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detachment from the world. To accelerate this tendency of his mind, as it were, both his parents soon died. This made Hirji determined to renounce the world.
After the death of his parents he was taken by his sisters, Vimla and Rani, to Patan. At Patan, then, Vijay dansuri, the pupil of the famous Anandvimalsuri, was present. Hirji used to attend his discourses, and soon he decided to get himself initiated. He expressed his wish to his sister, who, finding it difficult to decide, kept quiet. But Hirji took her silence as consent and got himself initiated at the hands of Vijay dansuri, on Monday, the 2nd day of the dark half of Kartik, V. S. 1596 ( A. D. 1540 ). Along with Hirji, Amipal, Amarsinh (Amipal's father ), Kapurran (Amipal's sister ), Amipal's mother, Dharmashirishi, Rudorishi, Vijayharsha and Kanakshri were also initiated. Hirji was designated as Hiraharsha on his initiation.
After initiation Vijaydansuri allowed Hiraharsha to go, for the study of Nyaya ( logic ), to the southern countries, which were then famous for famous logicians. Hiraharsha, along with Dharmasagarji and Rajvimal, went to the city of Devagiril and there studied Chintamani' and other difficult works on logic. Their expenses at Devagiri were met by a merchant of that place named Devashishah and his wife Jasmai.
After his return to Patan, Vijaydansuri made him a Pandit at the place called Nadlai ( Marwar ) in A. D. 1551 and in 1552 made him the Upadhyaya of the Neminath Temple at Nadlai. Along with him, Dharmasagarji and Rajvimal were made Upadhyayas. Then in A. D. 1554, Posh, bright half, 5th day, Hiraharsha was made a Suri. On this occasion Changa Mehta, a descendent of Dhannacha Porval, the builder of Ranakpur Temple, had celebrated a great festival.
Thus our hero now becomes Hirvijaysuri.
After this, when he returned to Patan, a chief festival (Pat mahotsava ) was celebrated, in which Bhanshali Samarath, the minister of Sherkhan, the provincial governor, had spent untold wealth. On this occasion the new Guru is offered a seat on a Pat (raised seat ) and his own Guru first bows down to him, indicating that he has now become equal to him in all respects.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
