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CHAPTER SIXTH
MORE ACHIEVEMENTS
We have seen that Akbar had divided the 140 members of his religious assembly in five groups. We find the name of "Hirvijaysuri" in the first group. In the fifth group, again, we find the names of two more Jain monks, viz., Vijaysensuri and Bhanuchandra. Both of these lived at the court of Akbar. But before they arrived there Shantichandraji was staying at the court of Akbar. He had the wonderful power of retaining 108 things in his memory at one and the same time. Akbar was much amused by this feat of the monk. Moreover he had composed a Sanskrit poem named " Kriparasakosh" of 128 verses, in which he glorified the kind actions of the Emperor. Shantichandra also had earned the pleasure of the Emperor, and consequently the Emperor had ordered complete non-killing for the whole month of his birth, for Sundays, for the days of equinoxes and for the days of Navroz.
Once when the Emperor was at Lahore, Shantichandra too was there. The day of Id arrived. Shantichandra went to the Emperor and asked him to allow him to go away from there, The Emperor asked the reason for this, and Shantichandra replied that it was not proper for him to stay any more, as on the day of Id lacs and crores of animals would be killed. He also quoted from the Koran showing that fast was to be broken only by vegetables and breads. The Emperor soon called Abul Fazl and other Muslim scholars, who verified the statement; and, being satisfied, he issued a proclamation prohibiting animal-killing on the Id day.
Shantichandra was also successful in making the Emperor order prohibiting killing for the whole mon:h of Moharrum.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
