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LIFE OF SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA
In Samucchaya Vayacharya Shrimadji writes:
" I was born on Sunday, Kartik Sud Purnima
(15th day of Kartik), Vikram Samvat 1924.
Therefore today, I have completed 22 years.
In this apparently short span of life, I
have experienced much about the soul, the
nature and mutations of mind, the integrity
of speech, the physical body, the wealth,
various impressions of the variegated or
multicolored wonderful world formations of
various orders, many worldly ups and downs
and the causes of interminable misery and
unhappiness. All these have been experienced
by me in many ways.
In my short life I have entertained all the
thought-forms which were thought over by
all the powerful saints and philosophers
and by the formidable skeptics. I have thought
of the universe of desires and aspirations
which were discussed by the great rulers.
I have also thought of the disinterestedness
par excellence, an attitude of serene indifference.
I have much meditated on the acquisition
of immortality and of minute temporariness
or transitoriness. Many similar great thoughts
I have traversed in very few years of my
life.
I look at all of them as a seer, and I realize
the unfathomable gap between my present state
of knowledge and experience and the state
of my being when I cherished or entertained
these great and multifarious thought-systems.
All these minute and big differences and
gradual development of my Self have been
only recorded in my memory. I have never
made any effort to publicize these thoughts.
I felt that giving these thoughts to a wider
public or sharing my experiences with them
might bring good spiritual dividends but
my memory refused to do so and I was helpless.
By cooperative understanding if my memory
could be persuaded to open its treasures
to the world by putting them in writing,
I shall surely do it in future. I give below
a very brief recollection of my early years:
For the first seven years I played alone.
I still remember to have cherished a wonderful
imagination in my mind. Even in play I had
strong desire to be victorious and to be
the lord of everything. I aspired to be a
great man of a resigned nature. I had no
attachment to wearing clean clothes, selection
of good food, good bed, etc. Still my heart
was extremely soft. I still recollect that
side of my nature at an early age. Had I
had, at that time, the discriminative knowledge
which I now possess, I would not have cared
more for liberation. It was a life of such
spotless innocence that I love to recollect
it very often.
For four years, from seven to eleven, I devoted
myself to study. At that time I remembered
all what I once saw or read. My recollection
was faultless, as my mind was sinless. As
a child, I had no idea of fame, hence the
bugbear of publicity never bothered me. I
had unique retentive memory which I find
very few men even today possess.
Still, I was indifferent to my studies. I
was given much to talking, play and merrymaking.
Because of good memory, my teacher was pleased
with me as I used to recite all what I once
read in front of the teacher. At that time
I was full of affection and natural sympathy
towards all around me. I learnt that a spirit
of affectionate brotherhood was the key to
family and social happiness. If I found a
Ð /.2 Ðññsññeparatist feeling
or behavior in anybody, it used to pain me
very much and my heart used to cry. In my
eighth year I composed poems which at at
later age I found to be very well done.
I studied so well that I could explain the
book to my teacher who started teaching it
to me. I cultivated very wide reading.
I had much faith in man kind and I loved
the natural world order.
My great grand father was a Vaishnava, a
staunch devotee of Lord Krishna. I heard
from him many devotional songs about Radha
and Krishna, also the mysterious stories
of the wonder-works of Lord Krishna and other
incarnations of God.
I took religious initiation at the hand of
a Sadhu named Ramadasji. I daily went for
the Darshana of Lord Krishna and attended
lectures and devotional congregations. I
believed the incarnation of God as real God
and I cherished a strong desire to see His
residence. I dreamt to be a great spiritual
follower of Lord Krishna and a powerful preacher
of His faith. I considered it to be the pride
of my life if I could become a great Sanyasi
performing Hari Kirtana in the public and
leading an upright ascetic life.
I was so much saturated with such thoughts
that I hated the Jains who did not accept
God as the creator of the world. I believed
that nothing could be created without a creator
that the world was a masterful creation and
such a uniquely supreme creation could only
be the work of God and none else.
The Jain Banias in my native place praised
me as the most intelligent student of the
village. But they ridiculed my initiation
in Vaishnavism and they argued with me to
dislodge me from my faith. I did not succumb
but I gradually read the Jain sacred books
such as Pratikramana Sutra. The fundamental
idea of the Jain works was the advocacy of
non-violence and love to all high and low
in the world. I liked this idea of universal
love and non-violence very much.
Occasionally I visited the residence of the
ruler of Kutch as a writer since my hand-writings
were praised as best.
After the age of thirteen, I started attending
to my father's shop. While sitting in the
shop I have composed many poems on the heroic
and spiritual life of Rama and Krishna. But
in my dealings with the customers of the
shop I have never weighed less or more."
