Gunabhadra

Gunabhadra (9th–10th century CE) was the Digambara acharya who completed the Mahapurana — the Uttapurana, the sequel to Jinasena’s Adipurana — and whose Atmanushasana remains a Digambara ethical classic.

Background

The disciple and successor of Jinasena in the Dravida Sangha line; his era under the Rashtrakutas continued the patronage (Amoghavarsha’s circle) that made the school’s Sanskrit literature possible.

Spiritual Contribution

The Uttapurana (completing the Mahapurana’s narrative — the later Tirthankaras and the tradition’s great figures); the Atmanushasana (“exhortation to the soul” — the ethical-didactic poem on conduct and liberation); the Mahapurana tradition’s completion earned him the co-honor of its authorship.

Legacy and Impact

The Adi- and Uttapurana pair became the Jain epic’s Sanskrit monument; the Atmanushasana is memorized and commented upon to this day.

Verification notes

• Attribution and the Jinasena relationship are standard scholarship.
• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).