Acharya Hasti Mala
A ācārya named Mahendra Sūri came to Dhārānagarī, capital of Avanti Pradeśa when King Bhoja was ruling it. A large number of residents of the capital came to listen to spiritual discourses of Ācārya Mahendra Sūri and got their doubts resolved from them.
One day a Brahmin by the name Sarvadeva came to the monastery of Ācārya Mahendra Sūri. He sat continuously for three days and three nights in front of Ācārya Mahendra Sūri's seat. On the 4th day, Ācārya Mahendra Sūri asked him, 'Do you have any question to be answered? If you have any doubts about religion, please present them to us?'
Sarvadeva said, 'O seer! The sheer sight of great people provides great merit. However I have come here for one favour as we laity are really learners i.e. keen for our worldly gains or busy in fulfilling our worldly desires. Hence I wish to request to you in solitude.'
Mahendra Sūri took Sarvadeva to a lonely place. There Brahmin Sarvadeva said, 'O ocean of knowledge! My father was Devaṛṣi. He was a highly respected scholar of Mālawā king. The Mālawā king used to donate one lakh gold coins for some days. I believe that wealth is buried somewhere in our house. You are endowed with divine knowledge and sight. If you can accompany me to our house and tell us where that wealth is buried, then me and my family can spend the rest of our life comfortably and donating some also. We shall all be grateful to you forever.'
Mahendra Sūri, who was an expert in astrology and relativity thought through this Brahmin he could get a scholar and many commoners as his disciples. Thinking so he asked the Brahmin, 'If you get that wealth, what shall you give me?' To Brahmin replied, 'I shall give half of that to you.'
Mahendra Sūrisaid, 'No, I shall take half of whatever good you have.'
Brahmin Sarvadeva agreed to this under the witness of others.
Sarvadeva brought Mahendra Sūri to his home. He called his elder son Dhanapāla and younger son Śobhana the entire dialogue with Mahendra Sūri. Finding an auspicious moment, Sarvadeva again brought Mahendra Sūri to his home; Mahendra Sūri with the power of his knowledge told the place where the wealth was buried. Brahmin dug that place and found forty lakh gold coins there. Mahendra Sūri was a totally detached person. Hence without accepting anything he returned to his monastery empty handed. For a year, Sarvadeva used to insist to MS to take half the wealth but Mahendra Sūri always ignored the same. One day Sarvadeva presented himself to Mahendra Sūri and said, 'O Great sage! I will not return to my home without giving you half of my wealth.'
Mahendra Sūri said, 'You remember I have told you that I shall take half of your good thing which I like.'
Sarvadeva said, 'Yes Lord. Please take that.'
Mahendra Sūri said, 'You have two sons. If you wish to fulfil your promise then give me one of your sons, else stay at your home happily?'
On hearing this, Sarvadeva became non-plus. However, all of a sudden he said, 'Yes, I shall give you'.
Worried, Sarvadeva returned to his home. Seeing his father worried, his elder son asked Sarvadeva the cause of his worry? Sarvadeva then said, 'I had made a promise to Mahendra Sūri about this paternal wealth that I shall give half of my good thing which he wants. Now he is asking me to give one of his sons to be his disciple. So fulfil my promise, please accept to be his disciple.'
On hearing this, Dhanapāla became very angry and said to his father in clear terms, 'I have no use for this promise and activity. I then left that place and went away elsewhere.'
Sarvadeva became very disappointed and started thinking of ways to circumvent this dilemma of religious promise. Seeing his father worried, his younger son Śobhana asked him the cause for his worry? On hearing the entire episode from Sarvadeva, the joy of Śobhana was overjoyed with happiness and said to his father, 'There is no other religion bigger than to obey one's father.' On hearing his younger son's words, both eyes of Sarvadeva were filled with tears of happiness. After this he took his younger son to Mahendra Sūri and made him sit in close vicinity of his feet and with folded hands said, 'O the great Venerable seer! Please make this son of mine as you wish. He is totally at your service.'
Finding an auspicious time, Mahendra Sūri initiated Śobhana in Śramaṇa monkhood and gave him the vow to practice the five major vows. The next day Mahendra Sūri left Dhārānagarī for his routine wandering trip. During his wandering he reached Anahillapura Pāṭaṇa after some days.
