Pandit Shree Jaychandji Chhabara
Among the distinguished prose and verse writers of Hindi Jain literature, the name of Pandit Jaychandji Chhabara stands out. He was born in the village of Fagi, located about 30 miles from Jaipur. His father, Motiram Ji, worked as a patwari (village record keeper), which led to their lineage being known as the "Patwari lineage."
At the young age of 11, Pandit Jaychandji was drawn toward Jainism and undertook a deep study of Jain philosophy and metaphysics. In Vikram Samvat 1821 (1764 CE), a grand Indradhvaja Puja festival was organized in Jaipur, where the revered Acharyakalpa Pandit Todarmal Ji delivered spiritual discourses. Inspired by his words, Pandit Jaychandji developed profound devotion toward Jainism and spent nearly four years in Jaipur studying foundational Jain philosophical texts.
He was known for his simple and generous nature, living a modest life with plain attire. A devoted lay follower and a connoisseur of philosophical study, he regularly welcomed fellow seekers of Jain scriptures. His son, Nandlal Ji, was also a highly capable scholar who assisted him in his reading and writing endeavours.
Once, a foreign scholar came to Jaipur for a debate, and most local scholars were defeated. The city officials and scholarly council requested Pandit Jaychandji to engage in the debate. Instead, he sent his son Nandlal Ji, who, through his reasoning and mastery of Jain philosophy, defeated the foreign scholar. As a result, Nandlal Ji received great honour and was awarded a title by the city.
Pandit Jaychandji acknowledged Nandlal Ji’s assistance in all his commentarial works, notably in the preface of Sarvārthasiddhi. He lived during the 19th century Vikram Samvat era and authored the following commentaries and translations:
- Sarvārthasiddhi Vachanika
- Tattvārtha Sūtra Bhāṣā
- Prameya Ratnamālā Ṭīkā
- Swami Kartikeya Anuprekṣā Ṭīkā
- Dravya Saṅgraha Ṭīkā
- Samayasāra Ṭīkā
- Devāgama Stotra Ṭīkā
- Aṣṭapāhuḍ Bhāṣā
- Jñānārṇava Bhāṣā
- Bhaktāmara Stotra
- Pad Saṅgraha
- Chandraprabha Charitra
- Dhanya Kumar Charitra
The language of his commentaries is Dhundhari (a dialect of Rajasthani). Thus, Pandit Jaychandji Chhabara made an extraordinary contribution to enriching Jain literature.