जन्म नाम- सुलतान कुमार
गौत्रा- रीहड़ गौत्र
माता- सौ. श्रिया देवी
पिता- श्रेष्ठि श्रीवन्तजी शाह ओसवाल
जन्म स्थान- खेतसर जोधपुर के पास, राज.
जन्म तिथि- वि.सं. 1595, चैत्रा वदि 12
दीक्षा- वि.सं. 1604, भोपालगढ़-बडलु, राज., दादावाडी स्थल पर
दीक्षित नाम- सुमतिधीर मुनि
गुरू नाम- खरतरगच्छ नायक श्री जिनमाणिक्यसूरिजी म.
आचार्य पद- वि.सं. 1612, भादवा सुदि 9
बीकानेर चातुर्मास- रांगडी चौक स्थित बडे उपाश्रय में
सूरिमन्त्र प्रदाता- आचार्य श्री जिनगुणप्रभसूरिजी म.
क्रियाद्धार- वि.सं. 1614, चैत्र वदि 7, बीकानेर
छम्मासी तपाराधना- वि.सं. 1615, महेवा नगर में
पौषधविधि प्रकरण टीका रचना- पाटण में वि.सं. 1616
पाटण में जयपताका- वि.स. 1617 कार्तिक सुदि 7 को अनेक आचार्य की उपस्थिति में
खंभात प्रतिष्ठा- वि.स. 1618
बीकानेर प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1622, वैशाख सुदि 3
पट्टधर शिष्य दीक्षा- वि.सं. 1623, मिगसर वदि 5
पट्टधर शिष्य- मानसिंह, दीक्षित नाम- मुनि महिमराज, आचार्य नाम- श्री जिनसिंह सूरि
प्रथम शिष्य- श्री सकलचन्द्र गणि
विद्वान प्रशिष्य- महोपाध्याय श्री समयसुंदरजी म.
मुगल सेना उपद्रव निवारण- वि.सं. 1624, नाडोलाई
बीकानेर प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1630
विपक्षी उपद्रव निवारण- वि.सं. 1633 में फलौदी पाश्र्वनाथ तीर्थ के ताले हस्त स्पर्श मात्रा से खोले
देराउर यात्रा व चातुर्मास- वि.सं. 1634 वर्त. पाकिस्तान
शास्त्रार्थ विजय- पाटण वि.सं. 1642
धर्मसागरीय उत्सूत्रों का खंडण- अहमदाबाद वि.सं. 1643
संघ यात्रा- वि.सं. 1644, सोमजी शाह संघपति, अहमदाबाद से पालीताणा
अहमदाबाद प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1646, विजयादशमी, शिवासोमजी के शान्ति जिनालय की
अकबर के शाही विनती पत्र- वि.सं. 1648
लाहौर भेजा- महिमराज मुनि, मुनि समयसुंदरजी आदि को
सिरोही में अमारी घोषणा- वि.सं. 1648 में प्रतिपूर्णिमा
जालोर चातुर्मास- वि.सं. 1648
संघ आगमन- नागौर में बीकानेर का संघ 300 पालखी व 400 वाहन में
लाहौर प्रवेश- वि.सं. 1648, पफाल्गुण सुदि 2, पुष्य योग, 31 पंडितवर्य मुनिवरों के साथ
अकबर द्वारा गुरू भक्ति- ‘बडे गुरू’ कहकर अहोभाव से प्रतिदिन प्रवचन श्रवण
अकबर द्वारा फरमान- शत्रुंंजय आदि तीर्थों को मंत्री कर्मचन्द बच्छावत के अधीन किया
अमारी प्रवर्तन- संपूर्ण भारत में विभिन्न राजाओं ने सूरिजी से प्रभावित हो अमारी घोषणा करवाई
पदारोहण- लाहौर में अकबर बादशाह की उपस्थिति में विधिविधानपूर्वक ‘युग प्रधान’ पद एवं आचार्य-उपाध्याय-वाचनाचार्य पद शिष्यों को प्रदान किए
अभयदान- 1 वर्ष तक समुद्र के जीवों को अभयदान घोषणा
चमत्कार- अकबर को भुगर्भ में 3 जीव बताना, काजी की टोपी को चलायमान करना, अमावस को चांद उगाना
चोर उपद्रव- हस्तलिखित ग्रन्थों को चोरी कर ले जाते चोरों को अन्धेपन का अहसास व ग्रन्थ पुन: समर्पित करने आए
पुन: फरमान- धर्मसागर लिखित ‘प्रवचन परीक्षा’ ग्रन्थ को शाही फरमान द्वारा निराकृत किया
मणिभद्र वश किया- चन्द्रवेली पत्तन में पंचनदी पर पांच पीर, मणिभद्र यक्ष, खोडिया क्षेत्रपालादि सेवा में उपस्थित हुए व सहायता का वचन दिया
