A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s18: Durgadeva
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s18
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Durgadeva
v3.c43.s18.1
Durgadeva349 was the author of the Riṭṭasamuccaya (= Riṭṭasamuccaya),350 a treatise in 261 Śaurasenī Prakrit verses on signs foreboding death (ariṣṭa or riṣṭa). This primarily jyotiṣa work is also of medical interest.351
v3.c43.s18.2
The riṣṭas are divided into three main groups: piṇḍattha (Sanskrit: piṇḍastha), payattha (Sanskrit: padastha) and rūvattha (Sanskrit: rūpastha) (17). Verses 18–40 discuss the piṇḍattha group, verses 41–67 the payattha group. The rūpastha group is subdivided into niyachāyā (Sanskrit: nijacchāyā; 69–84), parachāyā (Sanskrit: paracchāyā; 85–94) and chāyāpurisa (Sanskrit: chāyāpuruṣa; 95–106). The prognostic significance of dreams, divided into devadakahiya (Sanskrit: devatākathita) and sahaja, is also dealt with (107–129). Other groups of riṣṭa are: paccakkha (Sanskrit: pratyakṣa; 130–134), liṅga (135–147), paṇha (Sanskrit: praśna; 148–242).
v3.c43.s18.3
The Riṭṭasamuccaya was completed at the Śāntināthabhavana in Kumbhanagara in July 1032, during the reign of one Lakṣmīnivāsa. The work was written at the instance of Durgadeva’s teacher, and is based on earlier works, e.g., the Maraṇakaṇḍikā.352
v3.c43.s18.4
Durgadeva353 was a Digambara Jain, the pupil of Saṃjamadeva (Sanskrit: Saṃyamadeva), the pupil of Saṃjamasena (Sanskrit: Saṃyamasena), the pupil of Māhavacanda (Sanskrit: Mādhavacandra).354 He was a resident of Kumbhanagara.355