________________
. 89
holy place. It is said that a religious . debate took place at his court between the Digambara Jain saint: Kumudachandra and Shvetambara Devasuri.?
Kumarapal was the next great monarch. He gained the Solanki throne through his valour and prowess. He became a paramount monarch by waging successful wars with many an important ruler of his time. He came into contact with the great Shvetambara Jain scholar Hemachandra, who converted him to Jainism. Jains wielded great power at his court. Kumarpal's conversion to Jainism produced a great change in him. He gave up flesh food, abstained from intoxicating drinks, refused to make aggressive wars and showed great respect for the rights of his weaker neighbours.
In fact he took up the doctrine of Ahimsa with great zeal. At his court was a special branch with functions similar to Asoka's department of religious propagation. He also sent, like the Mauryan emperor, religious missions to the rulers of different territories. One such mission was sent to King Jaichandra of Benaras. He did his best to dissiminate the Ahimsa principle of Jainism among the rulers and masses alike. He also took out a samgha & became samgha pati (Master of the pilgrim's process
1. My “Itihasa" (loc. cit) p. 125-126.
