Monk and Monarch

Author(s): Vidyavijay
Publisher: Deepchand Banthia

Page 12

AUTHOR'S PREFACE (to the Gujarati original)
All students of Gujarati literature now accept that Jain Sadhus have played the greatest part in serving the cause of Gujarati literature; but it is, as yet, imperfectly recognised that the Jain Sadhus have played an equally prominent part in the service of the country also. Jain monks like the great Hemachandracharya had devoted their whole lives in furthering the good of the country. These Jain monks believed that there was the same advantage in preaching to a king as was in preaching to lacs of other people; for with the favour and sympathy of the kings they were able to render great services to the cause of the country.
Hirvijaysuri, who is the hero of this work, was one of those Jain monks who rendered signal service to the furtherance of our country's good. He took great pains not only to further the cause of the Jain community but also to save the country of Gujarat as a whole from great calamities. His services are not known to most of us. To get the Jijia tax removed, to secure the release of war prisoners and to pursuade the king not to take the wealth of heirless dead persons, were actions which benefited not only the Jain community, but the whole country. To secure total prohibition of killing cows, bulls, buffaloes, of hunting innocent animals like deer and of animal-killing on the whole for six months in a year, were actions which benefited the whole nation. All this was done by Hirvijaysuri. It is the main object of this book to acquaint the readers with the life of such a benevolent soul.
I was prompted to take up the study of this subject after I read 'Akbar' by Vincent Smith. I then thought of writing a life of the great Saint both from the historical and religious view