________________
Introduction
CCLXXI paid the expenses was one Dhanada, a merchant of the place. (p. 13).
In the life - story of a man of such extensive and extra - ordinary learning as Hemachandra, one would desire to know how he was educated, where he was educated and who were his teachers. Unfortunately, however, we have very little information on the point. In the K-pratibodha, we find Devachandrasūri saying to the maternal uncle of Changadeva that Changadeva after taking the vow, 'will go deep into the truth of all Sāstras.' After he took the vow, we are told, within a short time, he crossed the ocean of learning. After he became an Acharya, he used to go out to other countries but he was asked to stay in Gujarat. This is all the information that the Ku - pratibodha gives.
Hemachandra himself says in the prasasti of the Trishashțişalākāpurushacharita, that he got all his learning through the favour of his Guru Devachandra (v. 15 afnergieferatlaiqaHEIGA: 1) But this does not carry us far in answering our questions.
The Pra. Cha. tells us that “Somachandra quickly became master of Tarka, Lakshana and Sahitya. But he was not satisfied with his capacity of retaining a hundred thousand padas in mind; so he took permission of his Guru to propitiate the goddess living in KāsmīraKäsmīradesavāsinī. From Tamralipti-that is Cambay -- he started and put up for the night in a Jaina temple near by known as Sri Raivatāvatāra. At midnight
as he was sitting in meditation, the goddess Brāhmī * appeared to him and asked him not to take the trouble
of going all the way to Kāşmīra, as she being satisfied with his devotion, would grant him what he desired.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
