________________
INTRODUCTION
Akhar fasted during these days. Abul Fazl says :-"During the time of these fasts, His Majesty abstained altogether from meat, as religious penance, gradually extending the several fasts during a year over six months and even more, with a view to eventually discontinuing the use of meat altogether". (Aine Akbari Vol. I, p. 200).
Mr. Vincent Smith, in his “Akbar" p. 167, says :-"Akbar's action in abstaining almost wholly from eating meat and in issuing stringent probibitions resembling those of Asoka, restricting to the narrowest possible limits the destruction of animal life, certainly was taken in obedience to the doctrine of his Jain teachers ".
Sänticandra went to Gujarāt, leaving Bhānucandra in his place.
3. Bhānucandra.
Bhānucandra and his pupil Siddhicandra continued to stay at Court during the remaining part of Akbar's life and during the rule of Jahangir also. Bhānucandra had accompanied Akbar to Kāśmir. While the Emperor was strolling on the banks of the lake named Jayanal Lankā, he requested him to abolish the tax which was then levied on Jaina pilgrims to Mount Satrunjaya. The Emperor graciously complied with his request. An imperial firmān was issued making grant of the Hill to Hira-Vijaya Sūri, and it was despatched to him in 1592 A. D. A detailed account of Bhānucandra will be given later on when we come to the contents of the present work which is nothing but his biography.
4. Siddhicandra.
He was a favourite and talented pupil of Bhānucandra. A handsome youth and a great scholar of Sanskrit and Persian, he made a profound impression upon Akbar. He performed 108 avadhānas (i. e. attending to 108 things at a time), a marvellous feat of memory. The Emperor, much pleased and highly impressed with this, conferred upon him the title “ Khush-faham" (a man of sharp intellect). He is the author of the present work. More details about him will be given later on.
5. Vijaya-Sena Sūri.
During the monsoon of 1592 A. D. (S. Y. 1649 Hindi Hira-Vijaya Sūri was residing at Rādhanpur. It was there that he received the imperial firmān making him the grant of Mount Satrunjaya. He also received an imperial call from Lahore, to send his pupil Vijaya-Sena Sūri there as Akbar wanted to meet him. In response to the call, he directed his pupil to start for Lahore and to pay a visit to the Emperor there. After the monsoon was over, Vijaya-Sena on Mārgaśīrga S'ukla 3rd S. Y. 1649 (Monday 27th November 1592 A.D.) started for Lāhore and reached it on the 12th day of the bright half of Jyeştha S. Y. 1650, (Thursday, 31st May 1593 A.D.). One of his pupils, Nandivijaya by name, performed eight avadhānas-attending to eight things at a time. The emperor, favourably impressed with the performance, conferred upon him the title “Khush-faham" (a man of sharp intellect).
