Life of Hemchandracharya

Author(s): Manilal Patel
Publisher: Singhi Jain Shastra Shiksha Pith Mumbai

Page 26

CHAPTER 11.-HEMACANDRA'S YOUTH Merutunga is much more extensive. He differs in some not unessential points from the Prabhāvakacaritra and presents quite a complete little romance. According to him, Devacandra came to Dhandhukā on his journey from Pattana or Aṇhilvāờ and went into the Temple connected with a monastery of Srimodh merchants, in order to pay his homage to the image of Jina there. Cängadeva, about eight years old, who roamed here and there playing with other companions of the same age, came there and sat down on Devacandra's resting-cushion which lay on the “throne" of the ordinary pulpit of the Jaina-monasteries. He thereby attracted the attention of the monk who on closer observation, found the boy to be endowed with signs of a high destiny. Wishing to get him as his pupil, the monk gathered together the congregation, i.e. the most esteemed Jaina merchants of the city, and went with them to the house of Cāciga. The father was absent from the house, but his wife Pāhini received the monk and his companions in a fitting manner. Devacandra told her that the congregation had come there in order to beg from her, her son. Although moved to tears by the honour so done to her, Pāhini at first declared herself unable to respond to the request, as her husband was of "heretical” mind and was, moreover, absent. At last the pressure of her relatives prevailed upon her and she handed the boy over to the Guru on their responsibility. Also Cāngadeva, who was consulted according to the rules, consented to become a pupil of the monk. Thereupon Devacandra immediately resumed his wandering with Cāngadeva and went to Karṇāvati where he took the boy to the house of a royal minister, named Udayana. Without doubt he was afraid that his pupil might be taken back from him. He sought therefore to secure the shelter of an influential member of the Jaina congregation. Subsequent events showed that he was not in the wrong; for there soon appeared Cāciga who, after he returned from his journey, at once hurried to Karņāvati in order to take Cangadeva back. The father had taken a vow not to take any food until he had seen his son. Having arived there, he went to the dwelling place of the monk, so furions that he showed the latter scant reverence and would not be soothed. It was only when Udayana was approached and he intervened, that the father was reconciled. Udayana took him to his house, treated him with honour as an elder brother and entertained him hospitably. Then he sent for Cāngadeva, placed him in the lap of his father whom he offered a large sum of money besides other gifts of honour. Cāciga proudly declined the presents; but was so moved by the honour done to him by his host that he consented to let him have his son. On further pursuation by Udayana, he also allowed him to transfer his rights to Devacandra and finally performed the rite of world-renunciation for Cangadeva 14
A third version which agrees neither with the Prabhāvakacaritra nor with Merutunga, is given by Rājasekhara. According to this, Devacandra often went to Dhandhukā on his journeys and preached there. One day, Nemināga, one of the believers among the gathering stood up and said that Cāngadeva, the son of his sister Pāhiņi and of Thakkura Cācika, had received spiritual awakening through the sermon and was begging to be ordained as a monk. Before his birth (he further said) his mother had seen in a dream a mango-tree which, when transplanted to another spot, had borne rich fruits. Thereupon Devacandra declared that the petitioner would, if he entered the spiritual order, perform great deeds: he was endowed with lucky marks and was worthy to be