JATI SMARANA GNAN
Shrimad Rajchandra possessed the knowledge
of his previous births. It is called Jati
Smarana Gnan.
In reply to a question from Padamshibhai,
his friend in Bombay as to, whether Shrimadji
possessed the mysterious knowledge of his
past lives, he replied: "Yes" and
then he explained as to when and how he obtained
it. It is a picturesque description. Shrimadji
said:
"When I was seven years old, an elderly
man named Amichand, well-built, stout and
sturdy, a neighbor in my village, suddenly
expired of a serpent bite.
I did not know what was death. I asked my
grandfather as to what was the meaning of
death. He tried to evade the reply and advised
me to finish my meals. I insisted on a reply.
At last he said: "ToÐ /.2 Ðdie
means the separation of the soul from the
body. A dead body has no movement, it contaminates
and decays. Such a dead body will be burnt
to ashes near a river-bank as it has ceased
to function.
Thereupon I went stealthily to the cremation
ground and climbing a Babul tree I saw the
whole process of burning of the dead man's
body and I felt that those who burnt him
were cruel.
A train of thoughts started on the nature
of the death and as a result I could recollect
my previous lives.
Such knowledge of one's previous lives is
called Jati Smarana Gnan.
It is but natural that death and disease
are the great humanizing forces in individual
and social life of thinking men. It is by
being conscious of them that we develop modesty
and humility in our behavior and we reduce
our attachment to worldly life.
By meditation on death we realize the supreme
and sole importance of knowing and experiencing
the Atma. Therefore Jati Smarana Gnan is
very helpful in developing detachment from
the world, and a spiritual affection for
eternal imperishable ever-living soul.
Shrimadji obtained this exceptional knowledge
of his previous lives at very young age of
seven, a rare phenomenon. In 1897 A. D. at
the age of 30 years, he wrote his famous
poem in which he thanked the day when he
realized unique peace. He has described in
the poem the order of his spiritual development
as under:
"In 1874 A. D. I obtained the Jati Smarana
Gnan. In 1875 A. D. I began to advance on
the spiritual path from the point I had already
reached in my previous life. In 1886 A. D.
I developed a spirit of complete resignation
and detachment to the mortal body and the
rest of the world.
In 1889 A. D. at the age of 22 years, he
wrote in a poem that the only friend of unqualified
happiness is lonely indifference which in
turn is the mother of spirituality.
He also says therein: "In my very young
age I knew the nature of the final reality
and this suggested to me that henceforth
I had no future birth nor will I have to
fall back from what I had already gained
in spiritual life. I easily reached the state
of the soul which would require long study
and spiritual practice for others.
In a letter he says: "I realized that
when in infinite stretch of time in the series
of my past lives I felt that I could not
live without my dearest and nearest; but
I could live without them in those lives
too. This proves that my affections and attachments
were based on ignorance." He pithily
declares that without the right insight,
the scriptures are of no help; that without
the true spiritual contact, even meditation
degenerates into wild imagination; without
the active guidance of a Self-realized Guru,
the final truth cannot be realized; that
by following the normal path of the worldly
people, one cannot be their leader and savior;
that without resigning the world and its
myopic calculations, a life of extreme non-attachment
is very difficult to be obtained.
He salutes the great Tirthankara who realized
his soul and described it for the benefit
of the world. It is only by the teachings
of the Tirthankaras that one can easily know
his soul.
HIS CHILDHOOD: MANIFESTATION AND DEMONSTRATION
OF HIS EXCEPTIONAL INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL
ACQUISITIONS (POWERS)
The knowledge of past lives proves the height
of spirituality he had already reached in
his previous lives. He was apparently young
in his present life but form the point of
view of his achievements of previous lives,
he cannot but be regarded as a highly advanced
Soul.
From his early childhood modesty, perfection
in speech and conversation, exceptional reasoning
power and a sharp spirit of non-attachment
or disinterestedness and such other qualities
made him a pet student of his school as well
as of his village. He possessed a sharp and
unfailing memory, unusually powerful retentiveness
and faculty of recollection. He grasped all
that he read or heard only once.
He entered the school at his age of seven
and a half years. In about a month after
his joining the school he completely mastered
the preliminaries in calculation and within
two years he finished the study of seven
standards.
The monitor of his class, who had initiated
him in the study of the first standard book,
had to take his help in completing the book.
On account of his exceptional performance
in study he became the favorite of his teachers
and normally he conducted the classes while
his teachers used to witness with admiration
the work of this gifted Soul. All his colleagues
loved him.
