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Yashovijaya (IAST: Yashovijaya, 1624–1688), a seventeenth-century Jain philosopher-monk, was a notable Indian philosopher and logician. He was a thinker, prolific writer and commentator who had a strong and lasting influence on Jainism.He was a disciple of Muni Nayavijaya in the lineage of Jain monk Hiravijaya (belonging to the Tapa Gaccha tradition of Svetambara Jains) who influenced the Mughal Emperor Akbar to give up eating meat.He is also known as Yashovijayji with honorifics like Mahopadhyaya or Upadhyaya or Gani.

Early Life:

Yashovijaya was born in a village called Kanoda in the Mehsana district in Gujarat in 1624 CE.Some sources place his year of birth as 1608 CE. His childhood name was Jasha. He belonged to the endogamous group of Oswal Jains. He lost his father when he was very young and consequently he was brought up by his mother. The inclination towards religious life was inculcated by his mother, who often used to take him to Jain upashrayas. Young Yashovijaya attracted attention of Jain monk Nayavijayaji who was impressed by his impressive memory feat of remembering the Bhaktamara Stotra at a very young age.

Life as a Monk:

He was initiated as a young monk under the stewardship of Muni Nayavijaya. According to some sources, he came to Varanasi in the company of his teacher Nayavijaya, both having disguised themselves as Brahmins to get into the matha.By some accounts, he was sent by his guru to Varanasi to study logic and philosophy along with another disciple Vinayvijaya. Other sources indicate, he had gone to Varanasi on his own in 1626, disguised as a Brahmin. By around 1638 he confessed that he was a Jain monk and was at once asked to leave the matha. But the sources are unanimous that for around 12 years he studied Sanskrit, Prakrit, logic and Metaphysics. He became skilled in the field of Navya-Ny?ya branch of logic and thus earned the titles Upajjhaya (teacher), Nyayavisharada (one who is skilled in logic) and Nyayacarya (authority on logic).

According to Jonardon Ganeri, Yashovijaya’s intellectual biography can be seen as falling under three heads: an apprenticeship in Varanasi studying Navyanyaya, a period writing Jaina philosophical treatises using the techniques and methods of Navyanyaya, and a time spent writing works with a markedly spiritual and religious orientation. One of the decisive events in the process leading to this transformation was Yashovijaya’s meeting with Anandghan, a Jain spiritual poet and monk.

He was a prolific writer and is said to have authored around 100 works in Sanskrit and Gujarati.After a career as a monk, philosopher, author, poet and logician, for almost 80 years, he died at Dabhoi, Gujarat in 1688 CE.

Works:

Some of the texts authored by Yashovijaya are:

• Ashtasahasri Tatparyavivarana Tika. Includes original text "Aptamimamsa" by Acarya Samantabhadra; 800 karika commentary on it by Acarya Akalanka called "Ashtashati", 8000 karika commentary on it by Acarya Vidyanandi called "Asthasahasri" and 16000 karika commentary on it by Upadhyaya Yashovijaya, called "Ashtasahasri Taparyavivarana Tika".Edited by Muni Prashamarativijaya. Pune: 2001.
• Adhyatmasara. Edited by Ramanalal C. Shah. Sayala: Sri Raja Sobhaga Satanga Mandala, 1996.
• Adhyatmopanisatprakarana. Edited by Sukhlal Sanghvi. Ahmedabad: Sri Bahadur Singh Jaina Series, 1938.
• Dharmapariksa. Mumbai: Shri Andheri Gujarati Jain Sangha, 1986.
• Jaina Nyayakhandakhadya. Edited by Badarinath Shukla. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, No. 170, 1966.
• Jaina Tarkabhasa. Edited by Sukhlalji Sanghvi, Mahendra Kumar & Dalsukh Malvania. Ahmedabad: Sri Bahadur Singh Jaina Series, 1938/1942/1997.
• Jnanasara. Edited & Translated by Dayanand Bhargava. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1973.
• Commentary on Jnanarnava