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35 Śree Udyotana Sūri Udyotana Sûri's zone of travelling was the eastern countries, He had great love for the places of pilgrimages and this induced him to visit the Mount Sammét śikhara five times The atomic influence of the environnent pervading the places of pilgrimage is indescribable By paying visits to the places of pilgrimages, persons with all-luck due to sinful actions, can- purify their soul; then, what to say regarding the persons of dignity: While he was wandering in the eastern countries he came to know of the importance of the holy place o Ābu
Consequently, he started to visit that place Reaching during the journey, the village of “Teti' situated at the foot of the Mount Ābu, he sat in the shade of a large banian tree A demigod (yaksa) named Saryânâbhâti appeared before him, and said to the revered teacher, “Now, is an auspicious moment, and hence for the upliftment of the tradition, appoint some pupil as the highest priest. Hearing this, he bestowed the degree of a 'Sūri' (a great priest) on eight ascetics including Déva Sūri According to the opinion of some, the degree of the Ācārya (highest priest ) was conferred on only Sarvadéya Sûri. As the degree was conferred under the banian tree, the 'Nirgrantha Gacchna' began to be called Vaţa Gaccha, and thus attained the fifth name. Vața Gaccha is known by 'Brûhad Gaccha'-another name.
This Udyotana Sūri was known by another name-Daksinyânka sûri or Daksinya cinha Sûri Hearing a story from Hridevi, he reconstructed it, and composed a book called Kûvalaya Mâla containing 13000 verses in Prākrit literature This story is a gem in Prakrit literature More information about him is unavailable, but the reference that is made in Kūvalaya Māla leads to the belief that he was the son of a Ksatriya and he had completed this story-book in Jâbälipur (Zâlor of the present age) Udyotana Sûri calls Haribhadra Sûri as his teacher Udyotana Sari was a very great and highly dignified Pattadhara He always resorted to Ekašanā (eating only once a day) He breathed his last in the
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