Samrat Akbar Ki Jain Dharm Me Ruchi

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Samrat Akbar ki Jain Dharm me Ruchi" by Sanjay Jain:

The text, "Samrat Akbar ki Jain Dharm me Ruchi" (Emperor Akbar's Interest in Jainism) by Sanjay Jain, highlights the historical curiosity of foreigners towards ancient Indian literature. While some invaders destroyed Indian literary treasures, many foreigners contributed significantly to the propagation and preservation of Indian knowledge over millennia.

The author posits that the great Mughal Emperor Akbar was a living embodiment of the Indian soul. His exposure to Indian literature and saints made him remarkably liberal. A connoisseur of quality, Akbar amassed a vast collection of books, including rare manuscripts of all religions prevalent in India at the time. According to the renowned historian Vincent A. Smith, Akbar's library was unparalleled in his era and remains so even today. After Akbar's death, the Agra Fort's treasury listed 24,000 books. Smith estimated the average value of each book, based on exchange rates, to be between 27 to 30 pounds, valuing the entire collection between 646,673 to 737,166 pounds.

Given the immense and valuable nature of this library, it was natural for it to contain a large number of ancient Jain religious texts. This is supported by historical indications of amiable relations between Jain saints and Mughal rulers. For instance, the preface to "Akbar Shah Shringar Darpan" mentions that Anandmeru Ji, the preceptor of the Jain scholar Padmasundar, who was specially honored by Akbar, had received respect from Akbar's father and grandfather, Humayun and Babur.

Emperor Akbar himself held Jain saints in high regard. He sent an invitation through his Gujarat representative for the Jain monk Hiravijay Suri to visit the royal palace. Muni Shri Hiravijay, while refusing royal gifts, accepted the invitation for the welfare of the people and proceeded to Fatehpur Sikri. The Emperor accorded him a grand reception. Emperor Akbar and prominent philosophers engaged in deep discussions on religion and philosophy with Muni Shri Hiravijay.

Influenced by Muni Shri Hiravijay, Emperor Akbar took several significant actions in 1582 CE:

• He ordered the release of prisoners from jails.
• He ordered the release of birds kept in cages.
• He prohibited the slaughter of animals on certain designated days.

In the following year, 1583 CE, these orders were amended, and violations were made punishable by death. Emperor Akbar also gave up his beloved hunting and limited his fishing activities.

The continuous presence of Jain religious figures Shri Bhanuchand and Shri Siddhichand in Akbar's court, and the exceptional respect shown to them by courtiers, demonstrate that Jainism was flourishing under the liberal rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Historians of the time noted the presence of representatives from both sects of Jainism among those present in Akbar's place of worship. Therefore, it is logical that Akbar's library would contain a significant number of Jain manuscripts. Emperor Akbar himself gifted a handwritten religious manuscript to Muni Shri Hiravijay. Upon receiving the book, Muni Shri Hiravijay expressed surprise at how so many religious texts had been collected in the royal library.

The text concludes by expressing a hope that further information about which rulers possessed Akbar's library after his death and how they utilized those manuscripts could shed light on many unknown aspects of Indian literature.