________________
1911]
Shrimad Yashovijayaji.
Shrimad Yashovijayaji. *
(MOHANLAL DALICHAN DESAI B. A. LL.B.)
[331
President and Brothers.
This evening I have ventured to make a very bold attempt to speak to you of a great writer and religious teacher of our own race and land named Yashovijayaji. Very little is known of Shri Yashovijayaji. When and at what place he was born, who were his parents, and when he took Dikshha', [initiation into Jain monks' order ], remain in oblivion. Notwithstanding this, conjectures and some unfounded informations gathered from here and there may be noted here. His birth may be taken to have happened just about S. Y. 1680, because he received a command of reforming the Jain Church from Vijayasinha Suri who died in S. Y. 1708.. He must have been 25 or 28 years old at the time. Some say he was born of Dasa Porwal or Shrimali Bania parents at Radhanpur His father died while he was very young, leaving a widow and 4 sons. Anecdotes are related of him prophetic of his future greatness. Among them is the story that Yashovijaya's mother had a vow to hear Bhaktamara Stotra a prayer-song in praise of our Lord Shri Rishhabha Deva- everyday and then to take meals. When Yashovijayaji was of 7 years age, his mother took him to the 'upashrayaa religious place, where Shri Nayavijayaji was giving daily sermons, to hear the 'Bhaktamara Stotra'. After this, once his mother could not go to the upashraya owing to heavy rains, and so had to observe fast. The boy inquired of his mother the reason why she did not take her meals. On her telling him of her vow, the young boy begged of her to hear the 'Bhaktamara Stotra from him and he spoke out the same without a single mistake and thereby the mother was wonderstruck at her son's miraculous memory. Having heard the 'Stotra' she took her meals. The next day the Guru Nayavijayaji
;
A paper read before Jain Students Brotherhood in 1910.
