Monk and Monarch

Author(s): Vidyavijay
Publisher: Deepchand Banthia

Page 78

49
KHANKHANA.
After returning from Akbar, when Suriji came to Gujarat, he had halted at Medta. At that time Khankhana, who was conversant with the purity of Suriji, was there. He invited him in his presence. He asked the Suri whether God had any form or not. The Suri said that God had no form. Khankhana said, "If Cod be formless, why should we have images of God?" The Suri replied, "We make idols because an idol helps in remembering God. Just as by seeing the statue of a man we remember the man himself, so by seeing an image of God we remember God. We are in the habit of knowing the abstract by its concrete representative. I am a Jain monk; but how do you know me to be so ? By my form, i. e., by my dress, etc. So God has no form, and we have to keep his idols." Then Khankhana asked him, "Why should we worship idols ?" The Suri said, "It is easy to explain this. People do not worship the idol but God himself through the idol. Muslims go to the mosque and say their prayers facing the West. They do not feel that they face the wall but feel that they face Mecca. So we worship God through the idols. It is a means to reach God."
Khankhana was pleased with all this. He then gave the Suri many things as presents; but the Suri told him that he could not accept them, as according to his religion he can accept nothing.
MAHARAO SURTAN.20
At Sirohi, Suriji came in contact with Maharao Surtan, the ruler of Sirohi. He had abolished some taxes at the advice of Suriji.
Once the Rao of Sirohi had imprisoned one hundred innocent Shravakas (Jains ) for some reason. The leaders of the Sangha had tried their best to get them released; but the Rao did not hear them. Now Suriji wished to ask the Rao to release them.
On that day, some of Suriji's Sadhus started to do their respective works without performing iriyavahiya?l after going to the water-closet. Suriji came to know of this. In the evening he asked them all to perform ambil. Even he himself performed