User:Indian Chronicles/Phoolchandra Shastri

Siddhantacharya Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri (11 April 1901 — 31 August 1991) was a Jain scholar, writer, editor, freedom fighter, social reformer and an intellectual giant in the field of Jainism. He is best known for dedicating a major part of his life in translating to Hindi the foremost and the oldest Digambara Jain Canon Satkhandāgama and Kasayapahuda its commentaries Dhavala, Maha-Dhavala and Jai-Dhavala. He was also an active member of Indian National Congress. He was also a strong advocate and proponent of abolishing many evils within the Jain community. Panditji was also the founding member of many institutes of learning and scholarship. As a recognition of his contribution to Jain philosophy, he was conferred a title of "Siddhantacharya" at Jain Siddhant Bhavan, Ara (Bihar) in 1962 by the Governor of Bihar Ananthasayanam Ayyangar.

Early Life
Panditji was born in the village of Silawan, District Lalitpur which is part of Bundelkhand in state of Uttar Pradesh on April 11th, 1901. Singhai Daryavlaljl Jain and his wife Jankibai were his parents. He completed his studies in 1920 from in Visharad Shri Mahavir Digamber Jain Pathshala, Sadhumal in Lalitpur. He did his Masters in Philosophy (Siddhant Shastri) from Shri Gopal Digamber Jain Vidyalaya, Muraina in 1922. He married in 1923 at the age of 22 years. He took a position of lecturer on Jain Philosophy in Kashi Hindu Vishvavidyalaya and Syadvad Digamabara Jain Mahavidyalaya, Varanasi from 1924 to 1928. He migrated from Silawan to Bina and from there he migrated and settled in Varanasi. Despite of not coming from financially sound family, Panditji ensured that he completed his education. He was motivated and financially helped by Sheth Laxmichand Jain (1856-1920) a zamindar and businessman of Lalitpur.

Career as a Jain Pandit
As noted by Prakash Jain in his book Jain Community of Bundelkhand, one of the main objectives of the Jain Sanskrit Vidyalayas, that is, Jain Sanskrit Institutes and Universities was to produce a large number of Jain Pandits or lay scholars well versed in the ancient languages of Prakrit and Sanskrit as well as Jain doctrine to study and conduct research on the vast body of untapped ancient texts preserved in temple complexes and shastra bhandars for centuries. However the life of these Pandits was a difficult one due to irregular source of income and migration in search of work. They were also expected to live a simple, austre and conservative life style befitting a Jain Pandit. Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri was one such quintessential Jain Pandit who let a simple and austre life and left behind a vast and rich legacy of works in form of translations, editing and books authored by him.

Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri had an excellent understanding of the Jain philosophy and was considered as one of the greatest exponent on Jain theory of Karma. He enunciated on philosophical and controversial topics in Jainism such as caste, stri-multi (liberation of women) and inherent purity of souls. These topics were a matter of great debate between Digambara Pandits of Benaras. As noted by Jain scholar, Prof. Padmanabh Jaini, Panditji's publishing of his research on niyativada based on various ancient Jain texts resulted in a great deal of debate amongst the Jain scholars. His interpretation on the philosophical concept of niyati or pre-destination, opened up a new field of research for a comparative study of Ajivika and Jain doctrines of bondage and salvation. He along with his close friends and colleagues Pandit Kailash Chandra and Pandit Jaganmohan Lalji, were famously known as Ratnatrayi, that is, three jewels of Jainism. He was a protege of noted Jain scholar and philosopher Ganeshprasad Varni. While he belonged to Digambara Terapanth tradition his ecumenical and non-sectarian approach helped him in reducing tensions between Samaiya community of Taran Panth and his own Parvar community of Digambara Terapanth to which he belonged.

Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri is best known for editing and translating Shatkhandagama and Kasayapahuda. These two texts represents the most important Digambara Jain Cannonical literature which was revived to the modern society through the efforts of Panditji and a team of eminent Jain scholars like Dr. Hiralal Jain, Dr. A.N. Upadhye, Pt. Kailashchandra Shastri, Pt. Hiralal Shastri, Pt. Balachandra Shastri, Pt. Nathuram Premi and Pt. Devakinandan Nayak. The entire work was carried on the basis of ancient palm leaf manuscripts from 1939 which went on till 1985. Padmanabh Jaini notes that Shatkhandagama and Kasayapahuda along with their commentaries Dhavala, Mahadhavala and Jayadhavala, which were edited by Pandit Phoolchandra, were of epic proportions comprising of 172,000 shlokas. He has also authored numerous books on Jainism like Varna, Jati Aur Dharma and Jain Tattvamimamsa. Besides the translation of Shatkhandagama and Kasayapahuda, he has edited and translated numerous Jain ancient texts like Tattvarthasutra, Ratnakarand Sravakachara and Sarvarthasiddhi. He also edited Journals like Shanti-Sindhu published by Acharya Shanti Sagar Saraswati Bhawan, Natepute (Solapur) from 1935 to 1937 and another journal Jnanodaya published by Bhartiya Jnanpeeth, Kashi from 1949 to 1952.

