Monk and Monarch

Author(s): Vidyavijay
Publisher: Deepchand Banthia

Page 34

CHAPTER SECOND.
THE MONK.
Such a saviour did come. He was Hirvijaysuri. This noble soul was born in Palanpur. Palanpur is that city which was the birth-place of the great teacher like Somasundarsuri and which was once foremost in Gujarat in prosperity. Prahladandeva, the heir-apparent of Parmar king Dharavarshadeva of Chandravati, had built this city and had established an image of Prahladan Parshvanath there. In the days of Jagachchandrasuri, 16 maunds of supari ( betelnuts) and one mudo of rice were offered daily at this temple. It was in this city that at the house of Kunrashah of the Oshaval caste and Khimsara family, his wife Nathi gave birth to a son on Monday, the 9th day of the bright half of Margashirsha of V. S. 1583 (A. D. 1527). This son was named Hirji. He is our hero Hirvijaysuri. Nathi had three sons and three daughters before Hirji's birth. The three sons were named Sanghji, Surji and Shripal, and the daughters were named Rambha, Rani and Vimla. Hirji, from his very childhood, was bright and of auspicious marks.
Formerly people put their children at an early age to the school for their training in practical life and under the care of a religious teacher for their religious training. This is why Hemachandra was initiated at five, Anandvimalsuri at 5, Vijayasensuri, Vijayadevasuri, Vijayanandsuri, Vijayprabhasuri and Vijayadansuri at 9, Munisundarsuri and Somasundarsuri at 7. And these children were handed over to the teacher freely. There was no compulsion. Such pupils were initiated, not with any selfish motives, but with a burning desire to do good to the whole universe.
Similarly Kunrashah allowed Hirji, in his fifth year, to go to the school as well as to religious teachers. Consequently, he became very clever when he was 12 years of age. Even from his childhood, there were clear indications of his attitude of
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