Jain Journal 1966 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

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JAIN JOURNAL
Sriya Devi was an exceedingly pious lady. Jinacandra's childhood name was Sultan Kumar. At the age of pine, he was initiated into monkhood by Sri Jinamanikya Suri and on the death of the guru became the head of the Kharatara gaccha at the age of seventeen. The installation ceremony was performed by Rawal Maladeva. Sri Jinacandra was shocked at the prevailing disorder in the gaccha. He first set himself to the task of cleaning it which he did in two years' time. Meanwhile a keen controversy had developed as to whether Sri Abhayadeva Suri belonged to the Kharatara gaccha. Sri Jinacandra invited all the Jaina ācāryas and the matter was finally settled to his satisfaction and a declaration to that effect was issued under the signature of all. This silenced his opponents for good.
Sri Jinacandra widely travelled in Gujarat and Rajasthan, spending the four monsoon months at various places and enriching thousands of followers and devotees by his religious sermons. It was in 1567 when Jinacandra was staying at Nadolai, the Mughal army was stationed in the vicinity and had become a source of panic to the people living in that city. Many had left in terror. But Jinacandra was undaunted. It was because of his rigorous penance that the Mughal army lost the way and moved away from that place. Between the monsoons of 1571 and 1581, Sri Jinacandra travelled to the eastern provinces and visited Sammet Sikhar, Pawa, Campapuri, Rajagrha and other holy places. In 1587 he along with his innumerable followers that had assembled from all parts of the country visited Siddhacal, the holiest of the Jaina holy places, the land of the Liberated. In the following year he reached Surat and spent the monsoon months there.
Meanwhile his fame had travelled far and wide. Even it had reached the ears of the Mughal emperor Akbar. At the time the emperor was at Lahore while the ācārya was at Khambat on the Bay of Cambay, a distance of several hundred miles. Besides, the monsoonic months were approaching. But the imperial request which was forwarded by Akbar's Jaina minister, Karmacandra, was exceedingly pressing and could not be taken lightly. The ācārya thought that if the emperor could be inspired by the teachings of Jainism, it would have great impact on the country. So overlooking difficulties of the journey and the śāstric prohibitions he sent his principal disciple Mansingh in haste. A few more fārmāns followed and the ācārya saw the importance of his own early departure. By the time he reached Ahmedabad, however, a fresh fārman was received expressing that the ācārya need not take the trouble of moving during the four-month period but that the emperor would be pleased to receive him as early as possible after that period. Meanwhile Mansingh had