Book Title: Jain Legend Vol 2
Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana
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The enumeration of Devasena in his book “Bh va Samgraha" about how vet mbara sect came into existence, confirms the following:
An occult-powered c rya named Bhadrab hu stayed in Ujjain in Vikram 124 (594 V.N.). He with his occult knowledge warned all the rama a congregations that severe famine would occur in the entire north including Avant and would last for twelve years. So all the
rama as should migrate from the north to more fertile areas. All the c ryas together with their respective congregations left north and migrated to some other places. A c rya called nti reached Vallabh Nagara in Saurastra. Severe famine broke out even there too. The dreadful and unavoidable circumstances that arose due to the famine compelled crya nti and the
rama as in his congregation to take stick, rug and bowl, to wear white clothes and adopt lenient ascetics prohibited for rama as. Wherever rest of the rama a congregations went, natural resources existed in abundance. Hence they adhered to the sacred and hard rituals of rama a and did not allow any degeneration in their conduct. When the situation restored back to normalcy, crya nti rightly advised his disciples to abandon stick, clothes and bowl, etc., to undergo expiation and to follow the hard old conduct for them. A disciple called Jinacandra became furious at this bitter truth laced command of crya nti. c rya nti breathed his last, when Jinacandra in anger, hit him hard on the head with a stick After taking the life of c rya nti, Jinacandra declared himself “ c rya" of the congregation and created new stras of his convenience to suit his conduct. There is no mention of either Bhadrab hu, the rutakeval, who according to the belief of Digambara sect attained heaven in 162 V.N. or Vi khc rya, R milla, Sth lav addha, Sth 1 c rya and even the great emperor Candragupta. This entire description was dated to the period between Vikram 124 & 136 era (594 & 604 V.N.) and it was attributed to occult c rya Bhadrab hu.
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