Monk and Monarch

Author(s): Vidyavijay
Publisher: Deepchand Banthia

Page 94

65
He was ailing in bed, but he stubbornly refused all medicines, He believed in sufferance and called illness a punishment for the sins done. But this time, due to the extreme remonstrations of the Sadhus and Shravakas, he agreed to take medicines, particularly as all threatened to go without food if he took no medicine.
Medicine did him some temporary good. But the process of dissolution had set in.
We know that Vijaysensuri, the chief pupil of the Suri, was staying at Akbar's court at that time. Seeing that his end was approaching, Suriji asked the Sadhus to send word to Vijaysensuri to return at once. Accordingly Dhanvijayji personally went to Lahore and informed Vijaysensuri of the wishes of Suriji. He soon took leave of the Emperor, who very unwillingly allowed him to go.
But Suriji was getting worse daily, and daily did he wait for Vijaysensuri's arrival anxiously.
At last, at mid-night on the 10th day of the bright half of Bhadrapad, V. S. 1652, Suriji called all the Sadhus who were with him, including Vimalharsha Upadhyaya. He then told them:
"O monks, I have lost all hopes of my life. One who is born is sure to die. We cannot alter our life's span even by a minute. Therefore do not grieve on my account. I had hopes to see Vijaysensuri and entrust the Sangha and you to him. But I am not fortunate to see him at this last moment of mine. Even Kalyanvijayji is not here. But I know that, after me, you and the Sangha are quite safe in the hands of Vijaysensuri. He is brave, truthful and devoted to Jain religion. Try to serve him as you have done to serve me."
After this he began to recount his faults and began to apologise to all individually for any faults that he might have committed. It was then that Somavijayji told him:
"Gurudeva, we are your children. You have cared for us as a father. You have put us all under a perpetual obligation by showing us the true way to liberation. We are foolish, indiscriminate. We must have committed innumerable faults and pained