Savchanda Ane Somchanda Ni Khandani

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Savchanda ane Somchanda ni Khandani" (Savchand and Somchand's Nobility):

This text, published by the JAINA Education Committee, recounts the story of two noble Jain merchants, Savchand and Somchand, highlighting their honesty, integrity, and generosity, particularly in the context of the sacred Shatrunjaya hill in Palitana, Gujarat.

The Story of Savchand's Trial:

The narrative begins by introducing Shatrunjaya, a highly revered pilgrimage site for Jains. It then shifts to the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Savchand Jeram, a prosperous merchant from Vanthali in Saurashtra, Gujarat, was engaged in extensive international trade. He owned twelve ships and traded goods with Indonesia and other countries, earning substantial profits.

One day, Savchand's fleet of twelve ships, laden with valuable cargo, set sail. After successfully selling their goods abroad, they purchased more valuable items for their return journey. However, on their way back, they were caught in a fierce storm and forced to take refuge on an island. Due to the monsoon season, they were stranded there for months.

As the ships failed to return for an extended period, Savchand's representative began searching for them. Despite extensive efforts, the fleet could not be located, and Savchand was informed of the probable loss of his ships and cargo. This was a devastating blow, as Savchand had invested a significant amount of capital in this venture, expecting large returns. The financial loss led to a severe liquidity crisis. Creditors began demanding their money back, and rumors spread that Savchand had lost everything, prompting aggressive collection efforts.

Savchand, described as a man of great honesty and religious inclination, attempted to repay his debtors with whatever he had left. Among his creditors was the Prince of Mangrol, a town near Vanthali, who had deposited one lakh rupees with Savchand. At that time, one rupee was equivalent to about 250 rupees in today's value, making it a considerable sum.

Upon hearing about the loss of Savchand's ships, the Prince became anxious and demanded his money back. Savchand could not immediately repay such a large amount and requested the Prince to wait until he could arrange the funds. However, the Prince needed the money urgently, and Savchand's reputation and honor were at stake. To protect his honor, Savchand needed to find a way to repay the Prince.

Somchand's Act of Nobility:

Savchand then thought of Somchand Amichand, a fellow Jain merchant residing in Ahmedabad. Though Savchand had no prior business dealings with Somchand, he had heard about his firm and his noble character. An idea struck Savchand: he would write a promissory note (hundi) to the Prince, drawing it on Somchand's firm, to appease the Prince. The Prince agreed, as he would receive his money.

Without seeking Somchand's permission, Savchand drew the hundi in Somchand's firm's name. Feeling a pang of regret due to the lack of any prior business relationship and his unauthorized action, Savchand became disheartened, and tears welled up in his eyes.

A few drops of Savchand's tears fell on the hundi, smudging the ink. With a heavy heart, Savchand handed the hundi to the Prince and instructed him to present it at Somchand's firm for encashment.

The Prince immediately went to Somchand's firm. The cashier, upon receiving the hundi, asked a clerk to check Savchand's account. The clerk searched the ledgers but found no account under Savchand's name, explaining that Savchand had no business dealings with their firm. The cashier then approached Somchand and informed him about Savchand's hundi and their inability to honor it.

Somchand was perplexed. He knew Savchand to be a prominent merchant from Vanthali with a significant reputation. He couldn't understand why Savchand would write such a large hundi without any business connection. Examining the hundi, Somchand noticed the smudged ink from Savchand's tears. He realized that Savchand must be in deep trouble and had written the hundi in a state of despair and shame.

Somchand understood that Savchand had placed blind faith in him. He resolved to uphold that trust. He felt that if his wealth couldn't help a noble person in such distress, what was the use of his wealth? He decided to help and instructed the cashier to pay the money on the hundi. The cashier was still hesitant, as there was no account for Savchand to debit the amount to. Somchand then directed that the amount be debited to his personal account.

Resolution and Legacy:

The hundi was honored, and the Prince received his money. It turned out that the Prince didn't desperately need the money; he had acted out of doubt regarding Savchand's financial stability. He regretted his doubt concerning Savchand's honor. On his way back, he visited Savchand's firm and informed him that his money had been received in Ahmedabad. Savchand expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Somchand.

Meanwhile, after the monsoon season ended, Savchand's fleet returned safely with all its cargo. Savchand was overjoyed and relieved. He sold the goods, which generated substantial capital. His reputation, which had been tarnished, now grew even stronger than before.

It was time for Savchand to repay Somchand. He traveled to Ahmedabad and offered to return the one lakh rupees with interest. However, Somchand refused, as Savchand's account in his books showed no outstanding balance. Savchand couldn't leave without settling his debt and insisted on paying whatever Somchand asked, stating that if he failed to do so, he would regret writing the hundi.

Somchand replied that he had purchased the hundi with tears. The man whose tears had fallen on the hundi was worth more than two lakh rupees. He explained that he had only paid one lakh rupees to the Prince and still owed Savchand another lakh. Savchand, however, could not accept this. He felt indebted to Somchand for accepting the hundi and helping him. He was willing to give any amount Somchand demanded. Instead of accepting payment, Somchand wanted to give Savchand another lakh rupees. Savchand repeatedly pleaded with Somchand to accept the hundi amount, but Somchand insisted that there was no outstanding balance in his books. In a way, Somchand was correct, as he had paid the money from his personal account.

The text draws a parallel to a story from the Ramayana where neither Rama nor Bharata are willing to accept the kingdom, each insisting the other should rule. Similarly, Savchand and Somchand were in a situation where both wanted to give a substantial sum to the other but neither was willing to accept it. Savchand persisted in wanting to repay the hundi amount, while Somchand refused but then insisted that Savchand accept the remaining one lakh rupees.

Finally, they decided to appoint the Jain Sangha (community) as arbitrators to decide. The leading members of the Ahmedabad Jain Sangha called both of them. After listening to both sides peacefully, they decided that if neither was willing to accept the money, it should be used for a noble cause. Both agreed, and after adding a significant amount of their own, they decided to construct temples on Shatrunjaya hill, commencing the construction as soon as possible.

The construction of the temples was completed, and their consecration ceremony was held with great fanfare in 1619 CE. In their memory, these temples are still known today as the "Sava-Som ni Tuq" (Temples of Sava-Som).

The story concludes by emphasizing that honesty in life and business yields great rewards. Somchand's generosity is praised, noting that he did not take advantage of a person in distress. He helped others without expecting anything in return.