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10th Biennial JAINA Convention
As an atonement for his malicious plan, he composed 1444 books elucidating human virtues like forebearance, tolerance etc. Animosity gave way to learning and scholarship.
Acharya Haribhadrasuri always respected Sadhvi Yakini Mahattara and he used to accept the fact that thanks to Sadhviji, he had found the royal road of Jainism that liberated himself from the cycle of births
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MAHARAJ KUMARPAL
Dr. Kumarpal Desai
The life of Rajarshi (king with the attributes of a sage) Kumarpal, symbolizing bravery, justice and compassion and it is a glorious chapter in the saga of Jainism. Known as Parmahart Shravak, Kumarpal, an apostle of non-violence, was a powerful monarch. A man of exceptional talents, he had carved out a niche for himself not only in the history of Gujarat but of India and his life was full of some extraordinary events. His life was a blend of grievous calamities and glorious achievements, a blend of joys and sorrows. Born in a noble family, he suffered king's ire, separation from family, thirst and starvation and had to beg and roam in forests. Finally he defeated his enemy, got back his kingdom and embraced religion to die a coveted death. It was a life fit to be a subject of an epic.
Profuse details about Kumarpal are available in Dwayashray of Hemchandracharya, in the plap Moharajparajay by Yashpal and Kumarpalpratibodh of Somprabhacharya. Such a detailed history of no other king is available in India!
Born in A. D. 1093, Kumarpal was married to Bhopaldevi. Siddhraj had no issue and hence Kumarpal was to succeed him to the throne. However Siddharaj did not want Kumarpal to inherit the throne of Gujarat. He wished that Kumarpal died and then was reborn as his son to become the king of Gujarat. He, therefore, tried to kill Kumarpal but didn't succeed. Hemchandracharya had been kind to him and helped him many a time. In A. D. 1143, at the age of fifty, Kumarpal ascended the throne of Gujarat.
At the instance of kalikalsarvagna (all knowing) scholar Hemchandracharya, the new king banned gambling in the kingdom. He proclaimed: "The people at large are violent and are at one another's throat. Lying is a sin and illicit relationship with a woman is a worse sin; but violence to living organism is the worst of all sins. I ordain that no one should profit from violence. Those who practice violence should give it up and they will be fed at the king's kitchen for three years it they have no means of subsistence." He instructed his officials to give severe punishment to those who indulged in violence. Kumarpal's devotion to non-violence inspired the kings in the neighbouring countries too to practice non-violence. They prohibited any form of violence committed for the sake of religion or livelihood.
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Jain Education International 2010 03
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