Introduction

Shri Gautm Swami had been the first ”’Gandhar”’ of the twenty fourth ”’Teerthankara”’ Lord Mahaveer. As it is a rule that the resonant preaching of ”’Teerthankara”’ does not emanate in the absence of ”’Gandhar”’, hence the resonant preaching of Lord Mahaveer Swami did not come out for 66 days even after manifestation of omniscience to him.

A worried ”’Saudharma Indra”’ approached a Brahmin Shri Indrabhuti Gautam well-versed in Vedas and other auxiliary works of the Vedas and asked him a question- I am not able to understand the meaning of one Sanskrit couplet and at present my master- Guru is on recourse to silence, hence kindly explain its meaning to me. Then ”’Gautam-gotriya”’ Indrabhuti asked him the question so that he could explain the meaning of that couplet. Saudharma Indra read the couplet.-

Dharmdvyam tirvidhkaalsamagrakarama, shaddravyakaaysahitah samyaish leshyah
Tattvani sainyamgati sahitam padarthai-rang pravedmanisham vad chaastikaayam

Indrabhuti was not able to understand its meaning and told Saudharma Indra, “Let’s go to your Guru; I will explain its meaning before him”. Indra precisely wanted this, so he took him to the ‘”Samavsaran”’ of Lord Mahaveer where his pride melted away immediately after viewing the pride benumbing pillar ”'(Maanstambh)”’.

His false belief transformed into right belief as soon as he visited Lord Mahaveer in ”’Samavsaran”’. First of all the ”’‘Chaityabhakti’”’ manifested from his mouth in the eulogy of the Lord—

Jaayati bhagwan! Hemambhoj- prachar- vijrambhitaa 
Vamarmukutachchhaayaayod- geernprabhaaparichumbitau

35 couplets. He took initiation of Muni in the ”’Samavsaran”’ of Mahaveer Swami and that very moment the clairvoyance and telepathic knowledge revealed to him; thus he became the first ”’Gandhar”’ of the Lord. That was the first day of the dark fortnight of Shraavan lunar month.

Just then the divine resonant preaching of the Lord began to emanate which Shri Gautamswami grasped and composed that in the form of twelve organs/parts of scriptural knowledge within one ”’Antarmuhurt”’ i.e. in 48 minutes.

Thus Lord Mahaveer has been regarded as perceiver of meaning and Gautam Gandhar as composer of treatise. The scriptures available today are a part of twelve parts of scripture ”'(Dwadasang)”’. The matter of the present book “Shri Gautam Gandhar Vani” has been collected by the virtuous female ascetic having highest rank in Jain community, the moon-light of conduct, possessor of divine power, epoch-maker and a paragon-Aryika, supremely venerable Ganini Pramukh Shri Gyanmati Mataji. .

Its translation in Hindi has been taken from the book “Yati pratikraman” translated by Pandit Shri Pannalalji Sidhant Shastri. Long live Venerable Mataji, may remain in good health and may keep showering upon us her ambrosial speech for a very long time; this is my auspicious prayer to Jinendra Deva.