U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009

Jainism and Medieval Scholarship

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who among the following medieval scholars/writers belonged to the Jain religion?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Jain scholars significantly influenced medieval Indian politics and literature, especially in the Solanki (Chaulukya) courts of Gujarat.

Explanation Hemachandra Suri (1088–1172 CE) was a polymath often called 'Kalikala-Sarvajna' (The Omniscient of the Kali Age). He was the chief advisor to the Solanki King Kumarapala.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Hemchandra authored the 'Siddha-Hema-Shabdanushasana', a massive work on grammar that includes both Sanskrit and Prakrit.
Logic 2: He was instrumental in converting King Kumarapala to Jainism, leading to the prohibition of animal slaughter (Ahinsa) in Gujarat.
Logic 3: He also documented the Fibonacci sequence long before European mathematicians.

Active Recall

Question

What title was given to Hemchandra for his vast knowledge?

Answer

He was known as 'Kalikala-Sarvajna', meaning the all-knowing scholar of the modern era.

Core Insight

Hemchandra Suri bridges the gap between religious Jain texts and secular scholarship in grammar, logic, and mathematics.