Jain Journal 1996 01

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

Page 21

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXX, No. 3. January 1996
books, when Bhānucandra was going to Gujarāt, Akbar gave him a Firman to abolish the taxes levied from the Jain pilgrims going to Śatruñjaya. Siddhicandra was a very handsome youth. He had a marvellous feat of memory and did 108 Avadhāranās. Akbar also granted him the title "Khus-Faham" (A man of sharp intelligence). During the reign of Jehāngir, some misfortune fell upon him. The Emperor asked him to get himself removed from the austerity and conduct a marriage with some beautiful girl. But Siddhicandra totally refused. The Emperor became highly infuriatd and orderd to remove all the Jain monks from Agrā. This event seemed to h taken place in VE 1670. Both Bhānucandra and Siddhicandra left Āgrā and came to Mālpurā and stayed there. Jinacandra Sūri of Kharataragaccha went to Āgrā and pacified the Emperor who had withdrawn the order of removing the Jain-monks from the said place. Jinacandra Sūri, thereafter, went to Bilarā, where he expired in VE 1670.6
At Mālpurā Bhānucandra and Siddhicandra completed a Jain temple of Candraprabha Svāmi in VE 1672. The icon was later removed. The temple now is having the Mūlanāyaka icon Muni Suvrata Svāmī. From Mālpurā both of them went to Jālore and stayed there for sometimes. Mubarak Khan, a newly appointed Governor of Gujarat (1616 - 1618 AD), while going to Ahmedābād stayed at Jalore. He met Siddhicandra and asked him to accompany him. Siddhicandra agreed. He went to Ahmedābād.
A rift between Tapāgaccha monks, as already stated, sprang up. The other group headed by Bhānucandra, Siddhicandra and a few others slanted against Vijaydeva Sūri and a separate Bhattāraka named Vijayatilaka Sūri was appointed as the successor of Vijayasena. They did not honourVijayadeva Sūri. After the death of Vijayatilaka Sūri in 1676 VE Vijayānanda was appointed. They had much support in Gujarat and Sirohi areas. A Sangha led by Mehājal Jain Sreșthi of Sirohi to Satruñjaya was led by Vijayānanda and Siddhicandra. It was started in VE 1690. It seems that Bhānucandra had expire that time, as no details about him are known. After Vijayānanda, Vijayarāja Sūri succeeded. He consecrated more than 70 icons at Sirohi in the Gomukhā Jain temple in 1721 VE.
6. Mohan Lal Dalicand Desāi op. cit. pp. 19-20/Chapter IV verse 334,
Vijayatilaka Sūri - Rasa (Darsana Vijaya 1679 VE/ Tuzuq-i-Jehangiri vol I p. 438. The inscriptions of Malpurā were edited by the Author in the Sodha-patrikā Vol. 43 No. 2 pp. 61-63.