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ÄCHÄRYA HEMCHANDRA
12 - Ächärya Hemchandra
Ächärya Hemchandra was born in 1088 A.D. in the Modha Vanik (merchant) caste in the town of Dhandhukä, sixty miles from the city of Amdäväd in the state of Gujarat. His parents were Chachdev and Pähini. While Pähini was pregnant, she had a beautiful dream. She narrated her dream to Jain Acharya Devasuri who was in Dhandhuka at that time. The Ächärya predicted that Pähini would give birth to a son who would make great progress in the areas
of spiritual knowledge, conduct, and logic. When her son was born, she named him Chängdev. The next time Acharya Devasuri was in Dhandhukä, he saw Pähini carrying her son. He said to Pähini, "Let me take care of this brilliant son. He has the potential of being a great spiritual leader." Pähini initially refused to relinquish her son to him, but the Achärya persisted and reminded her that her son would become a famous monk and would glorify the Jain order. He requested that she sacrifice self-interest and love for the child for the good of the people at large. Finally, Pähini surrendered and gave her son to the Achärya. He initiated Chängdev into Jain monkhood and renamed him Somchandra. Somchandra was very intelligent and quickly mastered various philosophies, logic, scriptures, nyaya, grammar, and more. Simultaneously, he cultivated excellent virtues like
forbearance, tolerance, holiness, Various incidences from Acharya Hemchandra and King
simplicity, discipline, chastity, Kumärpäl's life
and generosity. Somchandra was incomparable in
administration and efficiency, and Acharya Devasuri made Somchandra an Ächärya when he was only twenty-one years old, changing his name to Achärya Hemchandra. The fame of Hemchandra's knowledge gradually spread everywhere. Due to the efforts of Hemchandra and the cooperation of King Siddharäj of Gujarat, a higher and nobler form of culture was established in the region. When King Siddharäj died, Kumärpäl succeeded him. King Kumärpäl and Acharya Hemchandra were to enjoy a lifelong relationship of disciple and teacher. The seeds of this spiritual relation had already been sown earlier; Achärya Hemchandra had predicted seven years back that Kumärpäl would become King. Additionally, he had once saved the future King's life. Kumärpäl therefore considered Hemchandra his spiritual teacher (guru) and benefactor and gave him exceptional honor. Kumärpäl sought Hemchandra's advice in shaping his kingdom, and in a very short time Gujarat became a center of non-violence, learning, and good culture. In his efforts, Hemchandra did not think of the development of his own career but always of the welfare of all citizens. However, some Brahmins were very jealous of Acharya Hemchandra's influence over the king and tried to disgrace
JAIN STORY BOOK
