Atmanandji Jainacharya Janmashatabdi Smarakgranth

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Atmanand Janma Shatabdi Smarak Trust

Page 147

My Acquaintance with Swami Atmaram
desire to have a look at the book which he very kindly got me from the Jain library of Ahmadabad. The name of that book was Gurjaradesa bhupavali, and its study afforded me a great help in fixing certain dates of Indian Chronology. This acquaintance gradually matured into friendship and I and the Swami corresponded later on on various literary and historical subjects. I still have got a great admiration for the Swami's critical study of the ancient history of India, and I cannot do better than refer to Tatva Nirnaya Prasad, his well known book, which serves rather as a landmark for the followers of Jaina religion.
Swami Atmaram's mausoleum stands in the city of Gujranwala. This building was consecrated during my incumbency of the office of District Judge of Gujranwala in the year 1908; and it decidedly gave me a great pleasure to take part in the ceremonies connected with that consecration. So far as I could judge he was respected both by the Digambara and Svetambara Jains for his great learning and unrivalled devotion to the ancient theories of Jainism.
The Swami was a great propounder of the theory that Mahavira had breathed his last in 527 B. C. and that Buddha had died 16 years earlier i. e. in 543 B. C. His opinion was mainly based on the data provided by the Sanskrit book mentioned above, and my further study of the subject convinced me that he was right. Both Digambaras and Svetambaras agree in supporting this dictum, vida remarks made by Mr. Burgess in the Indian Antignary Vol. II page 139, and by Dr. Hoernle in Vol. XX page 360 of the same Journal. It is an established fact now that Mahavira and Buddha were contemporaries; and the Ceylonese School of Buddhism has held that the date of the death of Buddha just mentioned is correct. The Buddhist chronology is thus more in accordance with the view of Mr. Lassen so ably discussed by Dr. Goldstucker in his book named Panini his place in sanskrit literature than Prof. Maxmuller's opinion fixing the date of Buddha's death in 477 B. C. or that of Mr. Smith fixing that event in 487 B. C. vide his early History of India page 40, Editor of 1904.
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| Shree Atmaramji