अहमदाबाद प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1653 माघ सुदि 10 को प्रतिष्ठाएं करवाई, धन्ना सुथार की पोल, शामला पोल, टेमला की पोल में
शत्रुंजय में प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1654 में ज्येष्ट सुदि 11 को दादा दरबार के स्नात्र मंडप में श्री जिनदत्तसूरि व श्री जिनकुशल सूरि चरण युगल प्रतिष्ठा
सिरोही प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1657, माघ सुदि 10
महेवा प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1661, मिगसर वदि 5 को कांकरिया कम्मा द्वारा निर्मित मन्दिर की प्रतिष्ठा
बीकानेर प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1662, चैत्र वदि 7 को नाहटा की गवाड में शत्रुंजयावतार मन्दिर प्रतिष्ठा
बीकानेर प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1664 वैसाख सुदि 7 को महावीर जिनालय की प्रतिष्ठा
आगरा के दरबार में- वि.सं. 1669 में जहांगीर के शासन में साधु विहार खुलवाकर स्थानीय भट्ट को पराजित कर ‘सवाई युगप्रधान पदवी’ से सम्मानित किया
ग्रन्थ रचना- शाम्ब प्रद्युम्न चौपाई, बारह व्रत रास, पाश्र्वनाथ स्तोत्र, पंचतीर्थी स्तोत्र, अष्टमद चौपई आदि अनेक
आपके निश्रावर्ति साधु- प्राय: 2500
स्वशिष्य- 95 मुनि
प्रशिष्य- सैंकडों मुनि भगवंत
गोत्र स्थापना- प्रतिबोध दे 18 गोत्र स्थापित किये
चातुर्मास- राजस्थान में 29, गुजरात में 20, पंजाब में 5, दिल्ली व आगरा में 5 किये
अंतिम आराधना - 4 प्रहर का अनशन
अंतिम समय- वि.सं. 1670, आसोज वदि 2
अंतिम चातुर्मास- बिलाड़ा नगर
अंतिम आश्चर्य- आपके अग्नि संस्कार में मुंहपत्ति को चिंगारी का भी स्पर्श नहीं हुआ, सुरक्षित रही
चरण प्रतिष्ठा- वि.सं. 1670 के मिगसर वदि 10 को, अग्नि संस्कार स्थल पर स्तूप में चरणों की प्रतिष्ठा आपके पट्टधर श्री जिनसिंहसूरिजी द्वारा
ऐसे महा प्रभावशाली गुरूदेव को अनंतश: वंदनायें समर्पित है।
DADA SHRI JIN CHANDRA SURI
17th century witnessed the emergence of many great Acharyas. Dada Shri Jin Chandra Suri was one of them and is widely known as Akbar Pratibodhak.
He was born in Samvat 1595 in the hindu month of Chaitra in a village called Khetasar in the former Jodhpur State. His parents, Seth Shrivant Shah and Shridevi named him Sultan Kumar, and his gotra was Rihad.
In Samvat 1604, the leader of the Khartar Gacch at that time, Jin Manakya Suri, came to the village. Sultan Kumar attended his discourses daily and took on learning more about Jainism. His parents soon noticed that his playfulness had disappeared and he had become vaguely indifferent to worldly affairs. On enquiring he confessed to his parents that he wanted to live his life learning about Jainism and preaching its ideals to the world.
His parents agreed, and Sultan Kumar was initiated forthwith. At the tender age of nine years, Sultan Kumar was initiated into the Jain order of monks by Jin Manakya Suri, and was given the name of Sumati Dhir Muni.
