Anandghan

Anandghan
Anandghan
	Idol in library of Lodhadham near Mumbai, Maharashtra
Personal
Born	Labhanand; 17th century CE; Rajputana(nowRajasthan,India)
Died	17th century CE; PossiblyMedata,Rajputana
Religion	Jainism
Sect	Śvetāmbara
Religious career
Initiation	Labhavijay

Anandghanwas a 17th-centuryJain monk,mystical poet and hymnist. Though very little is known about his life, his collection of hymns about philosophy, devotion and spirituality in vernacular languages are popular and still sung inJain temples.

Life

There is no historical information available about life of Anandghan. The majority of information is based in hagiographies andoral history.^[1]^[2]^[3]

He was born inRajputana(nowRajasthan,India). His dates differs according to sources. Generally 1603 or 1604 is accepted but he could have born before 1624 according to some estimation.^{[note 1]}^[1]^[3]His childhood name was Labhanand. He was initiated as Jain monk and named Labhavijay.^[4]He might belonged toTapa Gacchabranch ofMurtipujaka ŚvetāmbaraJainism but Jain monastic hierarchy does not mention him. He might have lived as ascetic not associated with any organized ascetic branches. He stayed in the area of present-day northGujaratandRajasthanin India. Legends associate him withMount AbuandJodhpur.He is associated withYashovijayalso and said to have met him. He could have died inMedatain Rajasthan as a hall is dedicated to him is there. His death dates varies according to sources. Generally accepted dates are 1673 or 1674 but could have died before 1694.^{[note 2]}^[1]^[3]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Works

His language is mix of vernacular languages likeGujarati,RajasthaniandBraj.It follows Rajasthani style of diction but is written in medieval Gujarati. It was the time whenBhakti movementwas at peak and majority of devotional poets of time wrote in such vernacular languages. His works are focusedbhakti(devotion) as well as internal spirituality.^[1]^[3]^[5]

Anandghan Chauvisiis the philosophical treatises which supposed to contain twenty four hymns but contains twenty two. Other two hymns were later added by others. Each verse is dedicated to one of twenty four Jaintirthankaras.The legend tells that he composed these hymns in Mount Abu during his meet with Yashovijay who memorised them.^[1]^[3]^[5]^[4]^[8]

Anandghan Bahattariis the anthology of hymns which differs in a number of hymns according to different manuscripts. This anthology was formed by 1775 and was transmitted orally as well as the written manuscripts. It containspada(verses) with differentragas.Some of these verses drawn from other poets likeKabir,Surdas,Banarasidasand others.^[1]^[3]^[5]

Legacy

Yashovijay,the philosopher Jain monk, was influenced by him. He wrote commentary onChauvisiand also wrote eight verseAshtapadidedicated to him.^[3]^[9]^[10]

His hymns are still popular in followers of Jainism as well as non-Jains because they are nonsectarian in nature and put emphasis on internal spirituality. They are sung in Jain temples. They are found in religious hymn collections especially in the collection ofDigambarahymns even though he is associated with Śvetāmbara sects. A religious camp organized byShrimad RajchandraMission ofRakesh Jhaveriin 2006 at Dharampur, Gujarat had lectures onChauvisi.Mahatma Gandhiincluded his hymn, "One may say Rama, Rahman, Krishna or Shiva, then" inAshram Bhajanavali,his prayer book.^[3]

A Gujarati playApoorav Khela(2012) based on his life was produced by Dhanvant Shah and directed byManoj Shah.^[11]

Notes and references

Note

^Bangha and Fynes 2013: xxvii–xxx
^Bangha and Fynes 2013: xxvii–xxx

References

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^fImre Bangha; Richard Fynes (15 May 2013).It's a City-showman's Show!: Transcendental Songs of Anandghan.Penguin Books Limited. pp. x–xxxi.ISBN 978-81-8475-985-3.
^Manohar Bandopadhyay (1 September 1994).Lives And Works Of Great Hindi Poets.B. R. Publ. p. 68.ISBN 978-81-7018-786-8.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^hBalbir, Nalini."Anandghan".Institute of Jainology - Jainpedia.Retrieved16 September2014.
^^a ^bBehramji Malabari(1882).Gujarat and the Gujaratis: Pictures of Men and Manners Taken from Life.Asian Educational Services. p. 189.ISBN 978-81-206-0651-7.
^^a ^b ^c ^dAmaresh Datta (1987).Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo.Sahitya Akademi. p. 163.ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.
^Ronald Stuart McGregor (1984).Hindi literature from its beginnings to the nineteenth century.Harrassowitz. p. 204.ISBN 9783447024136.
^Jeṭhālāla Nārāyaṇa Trivedī (1987).Love Poems & Lyrics from Gujarati.Gurjar Grantha Ratna Karyalaya. p. 67.
^John Cort (16 November 2009).Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History.Oxford University Press. pp. 102–.ISBN 978-0-19-973957-8.
^Achyut Yagnik; Suchitra Sheth (2 February 2011).Ahmedabad: From Royal city to Megacity.Penguin Books Limited. p. 52.ISBN 978-81-8475-473-5.
^Paul Dundas (2002).The Jains.Psychology Press. p. 238.ISBN 978-0-415-26606-2.
^"નવું નાટક: આજે ઓપન થાય છે: અપૂરવ ખેલા".Gujarati Midday(in Gujarati). 1 April 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 22 August 2018.Retrieved22 August2018.

