Acharya Hemchandra Jivan Vyaktitva Evam Krutitva - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text about Acharya Hemchandra, based on the given pages:

This document, titled "Acharya Hemchandra Jivan Vyaktitva evam Krutitva" (Acharya Hemchandra: Life, Personality, and Work) by Abhaykumar Jain, is a detailed exploration of the life, multifaceted personality, and prolific literary output of the renowned Jain scholar and monk, Acharya Hemchandra. He is famously honored with the title "Kalikal Sarvagya" (The Omniscient of the Current Era), highlighting his immense knowledge and influence.

Acharya Hemchandra: A Paragon of Wisdom and Versatility

The text portrays Acharya Hemchandra as a "sea of knowledge" whose personality was vast, inspiring, and glorious. The epithet "Kalikal Sarvagya" itself speaks volumes about his broad and encompassing understanding. He possessed extraordinary talent that was not confined to a single subject but spanned across numerous fields. He enriched every area of literature with his writings, demonstrating a remarkable ability to synthesize diverse subjects. He is described as a living encyclopedia, embodying the roles of a grammarian, rhetorician, philosopher, litterateur, historian, mythologist, lexicographer, prosodist, spiritual preacher, and a great poet of his era. His contributions extended beyond the literary sphere, significantly impacting social, cultural, religious, and political domains. He is seen as having descended upon Earth for the welfare and happiness of all, offering guidance and wisdom. His name is undoubtedly worthy of being inscribed in golden letters in the tradition of India's wise scholars and sages.

Early Life and Initiation

Acharya Hemchandra was born in the year V.S. 1145 (1088 CE) on the auspicious night of Kartik Purnima in 'Dhundhukanagar' or 'Dhandhukya,' a prosperous and renowned town located approximately 66 kilometers southwest of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. This city is also referred to as 'Dhundhukpur' or 'Dhundhukka' in ancient texts. His father was named 'Chach' or 'Chachig,' and his mother was 'Chahini' or 'Pahini.' They belonged to the Modh Vaishya community, named after their ancestral village of Modhera. It is mentioned that his father was a follower of Shaivism, while his mother was a Jain, illustrating a beautiful example of religious tolerance and love. His maternal uncle, Neminaag, was a devout Jain who eventually took monastic vows.

The child was initially named 'Changdev.' This name was a memorialized combination of the first letters of their family goddess 'Chamunda' and the clan deity 'Gonas.' According to Somaprabh Suri, Changdev's mother had extraordinary dreams when he was in her womb, a detail also mentioned in 'Prabhavaka Charita' and by Rajshekhar in 'Prabandha Kosh.'

Prodigious Talent and Formal Education

Even in his early years, Changdev displayed exceptional promise and skill, living up to the proverb, "The sprouts of a promising plant are visible from the beginning." Influenced by his parents and spiritual guides, his virtuous qualities began to develop. At the tender age of eight, in V.S. 1154 (1097 CE), he received monastic initiation from Acharya Devachandra, his guru in initiation, education, and knowledge. Acharya Hemchandra himself mentions this guru in his work 'Trishashthi Shalaka Purusha Charita.' After his initiation, Changdev was renamed 'Somachandra.'

The Event of Initiation

Several accounts describe Changdev's monastic initiation. Rajshekhar, in 'Prabandha Kosh,' narrates how Changdev's maternal uncle, Neminaag, introduced him to Acharya Devachandra during a religious assembly. Neminaag then requested Changdev's mother, Pahini Devi, to allow her son to become a monk. According to 'Prabhavaka Charita,' when the mother visited a temple with her son, Changdev sat on Acharya Devachandra's seat. The Acharya, reminding Pahini of her dreams, requested to take her son as a disciple. 'Prabandha Chintamani' recounts an incident where Acharya Devachandra, while on a pilgrimage and visiting Dhundhuka, arrived at the Modh community's Jain temple. Young Changdev, playing with his friends, came there and, with childlike playfulness, skillfully sat on Acharya Devachandra's seat. Observing his auspicious signs, the Acharya remarked that if the child were from a Kshatriya lineage, he would become a universal ruler; if from a Vaishya or Brahmin lineage, he would become a great minister; and if he took initiation, he would establish the Krta Yuga in this era, much like a "Yugapradhana" (leader of an era).

Ascension to Acharya and Literary Prowess

Deeply impressed by Changdev, Acharya Devachandra requested the child from his mother and relatives. He was then initiated and received excellent education at Stambhatirtha, in the home of Minister Udayana. In a short period, he mastered logic, grammar, and literature, achieving unparalleled scholarship and proficiency. He assimilated the vast ocean of literature like the sage Agastya. Subsequently, Muni Somachandra traveled extensively with his guru, Acharya Devachandra, significantly enhancing his scriptural and practical knowledge. By the age of 21, Muni Somachandra was proficient in all scriptures and practical knowledge. In V.S. 1166 (1109 CE), his guru honored him with the title of Acharya, bestowing upon him the name 'Hemchandra,' thus making him known as Acharya Hemchandra. It is also said that Muni Somachandra was as beautiful as the moon, his body radiant like gold, and he possessed extraordinary powers, leading to his being called Hemchandra.