In a short span of time, Muni Sumati Dhir became well versed in the knowledge of Aagams. He then traveled with Jin Manakya Suri, spreading the message of Jainism and inspiring many people to follow Jain lifestyle.
In Samvat 1612 in the hindu month of Ashadh, Jin Manakya Suri passed away. Shortly after his guru's death, Shri Gunprabh Suriji proclaimed seventeen-year-old Sumati Dhir Muni as Jin Manakya Suri's successor in Jaisalmer. From thereon, he came to be known as Jin Chandra Suri.
The ceremony was held with great zeal and fervour and it was all arranged by Maharaval Maldev. On that very night, looking to the deep devotion to the teacher, Jin Manakya Suriji appeared to him.
Even in the prime of his youth, he remained steadfast in self discipline and working towards the upliftment of Khartar Gach. He was a great reformer who instituted strict new rules for mendicants and ably defended the Khartar Gacch against its detractors.
While in Bikaner, Acharyashri declared that monks who cannot observe self discipline, may well retire from monkhood and become a householder. There is no place of nay relaxation in the strict self discipline of the monkhood. All those who were unable to live upto the strict practices of monkhood were asked to put on the clothes of a house-holder and were given the name of ‘mathren mahatma’. Some of them began to earn their livelihood by painting while others by writing or teaching.
With the help of Shri Sangram Singh, a minister in Bikaner, in the hindu month of Chaitra in Samvat 1614, he framed many rules for strict observance of the duties of a jain monk and made it mandatory for all monks in Khartar Gach sect to follow.
In a short span of time, he brought about revolutionary changes in society, religious administration and religion. At the age of nineteen, undertaking this onerous responsibility and succeeding in implementing changes for the upliftment of Khartar Gach was highly praised by everyone.
He toured many places, conducted initiation ceremonies, built temples, organized Athais (fasts of eight days), and inspired pilgrimages. He wrote a book called ‘Paushad Vidhi’.
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Once, Dada Jin Chandra Suri sojourned at Nadlai, where the Moghul army was positioned. The havoc created by them had led people homeless and scared. Jain families were seeking shelter and security. Without an iota of fear, Dada Jin Chandra Suri retreated to dhyan in the midst of the chaotic atmosphere. His spiritual powers drove out the Moghul army and establish peace all over again in Nadlai.
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Once, Dada Jin Chandra Suri came to Ahmedabad. He met two brothers, Shivaji and Somji, who belonged to Dasha Porwad sub-caste. The brothers sold melons for a living.
Dada foresaw their future which was going to bring lot of weath in their lives. Sudden rise to richness can result in greed and disparity between brothers. He enlightened them on religion and values, which one should give utmost importance through all ups and downs of life.
One day, Suriji and Somji came to Gurudev and said that they couldn’t practice many religious vows as their financial situation didn’t allow them to do so. Gurudev told them that one day the fruits of your hard work will bring you prosperity.
It so happened that the Moghul army came to Ahmedabad in those days. It was summer. Army men searched for melons and watermelons all across town but could not find any. At last, they came to the two brothers who had priced the melons at one gold coin per melon. Despite being very expensive, their whole stock of melons was sold. Suriji and Somji became very rich, and considered this wealth a blessing of Gurudev. In his honor, they took out a pilgrimage to Palitana, and built a tempe of Lord Shantinath in Ahmedabad. Acharyashri Jin Chandra Suri’s name is mentioned in the inscriptions of this temple.
By the inspiration of Jin Chandra Suri, many temples were built in Dhanna Suthar Kipol, Shamla Ki Pol, Tamlaji Ki pol, Sheth Napara etc.
Word of his extraordinary qualities eventually reached the court of Akbar the Great. The emperor invited Jin Chandra Suri to Lahore, where he arrived in the hindu month of Phalgun in Samvat 1648, along with his 31 disciples.
Emperor Akbar held a grand reception which gathered thousands of men and women. The king was greatly impressed by the teachings of Acharyashri and heard his discourses daily in the courtyard of the palace. Akbar developed faith in Jainism and thought highly of the disciplined life of Acharya Jin Chandra Suri. As a result, Akbar issued orders eschewing the killing of animals in his state.
