Somadeva Suri

Somadeva Suri was a south Indian Jain monk of the 10th century CE (fl. 959–66, possibly born in Bengal region about 920), author of a work known as "Upasakadyayana" "chapter on lay followers (upasakas)", a central work of Digambara shravakacara literature, i.e. instructions and prescriptions for shravakas or Jain lay followers.[1]

Not to be confused with Somadeva, author of Kathasaritsagara.

Aacharya Shri Somadeva Suri Somadeva Suri
Personal
Born	920 CE
Religion	Jainism
Sect	Digambar

Lineage

Somadeva was a disciple of Acharya Nemideva of Devasangha section of Mula Sangh (associated with Akalankadeva). Somadeva composed Yashstilaka in the domain of Vagaraj, a feudatory of Rashtrakuta Krishna III. He is mentioned in copperplate and an inscription of the Chalukya clan.

Vadiraja, author of Yashodhara-charita, and Pushpasena, (the teacher of Vadibhasimha, author of Gadyachintamani, were both disciples of Somadeva Suri.[2]

Residence

Somadeva Suri was a member of the Gauda Sangha. Before 957, he was at the court of the Pratihara king Mahendrapala II, at Kanyakubja (modern Kannauj). There, he wrote Niti-vakya-amrita, and possibly Trivarga-Mahedra-Matali-jalpa.[3]

Later, he migrated the Vemulavada Chalukya kingdom. There, he composed Yashodhara-charita (or Yashas-tilaka-champu, c. 959) during the reign of Baddega II, at Gangadhara town.[3]

Works

"Upasakadyayana" is a section of the champu text Yashastilaka. Girish Karnad's play Bali is based on Yashastilaka.[4]

Somadeva Suri also wrote the Nitivakyamrtam "Nectar of the Science of Polity" (ed. Sundaralala Sastri 1976, Menta 1987), a treatise on statecraft. The text of the Nitivakyamrtam mentions that Somadeva was also the author of a literary work called Yashastilaka (see Kavyamala, 70).

He is sometimes regarded as a "revolutionary thinker of early medieval India", in his works he discusses the vices (pratyuhasamuha) which brought to the country the conquest of the Muslims (Tajikas).[5] It is notable that he describes the use of hydraulics for irrigating a garden.[6]

References

1. Mukund Lath, Somadeva Suri and the question of Jain identity, Michael Carrithers, Caroline Humphrey, The Assembly of listeners: Jains in society, Cambridge University Press, 1991, ISBN 978-0-521-36505-5, chapter 3.
2. A History of Indian Literature: Buddhist literature and Jaina literature, Volume 2, Maurice Winternitz, Motilal Banarsidass Publisher, 1993 p. 515
3. Madhusudan A. Dhaky (1996). Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture. 1 - Part 3: South India - Upper Dravidadesa, Later phase A.D. 973- 1326. American Institute of Indian Studies. p. 415. ISBN 978-81-86526-00-2.
4. Outlook, 2002, Volume 42, Issues 21-29, p. 162
5. Nationalism: Its Theory and Principles in India, Parmanand Parashar, Sarup & Sons, 1996 p. 119
6. Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 4, Physics and Physical Technology, Part 2, Mechanical Engineering, Volume 4 of Physics & Physical Technology PT. 2, Joseph Needham, Cambridge University Press, 1965, p. 362