Acharya Hemchandra's scholarship, all-encompassing talent, influence, and personality were highly attractive and impactful. Through his commanding personality and eloquent, captivating speech, he drew society towards him and served literature and society for a considerable period.

Vast Literary Contributions

As a result of his profound scholarship, extraordinary talent, and deep study, he authored works on diverse subjects including grammar, lexicography, poetics, prosody, poetry, philosophy, yoga, Puranas, history, and hymns. He is aptly described as the "Emperor of Literature" given the vastness and scope of his literary creations. His scholarly works even astonished Dr. Peterson, who aptly described him as "Ocean of Knowledge." Somaprabh Suri, in his commentary on Shatartha Kavya, praised him for creating new grammar, new prosody, new Dvayashraya, new rhetoric, new logic, and new biographies, effectively dispelling ignorance.

While not all of Acharya Hemchandra's extensive literary output is available, scholars estimate that he authored over a hundred works. Muni Punyavijay lists 25 of his works, including significant ones like Siddha-Hema-Shabdanushasana, Abhidhana-Chintamani, Anekarthasangraha, Nighantukosha, Deshinamāmālā, Siddha-Hema-Lingānushasana, Dhatupārāyana, Yogashastra, Dvayashrayakavya, Kavyānushasana, Chhandohushasana, and Trishashthi Shalaka Purusha Charita. He also composed some Dvātrinśikās and hymns. According to Dr. Anandshankar Dhruv, his Dvātrinśikās and hymns are excellent works from a literary perspective, beautifully combining sharp intellect with devotional fervor.

Mastery of Languages and Contribution to Apabhramsa

Acharya Hemchandra possessed equal command over Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Apabhramsa languages. His Shabdanushasana is highly useful for understanding the grammar of all three languages. His contribution to the Apabhramsa language is particularly significant. By compiling a grammar of Apabhramsa, he performed a great historical service and provided preservation to the language. Much of the later research on Apabhramsa is credited to Acharya Hemchandra. Despite its brevity, his Apabhramsa grammar is complete, simple, and clear.

Pandit Chandradhar Sharma Guleri highlights three key aspects of Hemchandra's significance:

Forward-looking Grammar: Unlike other grammarians who merely modified existing traditions, Hemchandra created a grammar of the language of his time, looking ahead rather than just backward.
Illustrative Examples: He provided complete narratives, stanzas, and quotations in Apabhramsa, making its rules understandable with full examples.
Holistic Approach: Hemchandra was not just a "Panini" and "Bhojodeekshit" of his grammar but also its "Bhatti." He used examples from his own grammar in his Sanskrit-Prakrit Dvayashraya Kavya, which also documented the history of Siddharaja Jayasinh and Kumarpala. He followed the order of his sutras like Bhatti and Bhattaumika.

Influence on Kings and Society

Attracted by Acharya Hemchandra's personality and work, King Siddharaja Jayasinh of Gujarat accorded him great respect. Inspired by Siddharaja, he composed Siddha-Hema-Shabdanushasana. After Siddharaja's death in V.S. 1166 (1109 CE), Kumarpala ascended the throne. Impressed by Hemchandra, Kumarpala banned animal slaughter in his kingdom. Later, he embraced Jainism, prohibited gambling and alcohol, and strived to keep his kingdom free from vices. He also commissioned the construction of numerous Jain temples, ponds, rest houses, and monasteries, ruling his subjects benevolently for a long time. Kumarpala died in 1174 CE (V.S. 1231). Acharya Hemchandra passed away six months before Kumarpala's death.

The Incomplete Work: Pramana-Mimamsa

It is believed that in his final days, Acharya Hemchandra composed 'Pramana-Mimamsa.' This work is incomplete. Although it is mentioned that it was planned to have five chapters, currently only the first chapter is complete (first and second āhnikas), and the second chapter is incomplete (only the first āhnika). It is possible that the Acharya could not complete the remaining work due to old age, or it might have been lost to time. This concise work, written in sutra style with its own commentary, provides a comprehensive understanding of pramana (means of knowledge) and prameya (knowable objects). It beautifully elucidates elements like pramana, pramata (knower), and prameya. He drew heavily from his predecessors and made many original contributions. The study of Pramana-Mimamsa in the context of Jain and other philosophical works clearly reveals this. The esteemed Pandit Sukhlalji Sanghvi wrote a detailed commentary on Pramana-Mimamsa from this perspective, which has been highly praised by scholars.

Legacy of Disciples

Acharya Hemchandra's immense scholarship was passed on to his disciples, who further enriched literature. Among his disciples, Ramachandrasuri gained widespread fame, and he was considered the foremost scholar after Hemchandra in his time. Other notable disciples included Gunachandra, Mahendrasuri, Vardhamangani, Devachandra, Udayachandra, Yashashchandra, and Balachandra. All of them made significant contributions to the field of literature.

Acclaim from Scholars

The text concludes by listing the accolades received by Acharya Hemchandra from esteemed scholars:

"Creator of Gujarat Consciousness" by K. M. Munshi.
"Intellectual Giant" by Prof. Parikh.
"Light-bearer of Gujarat" by Gujarat's literary scholars.
"Ocean of Knowledge" by Dr. Peterson.
"Ocean of Learning" by Somaprabh Suri (in Shatartha Kavya).

The document also includes footnotes referencing various historical texts and scholars, providing sources for the information presented.