Jain Legend Vol 4

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

Page 60

protect Soman tha, had killed about 3000 Muslim soldiers. The war was called off for the night and the fierce battle restarted the next day right at sunrise. Many men were killed in the battle. Finally, Maham da was able to enter Soman tha temple. There were 56 teakwood pillars in the temple all of them covered with lead. The Soman tha idol was made of solid rock, measuring five hands high and embedded two hands deep in the ground. Its circumference was about 3 hands. The idol was placed in an unventilated room, which was illuminated with gem-studded lamplights. Near the idol was a chain weighing 200 mana (1 mana equals 34.5 kilograms) onto which a bell was hung. This bell was rung at every prahara (about 3 hours' duration) by tolling the golden chain. The storeroom located near the idol had a lot of other idols made of gold and silver and precious gem-studded garments. Maham da broke the idol with a mace. One part of the idol was burnt there itself, while the other part was taken to Gajanay along with the loot from the temple comprising of gold, silver, precious stones etc. This piece of Soman tha idol was used in one of the stairs at the entrance of J m Masjida.
In this horrendous invasion by Maham da Gajanav on Soman tha, about 50 thousand Indians sacrificed their lives and the value of the wealth he amassed and took to Gajanav from here was assessed to be over 20 lakh dinars.
Even an ordinary layman would wonder why India, which was the leader of the world for thousands of centuries in spiritual, cultural, educational, political and global welfare policies or activities, had, at the onset of Vikram tenth and eleventh centuries, witnessed such adverse and pathetic upheavals?
After a deep and objective contemplation from the perspective of glorious historic events of India in the past, it is clearly evident that there is only one reason that led India and the Indians to such a quandary and dismal situation. The different views presented by various distinguished historiographers like Alberuni, R.C. Majmudara et al point towards the same basic reason, which is as follows:
To lead an honourable life like a tiger-man, what is fundamentally essential is the basic mantra “Saha n vavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, sahanau v rya karav vahai, tejasvi n vadh tamastu, m vidvi vahai" - which means – "let us all stay together united, let us share equally and
60