At one point Akbar's son, Salim, had a daughter who according to the astrologers was inauspicious for the father and urged that the infant should be abandoned or killed. Because of Jin Chandra Suri's teachings, however, Akbar instead had a snatra puja performed in the Shanti Nath Jain temple in the hindu month of Chaitra to ameliorate the problem. Because of Jin Chandra Suri's influence Akbar protected Jain places of pilgrimage and gave orders that the ceremonies and observances of Jains were not to be hindered. He also forbade the slaughter of animals for a period of one week per year.
Once when Jin Chandra Suri was entering court he suddenly stopped. When Akbar asked him to proceed he said that he could not because there were jivs in an underground drain and that he could not walk over them. An envious Qazi had in fact concealed a goat there. The Qazi asked "how many jivs?"and the monk said "three." The Qazi was quite surprised because he had placed only a single goat there, but when the drain was opened there were indeed three. The goat had been pregnant and had given birth. Akbar was duly impressed.
In another, similar incident, a Qazi tried to discredit the monk by using mantra -power to cause his own hat to fly-up into the air and hover there. The monk sent his ascetic's broom flying after the hat; the broom retrieved the hat and set it back on the Qazi's head. This incidence not only strengthened Akbar’s faith in Acharya Jin Chandra Suri but also led to Qazi becoming his staunch follower.
And once, when asked the date by some Maulvi (a Muslim scholar), one of Jin Chandra Suri's disciples had mistakingly said that it was poonam (the full moon day) when it actually was amavas (new moon day). The Maulvi then went around the city saying mockingly that a Jain monk had said that a full moon would appear in the sky on the new moon date. Even the emperor Akbar heard of this, and so for the sake of Jainism's reputation Jin Chandra Suri had to do something. That night he obtained a gold platter from a layman's house and threw it into the air where it shone like the moon. Akbar had the light tested, and it was discovered that the "moon" remained full for a distance of twenty-four miles.
Once, Akbar asked his Minister Karam Chand, “What is highest honour that can be bestowed on Acharya Jin Chandra Suri?” Karam Chand, then, narrated the life of Dada Jin Dutt Suri and that he had been given the status of “Yugpradhan’ by Goddess Ambika. Eventually, Akbar bestowed the title Yugpradhan on Jin Chandra Suri.
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With the inspiration of Acharya Jin Chandra Suri and on his insistence, Akbar had imposed a ban on cow slaughter for six months in the region governed by him. He also declared the Jain prilgrimage of Shatrunjay tax free zone.
Akbar appealed to Acharya shri to subjugate 5 Pirs residing at the confluence of 5 rivers. Acharya shri recited some mantras and subdued the Pirs. They all were deeply influenced and become devotes of Gurudev and assisted him in the work of administration.
Ministers like Sangram Singh, Karam Chand, congregation leaders like Somji and Shivaji, Theru Shah Bhansali, and many followers were the devotees of Guru Dev. Many kings and nobles had faith in Gurudev and carried out all the work instructed and inspired by Gurudev.
Akbar's son and successor, Jahangir had once seen an ascetic in Jain dress engaged in some kind of dubious conduct, and as a result, in 1611, he ordered that all Jain monks should become householders or be expelled from the empire. Hearing of this, Jincandrasuri rushed to Agra to meet with the emperor. In order to prevent a breach of his imperial order, Jahangir forbade the monk to use the imperial road. Jin chandra suri thereupon spread his woolen mat on the Jumna river and floated to his imperial audience. The emperor was surprised and pleased. The monk then made the point that the entire Jain community should not be held accountable for one person's fault, and the emperor, agreeing, rescinded his earlier order.
While staying in the Marwari village of Bilada for chaumasa, Jin chandra suri realized that his end was near. He called his disciples and lay followers together and informed them of his impending death. He named his successor and died in the hindu month of Asoj.
The whole body of Acharya Jin Chandra Suri was engulfed by fire but a piece of cloth didn’t burn. People were greatly amazed at this miracle of Acharya shri. At the place he was cremated, the congregation built a grand Samadhi Mandir.