Acharya Hasti Mala
Sāṃḍera gaccha had been an old gaccha of temple dwellers tradition. It seems that it came into existence in a village called Sāṃḍerāva of Mārawāḍa. Therefore it is known as Sāṃḍerāva gaccha. This village is situated near the pilgrimage place Nīmbārānātha of Śaiva religion. Another name of Sāṃḍera gaccha as Sāṃḍesarā gaccha also is found in the literature. Nothing definitely can be said about the origin of the name of this gaccha. In the early part of Vikram 10th century this gaccha came into prominence due to its influential ācāryas. An influential ācārya by the name Yaśobhadra who was a disciple of Īśwara of this gaccha existed in the early part of Vikram 10th century. According to hearsays, he was a great scholar of mantras in his time. With the power of his mantras, he converted many non-Jains to Jainism.
Tripuṭī monk Darśanavijayajī in his text 'Jain paraṃaparā ṇo itihāsa part-1' mentioned the period of Ācārya Yaśobhadra as Vikram 968-1029 or 1039. But a review of the events of the life of Balibhadra, chief disciple of Ācārya Yaśobhadra, reveals that King Allaṭa and Balibhadra were contemporaries. When king Allaṭa lived in Āhaḍa, then Balibhadra cured his queen Rāṭhauḍ īof incurable disease in Vikram 973 approximately. The rule of Allaṭa had been proved to be Vikram 9221010. In this way, the ācārya period of Yaśobhadra seems to be third quarter of Vikram 10th century.
It has been established from many valid proofs that Ācārya Yaśobhadra was very influential ācārya of Sāṃḍerāva gaccha. Even after Yaśobhadra, sixteen other influential and talented ācāryas such as Śālī, Sumati etc existed in Sāṃḍerāva gaccha. Their ninth ācārya Śānti-II in Vikram 1229 (according to the lineage registers) converted many kṣtriya families into Jainism and established another lineage of Oswāls known as Śīśodiyā. Twelve castes of Oswāls like Gugaliya, Bhaṃdārī, Catura, Dūdheḍiyā etc. were also devotees ofSāṃḍera gaccha ācāryas.
Yaśobhadra had two principal disciples namely Balibhadra and Śālibhadra. Without the permission of his guru, Balibhadra learnt a number of mantras and other skills and started demonstrating their miraculous powers. Annoyed with this, Yaśobhadra separated company with him asked him to wander independently. After this he made his second disciple Śālibhadra as his successor and ācārya. This Śālibhadra was from Cauhāna lineage.
Having not been anointed as being his senior disciple; Balibhadra went to mountains and started severe penance in the caves there. As a result of his severe penance, he acquired many extraordinary powers. When Baibhadra cured the queen of king of Allaṭa, the ruler proposed to give Balibhadra a large piece of land. Balibhadra declined the king's offer saying that Jains do not keep even the slightest possession what to talk of a piece of land. We people are always engages in the uplift of self and others. Practitioners of spiritual path have nothing to do with moveable or immoveable property.
After this King Allaṭa made many more such requests for difficult works and offered Balibhadra some gratification. After repeated requests from the king, Balibhadra said, 'O king! My guru had assigned the post of ācārya to my junior monk Śālibhadra. If possible, please request Ācārya Śālibhadrato give half of his ācārya post to me.
Thinking that this will definitely lessen the burden of some of the good things this monk had done to me, King Allaṭa became very happy. He requested Ācārya Śālibhadra to come to Āhaḍa and welcomed him with great pomp and show to his town. Seeing an appropriate opportunity one day Allaṭa requested Ācārya Śālibhadra, 'Balibhadra is a great friar and elder gurubhrātā of yours. Please give half of your Ācārya post to him. I am ready to do anything in return for your benevolence.'
Half smiling, Ācārya Śālibhadra said, 'O king! Like the diplomacy prevalent in politics, similarly the diplomacy prevails in monkhood also. The rulers do not share their rule with their brothers or others. The throne is always occupied by one heir who has the full control of the empire. This is traditional diplomacy in kingship. Similarly in Śramaṇa tradition, only one disciple is given the post of ācārya by his guru. The disciple appointed to the post of ācārya is the full owner of that post. This post cannot be shared with gurubhrātās.'
Satisfied with replies from Ācārya Śālibhadra, Allaṭa in order to relieve himself from the burden of many benevolences of Balibhadra, had many non-Jains become his disciples. Then he organized a big festival and anointed Balibhadra to the post of ācārya. Vasudeva was the name given to Balibhadra while accepting the post of ācārya.
Founding Hathūṃḍ īgaccha
After being anointed as ācārya, Ācārya Balibhadra went to Hathūṃḍ ī. There through his sermons, he made the Rāṭhauḍa lineage king Vidagdharāja a follower of Jainism. Vidagdharāja had a temple of Lord Ādinātha built in Hathūṃḍ īand had the idol of Vṛṣabha Deva consecrated by Ācārya Balibhadra in Vikram 973. For the upkeep of this temple, Mambhaṭa, son of Vidagdharāja donated a piece of land to Ācārya Balibhadra. Later on grandson of Vidagdharāja, Dhavalarāja renovated this temple in Vikram 1053 after listening to the sermons of Ācārya Śālibhadra. He also donated a well for the upkeep of this temple.
In this way with the royal patronage of the rulers of Hathūṃḍ ī, this Hathūṃḍ īgaccha of Balibhadra prospered and it became prominent in far of places as well. This is the reason that this gaccha is popularly known as Hathūṃḍ īgaccha. This gaccha is also known as Hasti kuṃḍ ī gaccha which is a Saṃskṛta translation of Hathūṃḍ ī
Sāṃḍera gaccha is an old gaccha of temple dwellers congregation. Till such time that the temple dwellers congregation was in power, their chaplains maintained registers of lineages of their followers including their names and places etc no matter where they were in the country. However with the gradual downfall of temple dwellers congregation and rise of tapāgaccha, the chaplains of temple dwellers congregation kept on handing over the registers of their followers to the chaplains of tapāgaccha. Hence the followers of temple dwellers gaccha became the followers of tapāgaccha gradually.
From the records of chronology of ācāryas of Sāṃḍera gaccha, it seems that whatever little influence of temple dwellers congregation was left remained till last half of Vikram 1700.
Hathūṃḍ īgaccha in a way was also a part of Sāṃḍera gaccha. Hence their followers also became followers of tapā gaccha with the downfall of temple dwellers congregation.
During the period of influence of mantras and tantras and miracles generation, Ācāryas Yaśobhadra and Balibhadra find a respectable mention.
