Life of Hemchandracharya

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

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LIFE OF HEMAG ANDRA More interesting than these probably throughout apocryphal proofs of Hemacandra's dexterity in poetry, is a legend which is to show how cleverly he treated the Brāhmin priests who wanted to compel the king to break his vow. Rājasekhara, who is the earliest to tell us this legend, describes it as follows: "A short time after Kumārapāla had enforced the protection of living animals, there began the bright half of the month Asvina. Thereupon, the priests of Kunteśvari and of other goddesses proclaimed to the king: Lord, on the seventh day the king must, according to the custom of his ancestors, offer to the goddesses seven hundred goats and seven buffalos. On the eighth day eight hundred goats and eight buffalos and on the ninth day nine hundred goats and nine buffalos. After the king had heard that, he went to Hemacandra and informed him of the matter. The great teacher whispered something in his ears. The king then arose and promised to pay the priests what was their due. By night the animals were led into the temple of the goddess, the doors were carefully locked and trustworthy Rajputs were posted as guards. The next morning, the king arrived and ordered to open the doors of the temple. In the middle they saw the animals lying down and chewing the cud, refreshed by the repose in the wind-sheltered place. Thereupon said the king: Priests, these animals I had offered to the goddesses. If they had any liking for the animals, they could have consumed them. The animals, however, are quite safe. Apparently, therefore, the goddesses have no liking for flesh. But you love it. Hence keep absolute quiet. I will not permit the killing of living animals.' The Priests hung their heads down. The goats were released. The king, however, had the foodoffering brought to the goddesses, worth the value of the goats."
The story, which Jinamaņdana relates in a slightly shorter form, reminds us in a certain way of the Biblical story of Elijas and the priests of Baal. However, one can hardly take it as an adaptation of the latter. It probably arose independently. Even if this story be an invention, it is certainly a good invention in as inuch as it properly describes the difficulties, which Kumārapāla had to face upon his conversion, and the methods of his spiritual counsel to remove them from his path. It is noteworthy that according to this legend the cult of Kunteśvarī was not abolished but was transformed from a bloody to a bloodless cult.
Two other stories by Merutunga show how Hemacandra behaved towards his enemies. The first one tells us that the mighty Siva-priest Bịhaspati once occasioned some inconvenience regarding the Kumāravibāra in Devapattana. Immediately he lost his job because of Hemacandra's disfavour. Thereupon he came to Aṇhilvād, learnt the Sodhās'vayaka and served the Jaina-monk. An entreaty-verse pacified the latter at last and Bịhaspati was again appointed as the guardian of the Saiva-foundations. Just as harsh, but also equally as forgiving, Hemacandra showed himself towards an old enemy, Vāmadeva or Vāmarāśi, who had been his rival during Jayasimha's reign and who chaffed at him with a malicious satirical verse when Hemacandra gained his high position. As a punishment he opprobriously ordered his servants to drive Vamarāśi out of his house with their lance-shafts. He also sentenced him to the as'astra-vadha, "the punishment of a bloodless death,” which consisted of the withdrawal of his vrtti, his salary from the royal treasury. Vāmarāśi then subsisted on scattered grains which he gleaned, and stood often