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INTRODUCTION.
life devoted unflinchingly to tbe good of all beings. Then he dwelt upon the five great vows observed by all Jaina monks, viz. non violence, truth, non-acceptance of anything without its being offered, celibacy and non-possession. Then Akbar requested him to read his future from the position of the stars, but the sage replied that he could not comply with that request because Jaina monks, were forbidden by their religion to read any one's future or to make prediction.
The impression that the Acārya made on the emperor was profound, and as a token of his admiration for him he offered him a large number of religous books, an offer which the monk at first was disinclined to accept but which he accepted when pressed by the importunities of Abul Fazl and Thānsing. A library was opened at Āgrā and all these books were placed there under the charge of Thānsing.
After the monsoon of 1582 A. D. the Emperor had another audience with the Acārya at Abul Fazl's palace. This time he offered him a large sum of money, horses, elephants and other things; but the sage politely refused the offer saying that a Jaina monk was never to accept any such thing pertaining to material comfort from any one. When pressed by the emperor to ask for something for him and thus to afford him an opportunity of being useful to him in some way, the sage requested him to release all the prisoners, to set free all the caged birds, and to prohibit the slaughter of animals at least during the eight days of Jaina holidays known as Paryuşaņa. The Emperor rcadily complicd with this request of the sage and instantly issued ordors prohibiting animal slaughter for not only 8 but 12 days. This order was later on extended to the Naoroz day. Fishing was prohibited at the lake Dāmara, a large lake stretching over 12 Yojanas near Fatehpur Sikri. The Emperor took a vow to refrain thenceforward from hunting, a favourite pastime of his.
In June 1584 A. D. (S. Y. 1641 first Aşādba) the title Jagadguru (World Precepter) was conferred upon the Acārya. In celebration of this auspicious occasion, birds encaged on the banks of Dāmara were set free. In conformity with the wishes of
7 i. e. from the 10th of the dark half of Srāvana to the 6th of the bright half of Bhadrapada
(while 8 days of Paryusaņa begin from the 12th of Sravana Vadi and end on the 4th of
Bhadrapada Sudi with Svetām bara Jainas). 8 Dâmara-Dabar apparently should be Dáir, four Kos from Fatehpur Sikri-See Badioni
Lowo p. 174. 9 As to hunting Akbar said " Although hunting suggests analogies of State Policy, nevertheless
the first consideration is to be sparing in the destruction of life." (Aine Akbari III p. 399, The Sayings of Akbar). Sometimes he indulged in hunting for the reasons of Stato. "He alwys makes hunting a means of increasing his knowledge, and besides, uses hunting parties as occasions to inquire, without having first given notice of his coming, into the condition of the people and the army. He travels incognito and examines into mattert referring to taxation, or to Sayürghāl lands, or to affairs connected with the household. He lifts up such as are oppressed, and punishes the oppressors. On account of these highos reasons His Majesty indulges in the chase, and shews himself quite enamoured of it." Abul Fazl Ai. Ak. Vol. I, p. 282.
