________________
BHANUCANDRA CARITRA
Once upon a time, the Emperor greeted the Suri with affection, and said:"Some time ago, Hira-Vijaya Sari complied with my request to confer the title "Upadhyaya" on Bhanucandra. Now, I request you to porform the nandi (auspicious) ceremony in connection with the said title of Upadhyaya. He then instructed the Saikh to accompany the Sari to the pratisraya (the Jaina monks' halting-place) for the purpose. The Suri unhesitatingly consented to do the Emperor's wish, and in company with the Saikh and his retinue, repaired to the pratisraya. The Śaikh celebrated the investiture ceremony with festivities on the grandest scale i, e. with the princes, multitude of elephants, horses, musical instruments and imperial bands. Rich and leading Jainas like Sthanasimha walked with the Minister. The Sari then performed the investiture ceremony with great pleasure. He also conferred "Vardhamana Vidya" (a mantra sacred to Lord Vardhamana having as its presiding deity a goddess, by which the spiritual powers of the Guru are conferred) on Bhanucandra. Women sang joyful songs. The Saikh gave in charity 108 horses and personally distributed cocoanuts with silver coins, among those who had come to attend the ceremny. Banias showered gold coins. The Sari was granted an imperial firman prohibiting slaughter of cows, buffaloes and other animals. Then he secured the royal permission to start for Gujarat, and leaving Nandivijaya at the Court, departed (67).
40
It often crossed the mind of Hira Süri that there were not enough of his pupils at Lahore to preach and to spread the Jaina gospel there. So he sent two of his best pupils there-Bhavacandra and Siddhicandra (the author of the present work)-both of whom were blood brothers and were recently initiated. The former of the two had made himself wellknown by his great services to his guru. The latter had won a high name for himself by his wealth of learning combined with a charming personality. He was as handsome as the God of love and was endowed with striking qualities of head and heart. He grew like a Kalparyksa watered with nectar poured out of jars in the form of popular eyes. All the arts vied with one another in being mastered by him. His genius was of an outstanding character. His was a comprehensive mind match for grasping, grappling with, and solving any intellectual conundrum. In intellectual sharpness he surpassed Abhaya and Roha" (74).
Once upon a time the Emperor's eyes met those of Siddhicandra who had approached him out of curiosity. The Emperor felt that standing before his eyes was the God of Love incarnate, who had taken the form of an ascetic in order to be free for ever from the pangs of birth and rebirth. So much was he struck by the matchless beauty of Siddhicandra that for a moment he forgot everything around him including the Master and even himself, and simply marvelled at the shapely form of the young ascetic. Then rousing himself out of his stupor with an effort, he inquired of the Master who that ascetic was. The Master replied, "by nature courteous, and attached like a bee to a jasmine flower, to the science of eight avadhanas, (paying attention to eight things at the same time), he is my pupil, Siddhicandra by name, who has entered our Holy Order after having
56 Abhaya-son and intelligent Minister of King Śrepika of Magadha in the times of Lord Mahavira. Roha-a genius described in Jaina folk-lore.