External links

Anandghan on Jainpedia

[4] Bangha and Fynes 2013: xxvii–xxx

[6] Bangha and Fynes 2013: xxvii–xxx

[bf-1] Imre Bangha; Richard Fynes (15 May 2013).It's a City-showman's Show!: Transcendental Songs of Anandghan.Penguin Books Limited. pp. x–xxxi.ISBN 978-81-8475-985-3.

[Bandopadhyay1994-2] Manohar Bandopadhyay (1 September 1994).Lives And Works Of Great Hindi Poets.B. R. Publ. p. 68.ISBN 978-81-7018-786-8.

[jp-3] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^hBalbir, Nalini."Anandghan".Institute of Jainology - Jainpedia.Retrieved16 September2014.

[Malabari1882-5] Behramji Malabari(1882).Gujarat and the Gujaratis: Pictures of Men and Manners Taken from Life.Asian Educational Services. p. 189.ISBN 978-81-206-0651-7.

[Datta1987-7] Amaresh Datta (1987).Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo.Sahitya Akademi. p. 163.ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.

[McGregor1984-8] Ronald Stuart McGregor (1984).Hindi literature from its beginnings to the nineteenth century.Harrassowitz. p. 204.ISBN 9783447024136.

[Trivedī1987-9] Jeṭhālāla Nārāyaṇa Trivedī (1987).Love Poems & Lyrics from Gujarati.Gurjar Grantha Ratna Karyalaya. p. 67.

[Cort2009-10] John Cort (16 November 2009).Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History.Oxford University Press. pp. 102–.ISBN 978-0-19-973957-8.

[YagnikSheth2011-11] Achyut Yagnik; Suchitra Sheth (2 February 2011).Ahmedabad: From Royal city to Megacity.Penguin Books Limited. p. 52.ISBN 978-81-8475-473-5.

[Dundas2002-12] Paul Dundas (2002).The Jains.Psychology Press. p. 238.ISBN 978-0-415-26606-2.

[13] "નવું નાટક: આજે ઓપન થાય છે: અપૂરવ ખેલા".Gujarati Midday(in Gujarati). 1 April 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 22 August 2018.Retrieved22 August2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[note 1]

[4]

[note 2]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

v t e Jain monks and nuns
Pattavali Ganadhara Indrabhuti Gautama Sudharmaswami Bhadrabahu Umaswati
Digambara monks
Branches	Mula Sangha Balatkara Gana Kashtha Sangha Taran Panth Bispanthi Digambara Terapanth Yapaniya Kanji Panth
Ancient	Dharasena Kundakunda Samantabhadra Pushpadanta Bhutabali Vattakera
Medieval	Amritchandra Bhadrabahu II Gunabhadra Pujyapada Nemichandra Virasena Jinasena Jayasena Akalanka Manatunga Ravisena Kumudendu Harisena Aparajita Yativṛṣabha Prabhācandra Vidyananda Taran Svami
Modern	Acharya Shantisagar Deshbhushan Vidyasagar Guptinandi Gyansagar Aryanandi Saubhagyasagar Muni Guptisagar Kshamasagar Pragyasagar Pramansagar Pranamsagar Pulaksagar Sudhasagar Tarun Sagar Kshullak Ganeshprasad Varni Jinendra Varni Aryika Gyanmati
Śvetāmbaraascetics
Gacchas	Upkeśa Gaccha Tapa Gaccha Kharatara Gaccha
Ancient	Keśiśramanācharya Swayamprabhasuri Ratnaprabhasuri Bhadrabahu Sthulabhadra Jinabhadra Devardhigani Siddhasena Vimalsuri
Medieval	Haribhadra Hemachandra Aryarakshitsuri Kalyansagarsuri Yashovijaya Jinadattasuri Jinaharsha Anandghan Hiravijaya Manatunga Vidyamandansuri Udayaratna
Modern	Buddhisagarsuri Chandrashekhar Vijay Jambuvijaya Mahāprajña Mahashraman Prem Suri Vimalsagarsuri Ramchandra Suri Rajendrasuri Ratnasundarsuri Kalapurnasuri Tulsi Vijayanandsuri Vallabhsuri Daulatsagarsuri Hansratnasuri