Once his teacher scolded him and the next
day he did not go to the school. Thereupon
all other boys of the class followed him
to a field where they ate berries. His teacher
was surprised at the absence of all his students,
inquired about it and went to the field where
Shrimadji was sitting with his friends. Upon
knowing the reason of absence of the students
in his class, the teacher assured Shrimadji
that he would never scold him again and brought
them back to the class.
He started composing poems at the age of
eight and he supposed to have written five
thousand stanzas in the first year. In his
ninth year he composed Ramayana and Mahabharata
in verse and at ten he was mature in his
thinking and reasoning. At this age he had
unique curiosity to know new things, a passion
to hear new facts, to think new thoughts
and to perform fine orations.
While he was eleven he started contributing
articles to the newspapers and he won many
prizes for writing competitive essays. One
of his essays was on the need for women-education.
At the age of twelve he composed three hundred
stanzas on `a watch'. At thirteen he went
to Rajkot to study English but about his
English education very little is known.
Before his age of fifteen he studied and
mastered many subjects. He became famous
as a young poet of astounding memory and
with brilliant prospects.
Once Shrimadji, at the age of ten, accompanied
Shri Dharshibhai, a judge of Morbi state,
from Morbi to Rajkot. During the journey
Dharshibhai was much impressed by the unusual
talents of Raichand, a boy of ten, and by
way of admiration Dharshibhai suggested that
Raichand should stay with him in Rajkot.
But Shrimadji preferred staying at his maternal
uncles' house but he promised to meet Dharshibhai
often during his stay in Rajkot.
His maternal uncles came to know from him
about the arrival of Dharshibhai in Rajkot;
and while Shrimadji was taking lunch there
they were loudly planning to kill Dharshibhai.
Shrimadji heard this and lost no time to
warn Dharshibhai about the criminal intentions
of his maternal uncles. This is how this
boy of ten, returned the obligation to Dharshibhai.
Shrimadji by his mystic powers of clairvoyance
and telepathy, mind reading, etc. learnt
that two persons from Kutch were on their
way to Rajkot to meet him. So he requested
Dharshibhai to allowÐ /.2 Ðthese two
guests to stay with him and Dharshibhai readily
agreed to do so. Thereupon Shrimadji went
to receive the two guests and welcomed them
by their names. When the guests asked him
as to how he knew their names and about their
coming to meet him, he replied that all this
was possible by the infinite powers of the
soul.
These two guests, named Hemrajbhai and Malsibhai,
having heard of the exceptional talents of
Raichandbhai, had come to persuade the latter
to go to Kashi for higher education but when
they came to know of the wonderful spiritual
powers possessed by Raichandbhai, they dropped
their idea. Dharshibhai was much impressed
by this incident and gradually he began to
respect Shrimadji.
For his return journey to Vavania he had
no money, so he sold the sweets he was given
by his maternal uncles and with the proceeds
thereof he returned to Vavania. This shows
his firm determination not to beg of anyone
for his personal benefit.
STRI NITI BODHAKA AND OTHER ETHICAL WRITINGS
In his book Stri Niti Bodhaka Part 1 on `The
nature of ideal moral life for women', he
has advocated the cause of women's education
as essential to national freedom. He advised
his brethren to spread education in women,
to remove internal quarrels and crippling
social customs and thereby expedite the recovery
of national independence.
This book was the first of his writings before
he was sixteen and it was published in Vikram
Samvat 1940 or 1884 A. D.
In this book of 50 pages he has analyzed
the causes of backwardness in women, such
as child-marriage, forced marriage of the
unequals in health, age and intelligence
and lastly, endless superstitions and ignorance.
The matter of the book is divided into four
sections:
The first section deals with prayer to God,
devotion, transitoriness of the living body,
advice given by a mother to her daughter,
avoidance of waste of time, diligence in
work and the excellent results obtained by
diligence.
The second section deals with learning, advantages
of education, select reading of good books
and acceptance of good and useful lessons.
The third section deals with self-improvement,
adoption of virtues, spread of moral and
healthy atmosphere, nature of truth and avoidance
of profligacy and debauchery.
The fourth and the last section deals with
the description of the wise and virtuous
people and it includes a composition of hundred
verses on words of wisdom for all.
Shrimadji, from his childhood had a fine
command of language and diction, so his style
is simple, natural and elegant. In his writings,
words follow the sense.
