Jain Thought and Culture

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 69

Akbar and Jainism
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Kalı Saraswati In a debate provoked by the Brahmans, who charged the Jains of disbelief in God, he successfully established, that the Jain idea of God was similar to the one expounded in the Sankhya philosophy He stayed at the court till 1595 At his desire, Akbar issued an order forbidding fishing in the Indus for four months Some other Jain scholars, such as Bhanu Chandra and Siddhi Chandra, however, continued to stay at the Emperor's court Both these Jain monks accompanied Akbar to Kashmir and thence to the Deccan They were present when Akbar died at Agra in 1605 A D.
Akbar's contact with the Jaina monks and scholars lasted for about forty years during which period he not only acquired a good understanding of Jainism, his own idea and understanding of life and universe were also appreciably influenced by Jain thought and view of life