Freedom Fighter and other Social Causes
Along with his career as a lecturer and Jain Scholar, Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri took part in the freedom struggle of India. He became an active member of the Indian National Congress during the British rule in India. He volunteered as an office bearer at Bina, Sagar, Solapur and Amravati, District Congress Committees. At Amravati Congress Committee he held the post of joint secretary. He also took part in the various Congress conventions held at Yavatmal, Poona and Natepute. Panditji took an active part in the Quit India movement for which he was jailed. Panditji wore only Khadi clothes and was a strong proponent of Swadeshi movement.

Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri also took an active part in social issues. He opposed many evil practices and customs prevalent in Jain society. He championed the cause of right of entry for untouchables into the temples. He supported the widely opposed Harijan Temple entry Bill, 1949 on the grounds of Jain doctrine which does not believe in caste system. He also opposed the unnecessary expenditure in the name of religion especially on Gajraths, the processions of elephant-drawn chariots.

Panditji was a founding member of many institutions. He was one of the founding member and first working joint-secretary of All India Digambara Jain Vidvat Parishad in 1944. He also instrumental in founding the Shri Ganesh Varni Inter College, Lalitpur, U.P. in 1946 which was funded by Sheth Jineshwardas Taraiya of Lalitpur. He later founded Shri Ganesh Varni Digamber Jain (Research) Institute, Varanasi in 1971. In 1946 he became the founding member and secretary of Shri Sanmati Jain Niketan, Naria, Varanasi. He was also a founding member and Joint Secretary and Editor of Shri Ganesh Prasad Varni Jain Granthmala in Varanasi.

Awards and Accolades
Panditji was conferred a title of Siddhantachary at Jain Siddhant Bhavan, Ara (Bihar) in 1962 by the Governor of Bihar Dr. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar. Panditji was given the honorific Siddhantaratna by the Vice-President of India Basappa Jatti in 1974 on the occasion of the 2500th Nirvana celebrations of Bhagavan Mahavira. A felicitation volume was presented to him in 1985 in the presence of Acharya Vidyanand Muni. A silver plaque was presented to him in 1987 by the All India Digambar Jain Mahasangha. He was honoured with the Prakrit Jnan Bharti award by Swasthi Shri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka at the First National Prakrit Conference, Bangalore, 1990.

Books Authored
Books authored by Panditji :
 * Jain Dharma Aur Varna Vyavastha - Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Parishad, Delhi, 1945.
 * Vishvashanti Aur Aparigrahvaad - Shri Ganesh Varni Granthmala, Varanasi, 1946.
 * Jain Tattvamimansa - Ashok Prakashan Mandir, Varanasi, 1960.
 * Jain Tattvamimansa (revised and extended edition) - Ashok Prakashan Mandir, Varanasi, 1978; (third revised edition), - Siddhantacharya Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri Foundation, Roorkee, 1996.
 * Varna, Jati Aur Dharma - Bhartiya Jnanpeeth, 1963;
 * Jain Tatva Samiksha ka Samadhan - Pandit Todarmal Smarak Trust, Jaipur, 1987.
 * Akinchitkar, Ek Anushilan - Ashok Prakashan Mandir, Varanasi, 1990.
 * Parvar Jain Samaj ka ltihaas - Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Parvar Sabha, Jabalpur, 1992.

Translator and Editor
In addition to above, Pandit Phoolchandra Shastri also edited or translated the following texts  :
 * Shatkhandagama (Dhavala) (translator and editor) published by S.S.L.C. Jain S. Fund, Vidisha, M.P. and J.S.S. Sangha, Solapur in the years 1939-1959 and 1973-1985.
 * Kasayapahuda (Jai-Dhavala) Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Sangha, Mathura, U.P.(1941-86)
 * Mahabandha, Bhartiya Jnanapeeth, New Delhi. (1944-70)
 * Prameyaratnamala - Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, Banaras, 1928.
 * Aalap Paddhati, Shri Sakal Digamber Panchan Natepute ( Solapur), 1934.
 * Saptatikaprakarana (Edited with Hindi commentary)- Aatmanand Jain Pracharak Pustakalaya, Agra,1948.
 * Tattvarth Sutra (Edited with Hindi commentary) Ganesh Prasad Varni Jain Granthamala, Varanasi,1950, Shri Ganesh Varni Sansthan, Varanasi, 1981
 * Panchadhyayi (Hindi commentary) - Ganesh Prasad Varni Granthamala, Varanasi, 1950.
 * Jnanpeeth Pujanjali - Bhartiya Jnanpeeth Prakashan, Kashi, (second edition) 1957, 1977, 1982.
 * Sarvarthsiddhi - ( edition and translation) - Bhartiya Jnanpeeth, New Delhi, 1960, 1985.
 * Samaysaarkalash (with meanings) - Shri Digambar Jain Swadhyay Madir Trust, Songarh, 1964.
 * Shri Kahanji Swami Abhinandan Granth (Editor) - Digamber Jain Mumukshu Mandal, Mumbai, 1964.
 * Khaniya Tattva-Charcha (Book One) - Acharyakalp Pandit Todarmal Granthmala, Jaipur, 1967.
 * Khaniya Tattva-Charcha (Book Two) - Acharyakalp Pandit Todarmal Granthmala, Jaipur, 1967.
 * Samyagyan-Dipika (Edited and translated) - Shri Digambara Jain Mumukshu Mandal, Bhavnagar, 1970.
 * Labdhisaar-Kshapanasaar - Shrimad Rajchandra Aashram, Agaas, 1980.

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