Monk and Monarch

SR No.: 034964
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vidyavijay
Publisher: Deepchand Banthia
Publication Year: 1944
Total Pages: 190
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

Page 73

Emperor against the Jains. They said that the Jains did not believe in God. Akbar was startled at this and asked Vijaysensuri about it. The Suri said that Jains did believe in God and that he was prepared to prove this in an assembly. Accordingly Akbar convened an assembly, in which Vijaysensuri very effectively proved that Jains believed in God. He also proved that they believed in the Sun and the Ganges. Akbar was convinced by the learned and clever arguments of the Suri and conferred on him the title of 'Surisavai.'
Vijaysensuri too was successful in making the Emperor prohibit killing on many occasions. It is said in " Labhodayaras":
“અકબર સહગુરુ; બકસઈ તે સુણતાં હીઅડું વિકસઈ; નગર ઠઠઉ સિંધ કચ્છ પાણી બહુલા જિહાં મ. ૧૨૭ જિહાં હુંતાં બહુત સંહાર ધ્યન ધ્યન સહગુરુ ઉપગાર;
પ્યાર માસ કો જાલ ન ઘાલઈ વિશેષ વલી વરસાલઈ ૧૨૮ ગાય બલદ ભીસિ મહિષ જેહ કદી કોએ ન મારઈ તેહ; ગુરુવચનિ કે બંદી ન ઝાલઈ મૃતક કે કર ટાઈ. ૧૨૯ ”
This shows that, at the advice of Vijaysensuri, Akbar had prohibited animal-killing and fishing for four months in Sind and Cutch, where much killing and fishing was practised.
It will be seen that Akbar had given full rights to the Shvetambaras .over several tirthasl7 and prohibited animal-killing in his kingdom by the preaching of various Jain monks. It is said that he had prescribed non-killing for six months and six days in all in a year, and though it is difficult to ascertain the exact number of days on which killing was prohibited, it is certain that Akbar believed more and more in non-killing,
Bankimchandra Lahiri writes thus :
" सम्राट् रविवारे, चंद्र ओ सूर्य ग्रहणदिने एवं आर ओ अन्यान्य अनेक समये कोन मांसाहार करितेन ना। रविवार ओ आर ओ कतिपय दिने पशुहत्या करिते सर्व साधारण के निषेध करिया छिलेन ।"