________________
264
POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
the advice of his brother-in-law Kānhadadeva, wandered in distant countries for a long time. His adventurous early travels, however, are referred to by several authorities. According to the Puratana-prabandha-sangraha when Kumārapāla left Aņahillapura, through fear of murder, he was about twenty years old. He travelled in various parts of India and went on pilgrimage to Kedarnath seven times. He had to travel in disguise for thirty years. He proceeded to Anahillapura when he heard of Jayasimha's death in the shop of a shoemaker at Ujjayini.l The Prabandha-cintamani states:
“Kumārapala was so closely pursued that he was at last compelled to take shelter with the great minister Udayana at Cambay. The latter was persuaded to help Kumārapāla in his escape by the prediction of the Jain monk Hemacandra that Kumārapāla would be crowned as a king in V.E. 1199, on the second day of Kārtika, on Sunday in the naksatra of Hasta. It is stated there that Kumārapāla being astonished by this prediction said to the monk: “If this is true, then you shall be king and I will be the dust of your feet." When Kumāra pāla made this promise, the hermit exclaimed, “What have I to do with desire for a kingdom that leads to hell? Let it be so. But you must be grateful and must not forget this speech and must always be devoted to the law of Jina." Kumārapāla reverently accepted this admonition and took leave of him.
It is said when Kumāra pāla was pursued by the soldiers of Jayasimha he was helped in various ways by Hemacandra. The contemporary reference to his wandering, we have in the Moharaja-parājaya of Yasa hpala wherein it is stated that “He wandered all over the earth out of a sheer spirit of adventure."3 The description of his wanderings is found in somewhat greater detail in the Prabandha literature which seems more or less fictitious.
I SJGM., II, p. 38: sf fatlaraqaata: 1911 firari Har THI ETमकरोत् एवं तस्य देशान्तरे ३० वर्षाणि जातानि कदाचिदुजयिन्यां चर्मकारगृहे सिद्धेशो विनष्टः श्रुतः ततः पत्तनमागतः।
2 SJGM., I, pp. 77-78: no a faI JUFATIO Off-477 Frihatief he sitsematपार्श्व शम्बलं याचितुमागतः। तं पौषधशाळास्थितमाकर्ण्य तत्रागते तम्मिन्नुदयनेन पृष्टः श्री हेमचन्द्राचार्यः प्राह .... सं० ११९९ बर्षे कार्तिक २ रखी हस्तनक्षत्रे यदिभवतः पट्टाभिषेको न भवति तदाऽतःपरं निमित्ता
TERTIA: ....79: ET 9799 Tha: 37 q oru: .... 3 GOS., IX, Act I, p. 28: : 97.00 asut NATH TAUTSELI
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
