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February
18 980 9 J, S. Conference Herald and several other innumerable costly temples situated in all parts of India. The Jains of ypre were not only food of spending much on the mages of their Avatars and their consecrated abodes, they spent equally as much on preserving and propagating their religious books instances of which may bę,found up to this day in the invaluable Libraries existing in Patan, Canhbay, Jaisalmait and several other places.
The Jainis may therefore be very fuirly called a peaceful and lawabiding people earning their livelihood by fair means and profitting their neighbours by a fair distribution of what they earned by the sweat of their brow. The Rajahs and Maharajahs whose protection they sought were also included in the catalogue of their munificence, and the Protectors of the soil always favoured such millionaires in the hope of their being pecuniarily helped in their turn in times of need. But the more you clip the myrtle the more it sprouts and the virtuous Jain of old was by no means the less wealthy. This protection offered in nnsettled times drew large numbers of Jains to such distant and dreary places as Jaisalmer and the interior of Jodhpur and Bikanir. These wielders of the land, in addition to their being thus profitted, felt proud to rule over so many thousands or tens of thousands of peaceful Jain millionaires. And such transactions created a mutual feeling of love and friendship between the rulers and the ruled. These feelings in their turn were enchanced to respect and reverence for Jainism by the miraculous deeds of the marvellous Acharayas of those times.
It was this mixed feeling of love and respect of Maharajah Koomarpal of Patan-May his soul find rest!-more than eight hundred years ago, and over which ancient sanctified abode of the Jains-a place where in that prince's time the mighty Hemchandracharya flourished-His Highness Maharajah Siyaji Rao has been fortunate enough-both for himself and his Jain subjects-to rule, it was this friendly and respectful feeling, we repeat, of Maharajah Koomarpal, which drew 1800 Jain millionaires to Patan who went to receive with pomp and grandeur the prince's religious preceptor and guide, the world-renowned Jainacharya Hemchandra on his entry to the Maharajah's 'capital. We are glad to note that in our age also such reciprocal duties are not forgotten, for a similar feeling of mingled, love and sympathy was evinced by His Hightless the Gaek'war towards the representatives of the Jains of all cordiand througit them
