Tradition says Abhayadeva was born in Malwa and took initiation young under Jineshvara Suri, a reforming teacher whose lineage later became the Kharatara Gaccha. By then only the first two Angas, the Acharanga and Sutrakritanga, had full Sanskrit commentaries, written by Shilanka. Around 1063–1071 CE, working largely at Patan, Abhayadeva wrote commentaries on the other nine, from the Sthananga to the Vipaka Sutra, explaining difficult Prakrit words so that monks could study them accurately.
The work was demanding, and tradition says his health broke down with a severe skin disease. According to the story, he was guided to an image of Parshvanatha buried on the banks of the Sedhi river; as he sang a new hymn, the Jayatihuyana Stotra, the image came to light and he recovered. That image is venerated today as Stambhana Parshvanatha in Khambhat. Svetambara gacchas of every line honour him as the Navangi Vrittikara.
