1088 - 1172

Quick facts

  • Also known as:
    • Acharya Hemachandra Suri
    • Hemacandra
    • Acharya Hemachandra
    • हेमचन्द्राचार्य
    • ヘーマチャンドラ
  • Color intensity: balanced
  • Lifespan: 84 years
  • Top-ranked work: Seated Rishabha Enthroned, Folio 1 verso of a Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra
  • Top 3 works:
    • Seated Rishabha Enthroned, Folio 1 verso of a Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra
    • Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Yoga-shastra: Jain monk with Disciple and Two Laymen, Two Nuns and a Laywoman below (verso)
  • Museums on this site: Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Died: 1172

The Polymath of Gujarat

Hemachandra was a prolific scholar and monk of the Śvetāmbara school of Jainism. Born in Dhandhuka, India, he was a man of immense intellect, earning the title kalikālasarvajña, meaning "the knower of all knowledge in his times." His vast contributions spanned numerous disciplines, including mathematics, history, philosophy, poetry, and grammar. As a grammarian, he produced the Siddha-Hema-Śabdanuśāśana, a work that included six different languages. He is also recognized as the father of the Gujarati language.

His mathematical insights were profound; he described the Fibonacci sequence around 1150, decades before Fibonacci. He also applied mathematical principles to the study of Sanskrit poetic rhythms, calculating the various patterns possible from short and long syllables.

A Life of Scholarship and Service

Throughout his life, Hemachandra served as an adviser to King Kumārapāla and was a prominent figure in the Chaulukya royal court. His literary output was vast, ranging from the epic poem Triśaṣṭi-śalākā-puruṣacarita, which details the lives of important figures in Jainism, to political treatises like the Arhannīti. He was a master of many forms, including lexicography, prosody, and logic.

Hemachandra's influence extended into the social and religious fabric of the region. His involvement in the construction of the Jain temple at Taranga and his influence on King Kumārapāla contributed to Jainism becoming the official religion of Gujarat. He concluded his life through the practice of sallekhana, a Jaina fast, and died in Patan.

Vraag en antwoord

Onder welke pseudoniemen of andere namen is Hemachandra bekend?

Hemachandra staat ook bekend onder de namen Acharya Hemachandra Suri, Hemacandra, Acharya Hemachandra, हेमचन्द्राचार्य, ヘーマチャンドラ.

Hoe vind ik werken van Hemachandra in een specifiek kleurenpalet?

Om werken van Hemachandra in een specifiek kleurenpalet te vinden, kunt u de Op kleurpalet pagina van de kunstenaar gebruiken.

Waar kan ik statistieken vinden over de werken van Hemachandra?

Er is een Statistieken-pagina voor Hemachandra, met statistieken over de kunstwerken van de kunstenaar op deze website.

In welke stad en welk land is Hemachandra geboren?

Hemachandra werd geboren in Dhandhuka, in India.

Quick quiz

Er is slechts één goed antwoord op elke vraag.

Vraag 1:
In which Indian state was Hemachandra born?
Vraag 2:
Which mathematical sequence did Hemachandra describe around 1150, decades before Fibonacci?
Vraag 3:
What was Hemachandra's birth name?
Vraag 4:
Which work is a Sanskrit epic poem on the history of important figures in Jainism?
Vraag 5:
Hemachandra was an adviser to which king?