, जै पञ्चेन्दिय परज्जियइँ ।। जं धरिवि महारिसि मोक्खु गय, जसु तणएँ धम्मे थिय जीव-दय ।। जें णासिउ जाइ-जरा-मरण, सो सव्वहाँ तिहुयणही जे सरणु ।। जो वहइ पिरजण परम छवि, जमु सोउ (वि)ओउ विणासु णवि ।। जो णा इव णउँसउ गइव तिय, प पयट एक्क-वि जामु किय ।। जो णिक्कलु सन्तु पराहिपरु ।। णारायणु दिणयरु वसवणु, सिउ वरुणु हुवामणु ससि पवणु। जो होउ सु होउ थुणन्तु थिउ, एक्कन्हें करेप्पिणु काल किउ । -Ritthaņemicariu 55 30 1-10 'While speaking thus, Abhimanyu, who was dying called to his mind that deity, who is foremost among all, whose abode is on the (1) Premi, 1942, 41-60. (2) Upadhye, 1933, 224-231. 13) para-sõsane sa-granthănām moksam ca. (4) cf. Sagara's prayer te Ajita in Vimalasūri's Paimacariya: näha! tumam Bambhāņo, Tiloyano, Samkaro, Sayambuddho. Narayano, Ananto, Tiloya-pujjăriho Aruha. V. 122.
