Anandghan | |
|---|---|
 Idol in library of Lodhadham near Mumbai, Maharashtra | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Labhanand 17th century CE |
| Died | 17th century CE PossiblyMedata, Rajputana |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Jainism |
| Sect | Śvetāmbara |
| Initiation | Labhavijay |
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Ānandaghana was a 17th-centuryŚvetāmbaraJain 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.
There is no historical information available about life of Ānandaghana. 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 been born before 1624 according to some estimation.[note 1][1][3] His childhood name was Labhanand. He was initiated as a Jain monk and named Lābhavijaya.[4] He belonged toTapa Gaccha branch ofMurtipujakaŚvetāmbara Jainism and was initiated by Panyas Satyavijaya.[5] He stayed in the area of present-day northGujarat andRajasthan in India. Legends associate him withMount Abu andJodhpur. He is associated withYashovijay also and said to have met him. He could have died inMedata in 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][6][7][8]
His language is mix of vernacular languages likeGujarati,Rajasthani andBraj. It follows Rajasthani style of diction but is written in medieval Gujarati. It was the time whenBhakti movement was 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][6]
Anandghan Chauvisi is 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][6][4][9]
He is also attributed with authorship of a "Praise to Siddha" in Saṃskṛta.[10]
Anandghan Bahattari is 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,Banarasidas and others.[1][3][6]
Yashovijay, the philosopher Jain monk, was influenced by him. He wrote commentary onChauvisi and also wrote eight verseAshtapadi dedicated to him.[3][11][12]
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 ofDigambara hymns even though he is associated with Śvetāmbara sects. A religious camp organized byShrimad Rajchandra Mission ofRakesh Jhaveri in 2006 at Dharampur, Gujarat had lectures onChauvisi.Mahatma Gandhi included 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.[13]
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