Acharya Hemachandra and the Fire Trap

Acharya Hemachandra was known as 'Kalikalasarvajna' (The Omniscient of the Dark Age) due to his vast knowledge. His growing influence over King Siddharaja Jaisimha (and later Kumarapala) caused immense jealousy among the orthodox court priests.

These rival priests hatched a wicked conspiracy. They invited Acharya Hemachandra to a newly built wooden library under the pretext of examining some rare manuscripts. Once the Acharya was inside, they locked the heavy doors from the outside and set the building on fire.

As the flames quickly engulfed the wooden structure, the conspirators rejoiced, thinking they had finally eliminated the Jain monk.

Inside, Hemachandracharya did not panic. He sat down in the lotus position, entered a state of deep, absolute meditation, and surrounded himself with a protective aura of pure spiritual energy (some accounts say he used a specific yogic technique or mantra).

When the fire burned out and the king arrived, devastated by the news, they searched the ashes. To the absolute shock of everyone, they found Acharya Hemachandra sitting completely unharmed amidst the smoldering ruins. Not even a thread of his monastic robes was scorched.

The king ordered the execution of the conspirators, but Hemachandracharya immediately stopped him. 'O King, a Jain monk harbors no revenge. If I forgive them, who are you to punish them?' The conspirators, overwhelmed by his supreme forgiveness and power, fell at his feet and became his devotees.