In Dhārānagarī, however Dhanapāla started criticising his father. He said that his father had sold his son for the greed of wealth. In deep anger he requested King Bhoja to expel these hypocrite monks from his empire. On hearing this, King Bhoja issued a royal decree banning the entry and wandering of Śramaṇa Jain monks in Mālawa Pradeśa. In this way by the orders of King Bhoja, even the sight of Jain monks became difficult in Mālawā Pradeśa for twelve years.
Jain congregation of Dhārānagarī gave details of the royal decree issued by King Bhoja banning the entry and wandering of Śramaṇa Jain monks in Mālawā Pradeśa to Mahendra Sūri.
Śobhanadeva, after his initiation in Śramaṇa religion, studied with great faith and diligence and acquired in depth knowledge of Jain scriptures and other skills. Impressed by the intelligence of Śobhanadeva, Ācārya Mahendra Sūri anointed him to the post of Upādhyāya (religious teacher).
Jain congregation from Avantipura also presented the royal decree and requested Ācārya Mahendra Sūri to make the town of Avanti holy by his feet. Śobhanadeva requested his guru, 'O venerable Seer! I will go to Dhārānagarī and soon shall enlighten my brother. All these differences in mentally have resulted due to me. I will therefore try to resolve these. Therefore I request you to please permit me to go to Dhārānagarī?'
Influenced greatly by the all-round charisma of his disciple, Ācārya Mahendra Sūri gave his permission to S to go to Dhārānagarī. Soon Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva along with some devoted and knowledgeable in Gītā disciples left Anahillapura Pāṭaṇa and went towards Dhārānagarī. Soon they arrived in Dhārānagarī and stayed in Jain monastery there.
At the time of having food, Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva sent two of his monks to the home of his elder brother Dhanapāla to seek alms.
Wife of Dhanapāla offered those monks food and took the pot of curd to offer the same to the monks. The monks asked about the age of the curd?
Hearing this, Dhanapāla in angrily said, 'This curd is three days old. Please advise if living beings have been born in this? Please take it if so wish else go elsewhere quickly.
One of the monks in a very sweet and humble tone said, 'O scholar! It is essential for us to seek such clarification as per the code of conduct of Jain monks. The knowledgeable and venerable ones say that after two days curd and other milk products do germinate.'
The great poet Dhanapāla in a very surprised tone said, 'He has heard such a thing first time in his life from them. So please show us the germs in this curd so that we can also them and validate the truth of your statement?'
Both monks said, 'O great poet! Please put some colour of alatā in this curd.' As soon as Dhanapāla put the colour in curd, a number of germs of the same colour which were invisible till now started moving on the surface of curd.
Seeing so many germs moving here and there on the surface of curd, all doubts concerning Jainism which had so far clouded Dhanapāla mind were soon removed. All foggy clouds of delusion about Jain doctrine in his mind disappeared.
On being asked by poet Dhanapāla with folded hands, one of the monks told him, 'They have come from Gurjara Pradeśa. Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva, disciple of Ācārya Mahendra Sūri is our guru and we are staying in a Jain monastery near Lord Ādinātha's temple.' Immediately both the monks returned in the same direction from where they came.
Immersed in deep thoughts, Dhanapāla after taking the bath left for the monastery to have a sight of Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva. As he entered the monastery, Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva with lot of respect went in front of Dhanapāla. Dhanapāla moved at a very fast pace and embraced his younger brother.
Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva in a respectful manner suggested his elder brother to sit at a half seat adjacent to him. But Dhanapāla sat on the floor in front of Śobhanadeva and said, 'You have accepted the Śramaṇa religion of great Jain philosophy. You are venerable not only by me but by the whole world. I have earned great demerit by requesting King Bhoja to ban the entry of monks of this great religion in the kingdom of Mālawā. I feel greatly pained by this sinful act of mine. Now I am desirous of completely purifying my sin.'
On listening to deep spiritual sermons from his brother, Dhanapāla's mind became inquisitive with for more knowledge. Brimming with deep determination, Dhanapāla with folded hands and in a firm tone said to Upādhyāya Śobhanadeva, 'O Ocean of knowledge! From the bottom of my heart I accept the Jain religion which is the true path to attain a virtuous destiny.'
