Jain Journal 1992 07

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

Page 38

History of Kharatargaccha
Ram Vallabh Somani
The title "Kharatar" was bestowed upon Jineśvar Süri by Calukya king Durlabhrāj of Anhilvåd Pāțan (Gujarat) as a result of victory over Caityavasis in a religious discussion held in his court. Jineśvar Sūri was the pupil of Vardhaman Sūri, a competent scholar, who consecrated the Vimal-Vasati temple of Ābu in VE 1088 (1031 A. D.). Jineśvar Sūri, composed several works including Katha-Kośa-Prakarana. His younger brother Buddhisā gar and his pupil Dhaneśvar Süri remained much popular. They had also composed some good works. Abhaydeva and Dronācārya were the important Jain monks who had contributed several works. Jineśvar Süri's followers later formed a separate gaccha which is named as Kharatar-gaccha It was a hard work to popularize this gaccha. Jinballabh Sūri started Vidbi-Caitya movement making Cittor as his base. This movement had improved the liturgical system in Jain temples. They got good response and a large number of people from Mewăr, Vågad, Sapādlakşa, and northern Rājasthan became his lay followers. He also got two inscriptions engraved at Cittor and one at Nagaur. The detailed note of one of the Cittor inscriptions has been done on the basis of a MS now preserved in L.D. Institute, Ahmedābād. The other fragmentary inscription which is partly damaged and now fixed on the Gambhiri river Bridge of Cittor has been edited by the author. Jinvallabh Süri died at Cittor and was succeeded by Jindatt Süri. But soon after the political condition changed and Cittor was captured by the Solankies of Gujarāț, who were not happy with the Jain monks of Kharatar-gaccha. Jindatt Sūri, therefore, remained more active in Ajmer area. He did not visit Gujarăț. On the basis of various literary sources he had his influence in Bikampur town, then under Jaisalmer State. He composed Carcari in Vågad-area (in a Dharmanāth Jain temple of Vāygrapur) and sent
1 The Kharat argaccha Byhad Gurvāvali (S. J. G. M.), pp. 4-6; Jin vijay, Kathā-Koša
Prakarana (S. J. G. M.), Intro., pp. 41-45. 2 The first inscription has been edited but it is not published so far. I have used
the text from Sri Nāhatā. The other inscription has been edited by the author which has been published in the Sodh Patrika (Udaipur) as "Cittor Durg-se Präpt Ek Mahat vapurna-Silalekh, pp. 44-45.
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