Jain Legend Vol 3

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

Page 199

While Siddha i was immersed in such thoughts reading Lalitavistar , then his guru Garga i returned from the monastery. He gazed at Siddha i studying Lalitavistar and felt very happy internally.
Hearing the sound of his guru, Siddha i stood up all of a sudden and putting his head at the feat of his guru started seeking forgiveness for his rude behaviours.
Seeing his disciple burning in the fire of repentance, Garga i in sweet and encouraging tone comforted Siddha i. On insistence of Siddha i, Garga i did give correct repentance to him. After purifying his self from repentance, Siddha i started practicing right conduct and received from knowledge by being always in the company of his guru. Soon became the favourite of all.
Experiencing unlimited happiness over the growing qualities of his disciple Siddha i, Garga i anointed Siddha i, in front of the four fold congregation, to the post of c rya and handed over all responsibilities of running the gaccha on his strong shoulders. After anointing his chief disciple Siddha i to the position of crya, Garga i went to the forest and started observing sever penance of month long fast. Thus observing sever penance becoming severer by the day and contemplating on the self, Garga i accepted santh r and the pious death ritual (p dopagamana) and in died sam dhi after completing his mortal human mode.
On the other hand, after being anointed as c rya, Siddha i started enhancing the working of his gaccha. Era of Siddha i was the era of texts. Seeing the growing influence of Siddha i, other religions and philosophers started sending invitations and challenges to him for scriptural discourses and debates. Accepting such challenges, he even had many scriptural debates with great scholars at many places. By defeating many celebrated scholars in debates, He unfurled the flag of Jainism on this land of ryas. He also got a number of religious projects executed.
Udyotana Sri has called crya Hari Bhadra S ri as 'Doctrinal guru' while Siddha i called him as his knowledge provoker (Bodhakaro guru). In this confusion, author of 'Prabh vaka caritra' considered Siddha i, who existed 128 years after Udyotan S ri both as co-disciples of c rya
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