Raighu

Raighu was the most prolific and the last of the great Apabhramsha poets. He also supervised the pratishtha consecration ceremony of many—perhaps most—of the Jain idols carved on the hill side in the Gwalior Fort during the rule of Tomar Dungarsingh.^[1]

He wrote many books during sam. 1440-1530 (1383–1468), and is mentioned as the supervising scholar in several inscriptions in the Gwalior fort.

He was born in the Padmavati Purval Jain community,^[2] as he himself acknowledged. He was a lay disciple of Bramha Shripal, who was a disciple of Bhattaraka Yashahkiriti of Kashtha Sangh.

His known works are:^[3]

सं १५१० वर्षे माघ सुदी ८ सोमे गोपाचल दुर्गे तोमर वंशान्वये राजा श्री डूंगरेन्द्र देव राज्य पवित्रमाने श्री काष्ठासंघ माथुरान्वये भट्टारक श्री गुणकीर्ति देवास्तत्पट्टे श्री मलयकीर्ति देवास्ततो भट्टारक गुणभद्रदेव पंडितवर्य रइघू तदाम्नाये अग्रोतवंशे वासिलगोत्रे सकेलहा भार्या निवारी तयोः पुत्र विजयष्ट शाह ... साधु श्री माल्हा पुत्र संघातिपति देउताय पुत्र संघातिपति करमसीह श्री चन्द्रप्रभु जिनबिंब महाकाय प्रतिष्ठापित प्रणमति ..शुभम् भवतु ..

A Gwalior Fort Inscription 1453 CE^[4]

• Appa Samboha Kavva: (literally addressing myself)
• Sammat Gunanihana: written on the request of Goel Agrawal Kamal Singh in sam 1492.
• Sammai Jinachariu: (life of Lord Mahavira) written on the request of Bramha Khelha, the son of Agrawal Sahu Tosau of Hisar. Bramha Khela has an idol of Chandraprabha carved in the Gwalior fort of "11 hand" height. The book also gives a history of the family of Sahu Tosau since the time of Feroze Shah.
• Sukaushal Chariu
• Savaya Chariu: at the request of Golalare Sandhadhip Kusharaj
• Balahadda Chariu: at the request of Agrawal Sahu Harsi.
• Mesehar Chariu
• Ritthanemi Chariu
• Dhanakumar Chariu
• Anathmi Kaha
• Siddhantartha Sar
• Vrattasar
• Punnasava kahakosa
• Jivandhar Chariu
• Siripal Chariu
• Dashalakshana Jayamala
• Shodhashakarana Jayamala

Some of his texts are still being discovered in Jain libraries. A Raighu Award, named after him, of Rs. 21,000 is given every year by the Shyamlal Shastri Trust in Firozabad.

See also

• History of the Hindi language

References

1. Gwalior Durga ke Kul Kuch Jain Murti Nirmata evam Mahakavi Raidhu, Rajaram Jain, Mahavir Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth, 2002
2. Padmavati Purval Digambar Jain Jati ka Udbhav aur Vikas, Ramjit Jain, Pragatishil Padmavati Purval Digambar Jain Sangathan Panjikrut, 2005, p. 77-79
3. Jain Dharma Ka Prachin Itishas, Paramanand Shastri, Gajendra Publication, 1975
4. Gopachal ke Jinamandir