________________
Introduction
CCLXXXIII Jaina temples. He also got a copper-plate order from him prohibiting the killing of all animals for eighty days in a year. +
Now let us consider the relationship of Hemachandra with Kumārapāla. The first question that faces us is as to when did Kumārapāla and Hemachandra first meet. Dr. Bühler, on the strength of some verses in the Mahāvīracharita of Hemachandra, comes to the conclusion that ‘Kumārapāla's acquaintence with Hemachandra began, according to the verse 53, in the time when the empire had achieved its greatest expansion and when the war-expeditions and conquests were over" (p. 34). The learned Doctor rejects the accounts of the Prabandhas on this topic as got up later on with a view to motivating the later relationship’ (p. 34).
It appears to me, however, that the learned Doctor draws a conclusion from the verses based upon an implication which the verses do not carry. For the order of narration of events does not necessarily imply their chronological order, and when we study the verses carefully we find that no such sequence is intended. The first seven verses ( 45 - 51 ) describe Kumārapāla and his beneficent rule, the next verse ( 52 ) describes the extent of his empire and the last six verses (53-58) describe the daily contact with Hemachandra. This is merely a way of narrating and does not imply, as Dr. Bühler believes, that Kumārapāla got acquainted with Hemachandra after the 'greatest' expansion of his empire. If it implies any such thing, it would be
+ See Note 53 in Dr. Bübler's Life of Hemachandra pp. 83-84 S. J. S.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
