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BHĀNUCANDRA CARITRA
In Saurāştra, Khuram”, the son of Aziz Kokā, demolished A Jaina temple which stood at the foot of Mount Vimala (Satrunjaya); some wicked people surrounded the principal temple also-- which was built on the hill—and heaped wood-sticks on all sides in order to burn it. A messenger, with a letter from Sri Vijaya-Sena Sūri, was hurried to Siddhicandra. When the latter read the contents of the letter, he at once approached the Emperor and acquainted him with the state of affairs. Thereupon the Emperor granted him a royal firmān prohibiting the outrageous activity referred to above. The firmān was immediately despatched, and thus a grave calamity which was about to befall the principal temple on Mt. Satrunjaya, was averted by Siddhicandra, the only brave man capable of achieving much things for the protection of the Tirtha (157).
Once upon a time the Emperor, remembering the great love he had for the Upādhyāya (Bhānucandra), wrote a letter to him, in which he said that the Upadhyāya might be affectionately remembering him, while he was unable to do so because his heart, the function of which was to remember, had been taken away by His Holiness with him. On receiving this letter, which expressed the Emperor's love for him, and which was couched in affectionate terms tinged with delicate humour, the Upadhyāya, at once went to the royal Court and saw the Emperor, who warmly embraced him and elated with joy requested him to teach his grandsons and to continue visiting the Court frequently as he used to do before. (162).
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By this time a letter from Vijaya-Sena Sūri was received. In it he stated that on account of a prohibitory order issued by the Emperor some time ago, no new temple was being built on the Satrunjaya Hill; workmen could not proceed with the work. He further pointed out that if that state of affairs continued for a long time, the Hill, as the most sacred place of the Jainas, would have little significance in course of time, because, the old temples would some day, on account of wear and tear and other inclemancies of weather, crumble down, and there would be no new temples to replace them. Bhānucandra and Siddhicandra forthwith approached the Emperor and requested him to repeal the order. The Emperor complied with their request and issued an order allowing the erection of new temples on the Hill. Consequently, many temples were from that time erected there, which still bear an eloquent testimony to the efforts of these two-Master and pupil—to enhance the glory of the Faith" (167).
Then Gujarat came under the sway of Prince Salim, the eldest son of the Emperor Akbar. He appointed Viceroys over it. Akbar did not interfere with what his viceroys
70 Mirzā Khurrum-(No. 163, Aini Akbari Vol. I) 3rd son of Azimkhana Aziz Koka (No. 21,
See f. n. no. 34 in the introduction p. 29). He was appointed governor-Fouzdār-of Junågarh-Saurāştra by Akbar, and as such is referred to in Vijaya-pras'asti-Kavya XX,
verse 57. 71 Cf. the initial 8th verse from Bhāngcandra's commentary on Vasantarāja's Sakuna-Sastra
beginning with afego. Appendix I.