First of all Dhanapāla resolved to free himself from the grave he committed by asking King Bhoja to ban the entry of Jain monks in the kingdom of Mālawā. Dhanapāla therefore requested King Bhoja to annul his earlier decree banning the entry of Jain monks. After the decree was withdrawn, Jain congregation of Dhārānagarī went to Ācārya Mahendra Sūri to request his return to Dhārānagarī and enhance the influence of Jainism there. Accepting the requests from the Jain congregation, Ācārya Mahendra Sūri arrived in Dhārānagarī. With the sermons of Ācārya Mahendra Sūri, the faith of Dhanapāla in Jainism grew from strong to stronger and strongest. He was always alert to prohibit the fall or even develop a flaw in his right belief even in his dreams.
Dhanapāla vehemently opposed violence committed in the name of yajṅas. Dhanapāla got a grand temple of Lord Vṛṣabha Deva built in Dhārānagarī and had it consecrated by Ācārya Mahendra Sūri. At that time, sitting in front of the idol of Lord Ādinātha, Dhanapāla composed a 500 verses hymn in veneration (stuti) of Lord Vṛṣabha Deva 'Jaya Jantukappa'. As per the request of King Bhoja, great poet Dhanapāla composed jewel like text of 12000 verses called 'Tilakamaṃjarī'.
On completion of the text, Ācārya Mahendra Sūri suggested to invite Śrī Śāntyācārya who was decorated with the title of 'vidvāna vādi vaitāla' i.e. scholar debater beyond comparison in the royal court of Gurjara king Bhīma, to Dhārānagarī to improvise the text. Śrī Śāntyācārya came and stayed in Dhārānagarī and made significant improvements in the text.
King Bhoja found the text 'Tilakamaṃjarī' extremely interesting and beautiful. He requested in an insisting manner to Dhanapāla to make the following changes in the text.
- In the beginning of this text, Lord Śiva should be clearly venerated.
- All mentions of Ayodhyāshould be replaced by Dhārānagarī.
- Instead of Śakrāvatāra, it should be Mahākāla avatāra.
- Śaṃkara should replace all mentions of Vṛṣabha.
- My name (i.e. King Bhoja) should be mentioned in the deep insistence by Meghavāhana.
King Bhoja insisted with a request to Dhanapāla, 'O Lord of poets! If you make the aforementioned changes in your text, then your jewel of a text will remain immortal on this earth till sun and moon exist.'
Dhanapāla was a childhood friend of King Bhoja. He got love and affection of King Bhuṃja (father of King Bhoja) similar to what King Bhoja got. Also Dhanapāla had deep faith in his right belief. Hence in a fearless tone he said, 'O king! By making the aforementioned changes in this text, its condition will be same as the milk in the hand of a Brahmin mixed with a drop of wine. Under such circumstances these changes cannot be incorporated in this text. O King of kings! The result of incorporating these unholy changes will be the significant destruction of my lineage and your kingdom.'
Seeing his request being turned down in this manner, the anger of King Bhoja spread like wild fire. Immediately he put 'Tilakamaṃjarī' lying by his side in the rising flames of fire in the fireplace near him. The text became ashes in front of all.
This episode created a deep hurt to Dhanapāla. He could only utter, in anger and hopeless words said, 'O King Bhoja! You are a true Mālavīya. From where have you inherited these flaws of insulting your own people and disrespect to poetic works?'
Expressing his hurt to King Bhoja, Dhanapāla immediately left the royal court. On reaching home, he was in deep pain and immersed in a deep ocean of worries laid down on his bed. Seeing such a pitiable condition, all family members were stunned and started talking of here and there. During this period his nine years old daughter came to him and in a very affectionate manner asked her father the cause of his deep worry?
Knowing the cause of her father, she in a very pacifying and encouraging tone said, 'Father! Please do not worry a bit for burning of your text. I remember each word, each line and each page of that text verbatim.' Saying so, the child started reciting 'Tilakamaṃjarī' from the beginning to her father. Hearing this, Dhanapāla felt happiness. Dhanapāla relieved himself, took a bath and food and then started writing the text 'Tilakamaṃjarī' on hearing the same from his daughter. In a few days, Dhanapāla wrote 24000 out of 27000 verses of 'Tilakamaṃjarī' recited by his daughter. There were some blanks left where the child could not remember and hence recite the verses. In this 3000 verses of 'Tilakamaṃjarī' got vanished in fire. Immediately on completion of writing 'Tilakamaṃjarī', Dhanapāla with his family left Dhārānagarī and went towards west and reached Satyapura (now Jālora) of Marūdharā.
