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THB SVBTĀMBARA LITBRATURE
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very intelligent observer, and a man of vast learning, he was, at the same time, one of the most influential Jain monks in Northern India of the 14th century. He himself took the trouble of travelling in distant places, and took suitable notes of those places, connected with Jainism. In this respect he may be compared with Yuan Chwang. He personally visited places like Raivataka, Śatruñjaya, Stambhatirtha, Arbuda, Satyapura, Apahilapura, Näsikya, Pratishtbāna, Mathurā, Kaušāmbi, Ahicchatra, Kampilya, Śrāvasti, Campā, Pāțaliputra, Vārānasi, Hastināpura, Kanyānayana, Phalavardhikā and other places. He has not only given a detailed account of these Jain tirthas, but also has recorded some very significant historical events, connected with those places. Even in his time, the Svetāmbara Jains were respected throughout India, and he himself, as we will presently see, was honoured by no less a person than the contemporary Muslim emperor of India. It is therefore not only a great work of geography, but at the same time, one of the most valuable historical works, written in the mediaeval times.
In the first chapter of this work, the great Jain lütha of Śatruñjaya has been described and in that, connexion, the learned author has traced its history from the earliest times. However, a great part of his description is based on fancy. As we have already noted, this tirtha is mentioned, for the first time, in Nāyadhammak ahão, in connexion with the description of the last days of the Pandava s2 26 It therefore proves that, probably from the pre-Christian times, Śatruñjaya came to be associated with the Jains, Jinaprabha associates kings like Samprati, śātavāhana and Vikramāditya also with this tirtha. Some other details, given by the author, regarding this holiest of the holy Jain tirthas, will be discussed in the chapter of the Jain tirthas. This chapter was written, according to Jinaprabha's own statement227, in V.S. 1385. The next four chapters are devoted 10 another great Jain tirtha of Gujarat, namely Raivataka or
