Bhadrabahuswami Siddhasen Diwakar

This document is a Jain religious text titled "Shri Bhadrabahuswami Shri Siddhasen Diwakar," authored by Jaybhikkhu and published by Jaybhikkhu Sahitya Trust. It is part of the "Jain Balgranthavali Shreni" (Jain Children's Series), specifically Volume 2 of Series 2. The book is dedicated to two prominent Jain acharyas: Bhadrabahuswami and Siddhasen Diwakar.

The text is divided into two main parts, each focusing on one of the acharyas.

Part 1: Shri Bhadrabahuswami

This section details the life and achievements of Acharya Bhadrabahuswami.

• Early Life and Education: Bhadrabahuswami and his brother Varahamihira were born into a learned Brahmin family in Pratishthanpur. They were exceptionally devoted to learning, excelling in various scriptures, logic, grammar, and astrology.
• Meeting Acharya Yashobhadrasuri: They encountered Acharya Yashobhadrasuri, a disciple of Shyyambhavasuri (the composer of the Dashavaikalika Sutra). Recognizing true knowledge in the acharya, both brothers took diksha (initiation) and began studying Jain scriptures.
• Mastery of Jain Agamas: Bhadrabahuswami diligently studied the twelve Angas (limbs) of Jain scripture. He mastered the first eleven Angas and then dedicated himself to the twelfth and most complex, the Drishtivada. He became a Chaturdash Purva Dhari (one who possesses fourteen Purvas, a profound part of Jain scriptures) after mastering Drishtivada, including its various sections like Parikarma, Sutra, and Purvagata.
• Niryukti and Acharya Pad: To make the complex scriptures accessible, he wrote simplified commentaries called Niryuktis on ten sutras. He was eventually granted the title of Acharya by his guru.
• Conflict with Varahamihira: His brother, Varahamihira, sought the same honor but lacked humility. Varahamihira, feeling rejected, declared himself self-taught and left.
• Varahamihira's Prophecy and Downfall: Varahamihira became the royal priest to the Nanda kings in Pataliputra. He cast the horoscope of the king's son, predicting a hundred-year lifespan. However, he harbored resentment towards Bhadrabahuswami and instigated the king against him. Bhadrabahuswami, aware of this, predicted the child's death on the seventh day due to a wooden plank painted with a cat's face falling on him. This prediction came true, although the death was not caused by a cat. Varahamihira, embarrassed and jealous, died with envy towards his guru. He was reborn as a vyantar (a type of celestial being) and caused an epidemic, which Bhadrabahuswami countered by composing the "Uvasaggaharam" sutra.
• Political Upheaval and Chandragupta Maurya: The text mentions the political changes in Pataliputra, including the rise of Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya. Bhadrabahuswami's wisdom impressed Chandragupta.
• Interpretation of Chandragupta's Dreams: Chandragupta, upon waking from sixteen prophetic dreams, sought their interpretation from Bhadrabahuswami. Bhadrabahuswami explained these dreams, which foretold events in the coming era, including famine, the decline of spirituality, and societal changes.
• The Great Famine and Migration to Nepal: Foreseeing a twelve-year famine, Bhadrabahuswami migrated to Nepal. During this time, Jain monks, due to the hardship, began to forget parts of the scriptures.
• The Compilation of Scriptures: After the famine, a council was held in Pataliputra to reconstruct the lost scriptures. Only eleven Angas could be compiled; the twelfth, Drishtivada, was missing.
• Bhadrabahuswami's Return and the Role of Sthulibhadra: The monks were sent to Nepal to bring back Bhadrabahuswami, who possessed the knowledge of Drishtivada. Bhadrabahuswami was engaged in intense meditation and could not immediately return. He instructed that his disciple Sthulibhadra could also gain this knowledge. Sthulibhadra went to Nepal and studied under Bhadrabahuswami. Despite initial difficulties and the vastness of the knowledge, Sthulibhadra persevered.
• Bhadrabahuswami's Succession: Upon returning from Nepal, Bhadrabahuswami succeeded Acharya Sambhutivijayasuri and became the "Yugapradhan" (leader of the era).
• Sthulibhadra's Incident: Sthulibhadra, upon meeting his sisters who had become nuns, displayed his newly acquired knowledge by transforming into a lion. His sisters reported this to Bhadrabahuswami, who gently rebuked Sthulibhadra for misusing his knowledge.
• Bhadrabahuswami's Demise: Bhadrabahuswami passed away peacefully while meditating, having appointed Sthulibhadra as his successor. He is remembered for his scholarship, his composition of the Kalpa Sutra (read during Paryushana), and other astrological texts.

