Quick Facts
Biography
Pandit Todarmal (1719–1766) was an eminent Indian scholar of Jainism and writer in Jaipur. He had an organized system for preservation and study of Jain texts. About ten to twelve copyists were engaged to make hand written copies of important texts in different parts of the country. He made unsuccessful efforts to obtain copies of Dhavala, Jai Dhavala and other Sidhanta Shastras from Karnataka. Many of his associates became good Jain scholars. These include Pandits Jaichand Chabra, Daulatram Kasliwal, Sewaram, and Devidas Godha. According to Pandit Bakhtawar Shah, Todarmal was arrested on a false charge of removing an idol and was executed by the order of a Jaipur ruler who was under the influence of some staunch anti-Jain individuals in the court, who had become jealous of his influence. After his death, his son Gumani Ram founded Gumanpanth, a strict sect of Jainism.
Works
His twelve books include five original works and seven commentaries (Tikas). His five original books, combining both prose and poetry are:
- Rahasyapurna Chitthi
- Arthasandrishti Adhikar
- Samava SharanRachna
- Mokshmarg Prakshak
- Gommatsar Puja
He wrote Tikas in Hindi (in Dhundhari dialect) on Sanskrit works
- Atmanushasan
- Purusharthasidhupaya (which could not be completed)
and on Prakrit works
- Gommatsar Karmakand
- Labdhisar
- Chhapansar
- Triloksar
Mokshmarg Prakshak is his best-known book. He, however, could not complete it for some unknown reason. If completed, it would have been a large text of five thousand pages. Even the incomplete work of about five hundred pages is extremely popular. It has been published in Hindi, Marathi and Urdu, and is found in many Digamber Jain temples of the country.