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VASTUPALA
225
for the short period of one year, and the ministers were so powerful and firmly established. In an inscription on Mt. Abu dated 1296 (Vaisakha sudi 3 Teja hpala is called Mabamatya.) The change in the ministry, I suppose, was effected after the death of Tejahpala, which took place according to Jinaharsha ten years after that of Vastupala. In the colophon of a palm-leaf mss. dated Sam. 1303 Tejahpala is called a Mahamatya in power at Anahillapura."1
In A.D. 1230, the health of Vastupala began to give way. He was laid up with fever. Probably a change of environments was considered advisable. Accordingly, he started on a pilgrimage to Satrunjaya but on the way, when the object of his journey was within sight, he suddenly got worse and had to be removed to the hamlet of Akevaliya where he was accommodated in a country hovel. His only son Jaitra-simha, his brother Tejahpala and others were in attendance upon him. His life was then despaired of. The great minister was fast sinking. The spiritual teacher was at once sent for, in whose presence he made a confession of the faith and repeated the name of Lord Rishabha with the following couplet :
I have done no good action worthy of being commemorated
by the virtuous, My only substantial merit has been aspiration :
in this way my life has passed.
Then a silence followed,' Reverence to the Arhats 'uttered the dying minister and with these sacred syllables on his lips, he passed away to the next world. It was the Monday morning, the 5th day of the bright half of Magha Vik. Sam. 1296 (A. D. 1240). The dead body was taken up on Mt. Satrunjaya where it was reverently and sorrowfully consigned to flames. Later on, to mark the site where the body was cremated, Tejahpala raised a magnificent temple dedicated to Risabha. Tejahpala continued exercising ministerial powers until his death which took place at Chandronmanapura in A. D. 1348.
1 Dalal Vasanta-vilaba, introd. viii (G.D.S.).
29 Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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