Life of Hemchandracharya

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

Page 50

CHAPTER V.-THE STORIES REGARDING KUMĀRAPĀLA'S CONVERSION 31 says, Hemacandra was absolutely forgotten. Inspite of that, he went to Aphilrad from Karņāvati a short time after Kumāra pāla's coronation. He then asked Udayana whether the king remembered him. As the reply was in the negative, he requested Udayana to warn the king against visiting on a certain day the palace of his queen. He also permitted Udayana to mention his name in case the king insisted on knowing the name of the warner. Udayana brought home the warning to the king who acted accordingly. On the said day, the palace of the queen caught fire from lightning and was burnt to ashes. Thereupon the king asked the name of the unknown adviser, When Hemacandra's name was mentioned, he was at once summoned by the king who promptly begged to be excused in all humility for his forgetfulness and promised him to rule entirely according to his counsel. After showing that Hemacandra became Kumāra pāla's friend and advisor soon after V. S. 1199, Jinamaņduna gives a short account of "the conquest of the world” by the king. In the subsequent account he follows wholly and literally Merutunga, excepting, of course, in one point, that is, he says nothing about the insult hurled at Hemacandra at the funeral of Pāhini and about the subsequent journey to Mālvā. The statements naturally did not suit him. In some details, he is more extensive than Merutunga and lengthens the account of Kumārapāla's conversion very much by many quotations which he attributes to Hemacandra..