Part 2: Shri Siddhasen Diwakar

This section focuses on the life and influence of Acharya Siddhasen Diwakar.

• Early Life and Reputation: Siddhasen was the son of Devrishi, a learned minister in Ujjain, the capital of Malwa, during the reign of King Vikramaditya. Siddhasen was renowned for his immense knowledge and debating skills, often defeating prominent scholars.
• Arrogance and Travels: Filled with pride, Siddhasen embarked on a journey across India to prove his intellectual superiority. He challenged scholars in various regions, consistently winning and bolstering his ego. He famously displayed his arrogance by describing the reasons for his peculiar attire (a tight bandage around his stomach due to the "burden" of knowledge, a ladder to catch falling scholars, a net to pull them from water, a spade to dig them out of the earth, and grass to offer them if they were defeated).
• Encounter with Vriddhvadisuri: He heard about Acharya Vriddhvadisuri in Bharuch, Gujarat, who was said to be a match for his knowledge. Siddhasen, determined to defeat him, traveled to Bharuch.
• The Debate with Vriddhvadisuri: Vriddhvadisuri, a wise and insightful acharya, agreed to a debate. To counter Siddhasen's Sanskrit arguments, Vriddhvadisuri cleverly sang a song in Prakrit, a language understandable to the cowherds chosen as judges. The cowherds, appreciating the song over the complex Sanskrit discourse, declared Vriddhvadisuri the winner.
• Acceptance of Discipleship: Bound by his vow, Siddhasen accepted defeat and asked to become Vriddhvadisuri's disciple. Vriddhvadisuri initially suggested a debate in a more appropriate scholarly setting but eventually brought Siddhasen to Bharuch.
• Initiation and New Name: In Bharuch, Siddhasen was again defeated in a debate. Vriddhvadisuri then initiated him into Jainism, renaming him Kumudachandra.
• Mastery of Jain Philosophy and "Sarvajna Putra": Kumudachandra quickly mastered Jain scriptures and philosophy, earning the title "Sarvajna Putra" (Son of the Omniscient) from his guru.
• Service to King Vikramaditya: Later, as Acharya Siddhasen, he visited Ujjain and encountered King Vikramaditya. He demonstrated his profound knowledge by answering the king's unspoken thoughts. King Vikramaditya was so impressed that he offered him gold, which Siddhasen redirected to free debtors from their burdens.
• The Pillar of Chittor and Mystical Knowledge: While visiting Chittor, Siddhasen discovered a unique pillar containing hidden ancient texts. By analyzing the medicinal properties, he opened the pillar and found texts on "Suvarnasiddhi" (alchemy) and "Sarasvati Vidya" (mystical knowledge). A disembodied voice warned him to use only these two for the benefit of the world.
• The Sarasvati Vidya in Action: In Karmarpur, Siddhasen used the Sarasvati Vidya to create an army of horsemen, helping King Devpal defeat an invading army. This led to King Devpal's conversion to Jainism and his bestowal of the title "Diwakar" upon Siddhasen.
• The Temptation of Worldly Comforts: Initially enjoying the respect and comforts offered by King Devpal, Siddhasen began to deviate from the strict principles of asceticism.
• Vriddhvadisuri's Intervention: Vriddhvadisuri, noticing Siddhasen's indulgence, intervened. He subtly challenged Siddhasen's pride by carrying his palanquin and pointing out his grammatical error in Sanskrit, reminding him of his vows and the importance of detachment.
• Renunciation and Penance: Guided by his guru's words, Siddhasen renounced worldly comforts and embarked on a period of intense asceticism and penance for twelve years. During this time, he also converted a great king and revitalized a pilgrimage site.
• Shatrunjay and Girnar Pilgrimages: He led a pilgrimage to the sacred Shatrunjay mountain and later to Girnar, performing renovations at Shatrunjay.
• Literary Contributions: Siddhasen Diwakar is credited with numerous scholarly works that continue to inspire. He is recognized as a scholar, yogi, and renunciate who greatly enhanced the prestige of the Jain faith.

The book concludes by emphasizing the contributions of such great souls to Jainism and offering salutations to Acharya Siddhasen Diwakar. The last pages also list other books in the Jain Balgranthavali series and highlight the series' aim to impart moral and spiritual values through stories of Jain figures.