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The Influence of Jainism on Akbar, The Mughal Emperor : 123
chief disciple to go back to Kathiawar to carry on his duties in his absence. The famous Guru reached Sikri on June 7, 1583, with sixty seven monks, and was taken in a procession to the Jaina Upāśraya in the town. Hira Vijay Suri first visited Abul Fazl and then was introduced to Akbar, who was profoundly struck by his learned discourses. Abul Fazl made a careful study of the doctrines of the Sewaras or Svetāmbara Jains, but was unable to obtain equally satisfactory information about the Digambara or Nude Sect. The Jain leader remained in constant touch with Akbar for about two years until his departure from the court in 1585. Akbar thus acquired a first hand knowledge of Jaina doctrine, rites and festivals. He was so much influenced by the character and personality, learning and saintliness of Suri that he bestowed upon him the title of 'Jagat Guru' or World Teacher. His name has been among twenty one first rate scholars and thinkers of Akbar's court who were supposed to know the mystic rise of both the worlds. The Emperor pressed him to ask for a boon. He appealed to the Emperor, to cultivate non-injury (Ahimsā) to living beings and to show compassion to animal life, to release prisoners and caged birds and to stop killing of animals consequently. Akbar released many prisoners and issued farmans prohibiting animal slaughter for twelve days every year during the Jaina festival of Paryūṣaṇa in six, out of twelve provinces of the empire, where the Jains lived. This farman was issued, in June, 1584. He also issued orders confirming the abolition of jeziya and pilgrim tax, both for Hindus and Jains, in Gujarat and Kathiawar. The disobedience to this order was made a capital offence. An inscription in Prakrit on the porch of Ādīswara temple on Shatrunjaya hill at Palitana, dated 159394, records the achievements of Hira Vijaya Suri, while he was at the imperial court. 10 It is also said that after the death of Guru Hira · Vijay Suri, Akbar granted several bīghās of land for the erection of stūpa in memory of the deceased leader."
The other important Jaina monk, named Shanti Chandra,
