Samrat Akbar Aur Jain Dharm

This document is a summary of the influence of Jainism on the Mughal Emperor Akbar's religious policies and his development of religious tolerance.

Key Points:

• Akbar as a Founder of Religious Tolerance: The text positions Emperor Akbar as a significant figure in Indian history for establishing religious tolerance and harmony, following in the footsteps of emperors like Ashoka and Harsha. It highlights Akbar's departure from the general religious conservatism of Indian Muslim rulers.
• Motivations for Tolerance: The text explores the debated reasons behind Akbar's religious liberalism.
  • Political Ambition: One perspective suggests his tolerance was driven by political necessity. To maintain peace and win over the Indian populace, especially Hindus, he adopted a policy of religious harmony. This view is supported by the argument that his tolerance was most pronounced in the middle period of his reign, with a return to more orthodox practices later, implying it was a strategic, not a deeply held, conviction.
  • Personal Conviction and Disillusionment: Another view posits that Akbar was genuinely a liberal-minded individual. Witnessing the conflicts and divisive nature of religious leaders at his Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) may have led him to develop a distaste for religious fanaticism and a preference for tolerance. His later inclinations towards religiosity are attributed to the fear of the afterlife in his old age.
• Influence of Jain Acharyas: A significant portion of the document focuses on the impact of Jain monks and scholars on Akbar.
  • Jainism's Philosophy of Anekantavada: Jainism's core philosophy of Anekantavada (many-sidedness) is presented as inherently supportive of religious tolerance and harmony.
  • Key Jain Figures: The text lists prominent Jain acharyas who interacted with Akbar, including Hiravijaya Suri, Vijayasen Suri, Bhanuchandra Upadhyay, and Jinachandra Suri, among others.
  • Specific Royal Edicts (Farmans): The document details several farmans (royal edicts) issued by Akbar in favor of Jain acharyas and the Jain community. These edicts include:
    • Prohibiting the killing of any living beings during the Jain festival of Paryushana in specific regions.
    • Declaring a ban on animal slaughter in Jain pilgrimage sites like Shatrunjaya (Siddhachal), Girnar, and others, even noting that despite potential conflict with Islamic principles, respecting the beliefs of others is the way of those who know God.
    • Granting protection to Jain temples and upashrayas (monasteries).
    • Directing that certain days of the month should be observed as non-eating days for animals like cows and buffaloes, and prohibiting the killing and caging of birds.
    • Exonerating Jain monks from blame for natural events like rain.
  • Legacy of Influence: The influence of these Jain acharyas extended beyond Akbar, with his successors Jahangir and Shah Jahan also issuing similar edicts promoting the prohibition of animal sacrifice (amarhi).
• Akbar's Personal Realization: The text also suggests that Akbar's own experiences and reflections, particularly his observation that no single religion held absolute truth, contributed to his liberal outlook. His engagement with scholars of various faiths in the Ibadat Khana led him to believe that claiming exclusive truth was futile, a perspective aligned with Jainism's Anekantavada.
• The Selflessness of Jain Acharyas: The Jain acharyas' lack of personal desire and their requests for the welfare of all communities and the prohibition of animal cruelty are highlighted as factors that enhanced their influence on Akbar.
• Gradual Development of Tolerance: The document emphasizes that Akbar's religious tolerance was a gradual process. It was influenced by his interactions with Rajput kings and marriages into Rajput families, his exposure to saints and fakirs, and his eventual abolition of taxes like Jaziya and pilgrim tax, and his allowance for non-Muslims to build religious sites and hold high positions. This gradual development makes his susceptibility to the influence of Jain acharyas natural.
• Conclusion: The summary concludes that Jain acharyas played a significant role in the development of liberal and non-violent attitudes in Akbar.

References: The document lists several reference books that explore Mughal religious policies and Akbar's interactions with various religious communities, including Jainism.