Sambodhi 1982 Vol 11

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 27

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N. M. Kansara
at this miraculous feat on their part, and honoured them with profuse presents. He further took them to his religious preceptor pa ned Vardhamanasūri when the latter arrived at Dhārā.6 The preceptor recogaised the spark in these young scholars, and with a view to groom them as potential luminaries in his preceptorial tradition, iatiated them as his disciples in the Jaina monachal order under the new names of Jinesvara and Buddhisāgara, educated them in the Jainistic philosophy and spiritual lore, and finally conferred on them the highest monachic degree of "Sūri”.7 They were, then, asked by their preceptor to go to Patan in Gujarat to pave the way for the propagation of the faith and clearing the obstacles to that end.8
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In those days Durlabbarāja was ruling in Gujarat with his capital at Patan.9 He had a royal priest named Someśvaradeva. 10 When Jineśvara sūri and Bhddisāgaa zūri arrived in Patan, they found that nobody was prepared to arrange for their stay in the city which was under the sway of the Caityavāsı mendicants belonging to Jainism.11 They, therefore, went to the house of the royal priest, stood at the gateway and started reciting Vedic passages most accurately along with their Sáranis.12 Somesvaradeva was surprised to find two Jaina monks reciting the Vedic hymns and explain ing them so marvellously, and having come to know of their plight, offered to play host to them and lodged them at his own residence.13
But the leaders of the Caitvavası monks lodged a complaint with the king against Sonsva-adeva, alleging tha: ho had given shelter to two un. authorised monks 14 The king summoned the priest, who revealed the facts to him and convinced him about the truth that his guests were rather excellent scholars and pious monks worthy to be honoured as such 15 But th: Caitvavā It objected to their stay in the city on the ground of their having been conferred a favour in the form of a promise by King Vanarāja, the founder of the Chāvdā dynasty to the effect that none but the Caiti avā is only will be allowed to stay in the city.16 However, at the request of the king, they condescended to permit them to stay 17 The priest requested the king to donate some land in the city.18 A Saivite scholar named Jñānadeva welcomed the proposal and agreed to s:t apart a group of three shops in the market belonging to three merchants, and built an Upāśrava-a monk hostel-for Sveta abara Jaina monks 19 Thus. Jinesvarasūri and Buddhisägar isūri jointly cleared the way for propagation of the tenets of the Svetāmbara Jainas in Patan, and carried out the wish of their religious preceptor. 20