Jain Legend Vol 3

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

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Bharaka Candra Sena till the 52nd Bharaka V ra Sena (V.N. 14061465).
Third stage of Bha
raka tradition
The third stage of Bha raka tradition started with initiating the young monks in Jain traditions with clothes ( a marked departure of shedding all clothes) and still practicing all the five major vows and later on accepting the post of chief of a ma ha (temple complex with residences, educational institutions, kitchen etc). This third stage of Bha raka tradition started in 1110 - 1120AD (V.N. 1637-1647) by Mah mamdale wara crya Mgha Nandi of Kolhapur. He was the royal religious teacher of the King Ga dar ditya ( il h ra dynasty) of Kolhapur. c rya M gha Nandi with the support and assistance of King Ga dar ditya and his chief adviser Nimba Deva got 770 very bright, intelligent, strong young men from very good families as his disciples to impart education and training. c rya M gha Nandi first initiated them in Jain monkhood with clothes i.e. monks in mental state before starting to educate them. He imparted the highest levels of education in Jain doctrine to these 770 students. During and after education, crya M gha Nandi picked the brightest and the first amongst all 770 disciples, monk Simha Nandi and anointed him to the post of c rya (first c rya of the third stage of Bha raka tradition). On this auspicious occasion of anointment of c rya Simha Nandi, King Gaņdarāditya presented him with very valuable and precious ibik jewels studded whiskbrooms (Picchi), whisks, a canopy (chatara) as royal emblems. He also organized a royal procession of crya Simha Nandi to be taken out in the city to further enhance his ( c rya Simha Nandi's) influence and endowed him royal powers to manage and administer the four fold Jain congregation.
c rya M gha Nandi had imparted the highest level of education to his 770 disciples in scriptural knowledge, astrology, logic etc and sent them all over India as preachers –teachers of Jainism. He further established 25 seats of power of Bha rakas all over India and anointed his disciples from this group to these positions. Thus due to strenuous efforts of
c rya M gha Nandi, the Bharaka tradition became a potent, powerful and respected Jain tradition in major parts of the country.
A detailed review of all historical and literary evidences lead us to infer that this event was of extremely large historical importance i.e. c rya
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