Dhārānagarī started living peacefully in Satyapura and spent most of his in contemplating on Jinas. He composed 'Deva Nimmala', a hymn venerating Lord Mahāvīra while staying in the temple of Lord Mahāvīra.
On other side, King Bhoja sent his confidential servants to the home of Dhanapāla with a request to come back. Bhoja felt deeply hurt in his heart when he came to know from his servant that Dhanapāla had left Dhārānagarī and started living elsewhere.
During this period, another scholar by the name Dharma came in the royal court of King Bhoja. Bhoja challenged all the scholars in his court to have scriptural debates with Dharma but none showed even the courage to accept his challenge.
Bhoja became very unhappy to see this pitiable condition. He sent his secret agents in all directions to look for Dhanapāla. One of such secret agents reached Satyapura. On behalf of his king, the secret agent requested Dhanapāla to return to Dhārānagarī quickly. But Dhanapāla showed his utter disinterest to live in Dhārānagarī.
Bhoja became happy to learn of the wellbeing of Dhanapāla but felt deeply hurt to know his disinterest in returning to Dhārānagarī. Through his agent he again sent a persisting request to Dhanapāla to return to Dhārānagarī saying, 'Friend! You were always a favourite of King Bhuṃja. He always treated you like his son, arranged your education and brought you up as family member. I always treated you like my elder brother. You should never forget that your Dhārānagarī is greater than heaven and is your mother land. Today a proud scholar coming from a far of place is bent upon insulting and destroying the land of knowledge goddess. Hence to save the honour of your motherland, please return immediately. Your motherland is calling you.'
Hearing all this from the messenger of Bhoja, Dhanapāla's heart was filled with the love for his motherland. He immediately left for Dhārānagarī and reached there at a very fast speed. King Bhoja himself went to escort Dhanapāla in Dhārānagarī and embraced him. In a voice full of repentance he said, 'Brother! Please forgive me for my disrespectful act. Tears of joys washed away the differences amongst the two childhood friends.
One day scriptural debates took place between Dharma Kaula and Dhanapāla in King Bhoja's royal court. Expert in negative discussions Dharma realized that Dhanapāla was a scholar of very high intellect and perfect poet. So he left his usual expertise and accepted that indeed Dhanapāla was a great scholar with immortal poetic talent and accepted defeat from Dhanapāla.
On the indication of Dhanapāla, Bhoja ordered his treasurer to give one lakh gold coins as a gift to Dharma even after his defeat which Dharma refused to accept very humbly. He immediately left Dhārānagarī and went towards Satyapura. On reaching Satyapura, Dharma Kaula also had scriptural discussions with Śānti Sūri and was highly impressed by his scholarship. He also accepted defeat from Śānti Sūri and praised him immensely.
Younger brother of Dhanapāla, Śobhanācārya also composed many hymns of veneration (stutis) filled with immense devotion and decking (alaṃkāras). Śobhanācārya was immersed so much in composing stutis of Jinas that he was always filled with devotion every moment while he was awake or sleeping of even walking. Teacher of Śobhanācārya was extremely pleased with his poetic achievements and praised him whole heartedly. After some time, Śobhanācārya suffered some fever and died. The great poet Dhanapāla wrote a ṭīkā on 'Śobhana stuti' composed by Śobhanācārya.
Thinking that his death is imminent, Dhanapāla obtained permission from King Bhoja and went to Anahillapura Pāṭaṇa. There, serving Ācārya Mahendra Sūri he started practising the penance. Even being a householder, he performed ritual confession of his flaws in front of his guru. While performing penance, Dhanapāla was busy in meditation on his self and gave up all four kinds of food for life and accepted the vow of saṃllekhanā (pious death). Experts of scriptures the monks gave him the practice of holy death (Paṃḍita maraṇa). In the end Dhanapāla died in samādhi and was born in Saudharma destiny.
The great poet Dhanapāla was the influence creator of Jainism and foremost poet of Vikram 10th-11th century.
In Vikram 1029, when Mālawā king looted Mānyakheṭa, capital of Rāṣṭrakūṭa dynasty and finished their empire, at that time in Dhārānagarī which is on the way, poet Dhanapāla composed a poem 'Pāiya lacchī nāmamālā' for his younger sister Sundarī by name in local language. This is a citation of great historical importance as it helps in establishing the time of the downfall of Rāṣṭrakūṭa dynasty and other great poets of that time.
