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122 : Śramaņa, Vol 58, No. 1/January-March 2007
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intimacy to all the religious sects. Du Jarrie writes; "Every one believed that the King was on his side." So was the case with the Jaina Gurus.
Agra was the centre of Jainism. So he came in contact with the Jaina Gurus. The Emperor's relationship with the ruling house of Amber and his earlier pilgrimage to Ajmer grave him an opportunity of coming in contact with Jaina Ācāryas of Gujarat. His contact with the Jaina religious leaders, which was established in 1582 and lasted for over twenty years, profoundly affected the policy of the Emperor, whose successive orders in support of the Jaina doctrine of ahińsă and against the destruction of animal's life reminds us of the rock-edicts similar lines engraved 1800 years before him by the great Buddhist Emperor Asoka. The first recorded Jaina scholar at his court is said to have been one Buddhi Sagar of Tapā-Gachha, who had a religious disputation with Sadhu Kirti; another Jaina scholar of Kharatara-Gachha and a disciple of the more celebrated Daya Kalasha in 1568 A.D.; a third Jaina teacher of that period acquainted with Akbar was Padma Sundar of Tapā-Gachha'. So, it is easy to conclude that Akbar must have come into touch with Jaina scholars before 1568. Abul Fazl also testifies to the presence of Jaina Sewaras or Svetāmbara and Yatis (Jaina hermits) in the religious assembly hall during the years 15781579.2
In 1582, soon after the Kabul expedition, Akbar ordered Shihauddin Ahmad Khan, the then Viceroy of Gujarat, to send Hira Vijay Suri, of whose severe penances, holiness and learning he had heard. Hira Vijay Suri visited the royal court with much hesitation. He looked upon the events as they were likely to be of benefit for the Jain religion and community. On the way he was given grand welcome and was presented with large funds, palanquins, horses, elephants and other objects of comfort for him and his party. He sent some of his disciples headed by Vimal Harsha Upadhyaya to Fatehpur Sikri. Later on, he granted leave to Vijaya Sen Suri, his
