Rajendrasuri


Rajendrasuri was a Svetambara Jain monk and reformer of monk traditions of the 19th century. He wrote many books on Jainism including Abhidhānarājaindrakōśa, a dictionary of Prakrit defining 60000 terms used in Jain works.

Early life

Acharya Rajendrasuri was born to businessman Rishabhadas Parakh and Keshardevi. His birth name was Ratna Raj. He was born on 3 December 1827 at Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Ascetic life

He was initiated as a Jain yati by Hemavijay at Udaipur on Vaishakh Shukla 5 Vikram Samvat 1904 and given a new name, Ratnavijay. He was the first yati initiated in the 19th century. Later his name was changed to Rajendrasuri upon his elevation to acharya rank.
He studied under Pramodsuri and Jain yati monk Sagarchand. Dharanendrasuri, impressed by his scholarship, appointed him as his daftari. Ratnavijay was disappointed with the luxurious life of Dharanendrasuri and left him in 1864 AD. Later he became the leader of Tapa Gaccha.
He led a movement in 1880 to reform yati tradition at Jaora, resulting in near extinction of it. He opposed the luxurious life of the Jain yatis, contradictory to Jain principles of non-possession and non-violence. He issued a nine-point manifesto known as Nav-kalama. He explained nine principles to reform Jain yati tradition. His manifesto was accepted after some initial opposition. Many leading yati and monks gave up their luxurious life and started following Jain principles. He established Agama or Samakit Gaccha, later known as Tristutik Gaccha.
He restored and reconstructed some Jain temples and consecrated 1023 icons of Tirthankaras. He visited Rajasthan and Malwa where he delivered religious discourses in Malwi, Marwari languages. He also opposed worship of other gods and goddesses over the worship of Tirthankars.
Rajendrasuri died on 21 December 1906 at Mohankheda, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Later, Mohankheda became a centre for learning and a tirtha around 1940.

Works

Rajendrasuri wrote, collected and edited some Jain works. He compiled the Prakrit dictionary, Abhidhānarājaindrakōśa, in seven volumes with 9200 pages describing 60000 terms.
His works include:
  1. Abhidhānarājaindrakōśa
  2. Prakrit Vyakruti
  3. Kalpasutra Prabodhini
  4. Khartar Taskar Prabandh
  5. Bhagawati Sutra Sateek
  6. Gachchhar Payanna
  7. Terapanth Prashnottar Vichara
  8. Mahanishitha Sutra
  9. Brahata sangrihani
  10. Upasaka Dashanga Sutra
  11. Prakrit Shabda Rupawali
  12. Deepmalika Katha
  13. Holika Katha
  14. Gandhara vad
  15. Karma Vichar
  16. Tatva Vichar
  17. Kalpasutra Balavabodh
  18. Jinupadesh Manjiri
  19. Kalyanmandir Stotra
  20. Jyotirya Kalpalata
  21. Swarodhya-gyan and Yantravali
  22. Vichar-sar Prakranam
  23. Sanskrit Vyakarnam
  24. Laghu Sanghgrahani
  25. Amarkosh
  26. Navpad Puja Prasnothar
  27. Upadhan Vidhi
  28. Sratakatriyam
  29. Chandrika Vyakaranam
  30. Kavyaprakash Mulamam
  31. Varnamala
  32. Upasaka Dashang Sutra
  33. Ek Sou Aath bol
  34. Upadesh Ratna saara
  35. Treloyaka Deepika Yantravali
  36. Karna Granth
  37. Saptati Shatasthan Yantravali
  38. Dwashisth Margana Yantravali
  39. Shada Dravya Vichara
  40. Siddhanta Prakash
  41. Asthanhika Vyakhyana
  42. Sindura Prakara-satika
  43. Bhayhara Stotra
The original copy of these books are stored in libraries of Ahor, Rajasthan; Jaora; Mohankheda, Madhya Pradesh; Tharad and Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Recognition

Shrines dedicated to him were erected at several places in India including Mohankheda, Bhinmal,Dhanera, Jalore, Bangalore, Bijapur, Ahemdabad, Tharad, Bharatpur, Indore, Ratlam, and Santhu etc. His death centenary was celebrated in 2006 at Mohankheda.