Hemachandra

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Acharya Hemachandra
Hemachandra
Drawing of Hemchandra based on Vikram Samvat 1294 palm leaf
Official name Acharya Hemchandra Suri
Religion Jainism
Sect Svetambara
Personal
Born Changadev
c. 1088 (see notes)
Dhandhuka
Died c. 1173 (see notes)
Anhilwad Patan
Parents Chachinga, Pahini
Initiation Somchandra
see notes
Khambhat
by Devchandrasuri
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v t e
Acharya Hemachandra was a Jain scholar, poet, and polymath who wrote on grammar,
philosophy, prosody, and contemporary history. Noted as a prodigy by his
contemporaries, he gained the title kalikalasarvaja, the all-knowing of the Kali
Yuga.

Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Hemachandra and Siddharaja
3 Hemachandra and Kumarapala
4 Death
5 Works
5.1 Jain philosophy
5.2 Grammar
5.2.1 Siddha-Hema-Sabdanusasana
5.3 Poetry
5.3.1 Dvyashraya Kavya
5.3.2 Trishashthi-Shalaka-Purusha
5.3.3 Other
5.4 Lexicography
5.5 Mathematics
5.6 Other works
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References
8.1 Bibliography
9 External links
Early life[edit]
Hemachandra was born in Dhandhuka, in present-day Gujarat, on Kartika Sud Purnima
(the full moon day of Kartika month). His date of birth differs according to
sources but 1088 is generally accepted.[note 1][1] His father, Chachiga-deva was a
Modh Bania Vaishnava. His mother, Pahini, was a Jain.[2][3] Hemchandra's original
given name was Changadeva. In his childhood, the Jain monk Devachandra Suri visited
Dhandhuka and was impressed by the young Hemachandra's intellect. His mother and
maternal uncle concurred with Devachandra, in opposition to his father, that
Hemachandra be a disciple of his. Devachandra took Hemachandra to Khambhat, where
Hemachandra was placed under the care of the local governor Udayana. Chachiga came
to Udayana's place to take his son back, but was so overwhelmed by the kind
treatment he received, that he decided to willingly leave his son with Devachandra.
[4]

Some years later, Hemachandra was initiated a Jain monk on Magha Sud Chauth (4th
day of the bright half of Magha month) and was given a new name, Somchandra.
Udayana helped Devchandra Suri in the ceremony.[2][3] He was trained in religious
discourse, philosophy, logic and grammar and became well versed in Jain and
nonJain scriptures. At the age of 21, he was ordained an acharya of the Svetambara
school of Jainism at Nagaur in present-day Rajasthan. At this time, he was named
Hemachandra Suri.[2][3][5]

Hemachandra and Siddharaja[edit]

At the time, Gujarat was ruled by the Chaulukya dynasty from Anhilavada (Patan). It
is not certain when Hemachandra visited Patan for the first time. As Jain monks are
mendicants for eight months and stay at one place during Chaturmas, the four
monsoon months, he started living at Patan during these periods and produced the
majority of his works there.[2][3]

Probably around 1125, he was introduced to the Jayasimha Siddharaja (fl. 10921141)
and soon rose to prominence in the Chaulukya royal court.[3] According to the
Prabhavaka Charita of Chandraprabha, the earliest biography of Hemachandra,
Jayasimha spotted Hemachandra while passing through the streets of his capital. The
king was impressed with an impromptu verse uttered by the young monk.[6]

In 1135, when the Siddharaja conquered Malwa, he brought the works of Bhoja from
Dhar along with other things. One day Siddhraja came across the manuscript of
Sarasvati-Kanthabharana (also known as the Lakshana Prakash), a treatise on
Sanskrit grammar. He was so impressed by it that he told the scholars in his court
to produce a grammar that was as easy and lucid. Hemachandra requested Siddharaja
to find the eight best grammatical treatises from Kashmir. He studied them and
produced a new grammar work in the style of Pa?ini's A??adhyayi.[2][3] He named his
work Siddha-Hema-Sabdanusasana after himself and the king. Siddharaja was so
pleased with the work that he ordered it to be placed on the back of an elephant
and paraded through the streets of Anhilwad Patan.[7] Hemachandra also composed the
Dvyashraya Kavya, an epic on the history of the Chaulukya dynasty, to illustrate
his grammar.[3]

Hemachandra and Kumarapala[edit]

Idol of Hemachandra at Jain Center of New Jersey, US

According to the Prabhachandra, there was an incident where Siddharaja wanted to
kill his nephew Kumarapala because it was prophesied that the kingdom would meet
its demise at Kumarapala's hands. Hemachandra hid Kumarapala under a pile of
manuscripts to save him.[2] However, such motifs are common in Indian folk
literature, so it is unlikely it was an actual historical event. Also, many sources
differ on Siddharaja's motives.[2]

Hemachandra became the advisor to Kumarapala.[2][3] During Kumarapala's reign,

Gujarat became a center of culture. Using the Jain approach of Anekantavada,
Hemchandra is said to have displayed a broad-minded attitude, which pleased
Kumarapala.[5] Kumarapala was a Shaiva and ordered the rebuilding of Somnath at
Prabhas Patan. Some people who were jealous of Hemachandra's rising popularity with
the Kumarapala complained that Hemachandra was a very arrogant person, that he did
not respect the devas and that he refused to bow down to Shiva. When called upon to
visit the temple on the inauguration with Kumarapala, Hemachandra readily bowed
before the lingam but said

Bhava Bijankaura-janana Ragadyam Kshayamupagata Yasya, Brahma va Vishnu va Haro

Jino va Namastasmai.

I bow down to him who has destroyed the passions like attachment and malice which
are the cause of the cycle of birth and death; whether he is Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
or Jina.[5][8]

Ultimately, the king became a devoted follower of Hemachandra and a champion of

Jainism.[2][5]

Starting in 1121, Hemachandra was involved in the construction of the Jain temple
at Taranga. His influence on Kumarapala resulted in Jainism becoming the official
religion of Gujarat and animal slaughter was banned in the state. The tradition of
animal sacrifice in the name of religion was completely uprooted in Gujarat. As a
result, even almost 900 years after Hemchandra, Gujarat still continues to be a
predominantly lacto-vegetarian state, despite having an extensive coastline.[2][3]

Death[edit]
He announced about his death six months in advance and fasted in his last days, a
Jain practice called sallekhana. He died at Anhilwad Patan. The year of death
differs according to sources but 1173 is generally accepted.[1]

Works[edit]