In the Sad-bodh-shatak he has discussed subjects
like unity, morality, patience, courage,
truthfulness, innocence, devotion, patriotism,
social reforms, diligence, avoidance of bad
company, learning, avoidance of pride, devotion
to own husband, avoidance of skepticism or
nihilism, sympathy, love of religion, writing
good books, thriftiness, reduction of the
household expenditure, forgiveness, merit,
humility, modesty, keeping good and virtuous
company, avoidance of the company of foolish
women, avoidance of betting etc., thinking
of death, search for the path of knowledge,
doing charityÐ /.2 Ðto the deserving
persons, love for doing good to others, increased
reading etc. Ð /.2 ÐAnticipating the
question why should Shrimadji have written
on ethical topics, he writes: "Persons
desirous of Self-realization, living in worldly
life, should try to find the root of all
ethical life in their soul and they should
be just and honest in earning their living
and collection of wealth. This is good moral
life for them and it should be observed by
them at all cost.
In its strict observance, renunciation and
non-attachment and such other qualities develop
in them and by that they begin to appreciate
the effectiveness of the teachings of the
same by the Gurus and of the obedience to
the same. They rightly interpret their teachings
and they easily follow the path to Self-realization.
Shrimadji wrote a rosary of 108 golden advice
for the benefit of the seekers of Self-realization
in Vikram Samvat 1940 or 1884 A. D.
There he advises the people to think of the
Self, not to repent for the life already
led but to make the best of the life yet
to come. A man should repent for his immoral
acts and should determine to be thoroughly
moral in his future dealings.
A person should allot his time of the day
in the following manner: 3 hours to devotion,
3 hours to doing religious rites, 3 hours
to food and bodily nourishment, 3 hours to
education and learning, 6 hours to sleep
and 6 hours to take care of his family and
social life, if he is a householder. One
who has renounced the world should be absorbed
in thoughts of Self-realization and should
control his mind from passions and prejudices.
The only path to Self-realization or soul's
liberation consists in realizing the Self
as completely different from the body and
the worldly attachments. The soul is free
and pure, enlightened and immortal.
Man should keep his eye on death and utilize
every moment of life in realizing his goal
of liberation. One may be a prince or a pauper,
but all should know for certain that they
are guests of death.
The adoption of the path of non-violence
in thought, word and deed; the intense desire
for Self-liberation and for acquisition of
right knowledge and experience for the same;
the searching out of an enlightened Guru
and the undaunted obedience to his advice;
Self-control in food, talk and other behavior;
keeping clear of all sins; purity all around;
observing honesty and justice in worldly
life; curtailment of worldly activities in
order to lead a really happy and Self-meditative
life; keeping in mind the principles of health,
purity, magnanimity and duty; keeping company
of the good and wise as a powerful method
of maintaining purity of mind and body -
are some of the invaluable advice given by
Shrimad Rajchandra to men, women, and children
in all walks of life, the advice which all
should think over before their daily round
of duties.
MOKSHAMALA AND BHAVANABODH
Shrimad Rajchandra had composed Mokshamala
at the age of sixteen years and five months
and it was completed within three days in
Vikram Samvat 1943 or 1887 A. D.
He wrote this book in an easy style understandable
to young boys and girls with a view to turn
their minds from trash readings to reading
of good books by which they can obtain the
invaluable results of Self-liberation.
In the opening lesson he requests the reader
to read the book with due care and consideration
whichÐ /.2 Ðit deserves as its goal
is very high. While other books deal with
worldly life, this book deals with Self-liberation.
All religious readers have agreed in liberation
as the goal of life and discrimination of
the different natures of the soul and the
body as the means to its realization. Hence,
as a sound educationist interested in the
lasting benefit of young minds he has offered
this book to his readers.
He suggests his reader to think of the inequalities
of life and thereby to reflect all the good
and bad deeds as causes of these inequalities.
Human birth is the only stage opportune for
a soul to think of and work for its salvation.
If it is misused in doing other things, a
golden opportunity is lost. Hence, with the
intense desire to work for the spiritual
salvation of all living beings, this book
and such others are written by Shrimad Rajchandra.
Those who write such books are called men
of unqualified sympathy and compassion and
they live for the benefit of other souls.
The soul gets human birth as a result of
many good deeds done in previous births and
therefore it is very precious.
If a man controls his mind he can attain
Godhood.
Shrimadji says, every word of Mokshamala
has been properly considered and after much
thought it has been composed.
He holds that his readers should not be guided
by his writings simply because they flow
from his pen. Every reader should weigh the
thoughts expressed and should develop the
habit of discriminative thinking. The writer
should stimulate the reader's thinking but
not substitute it.
These expressions indicate the high maturity
and balanced views on education on the part
of Shrimad Rajchandra and that too at a very
early age.
Though Mokshamala was composed in three days
Shrimad Rajchandra found that it would take
a long time to publish it. So, he composed
a small book of 50 pages called Bhavana Bodh
or the instructions to cultivate twelve sentients
necessary for leading the life of non-attachment
to the world; and gave this book to his readers
in anticipation of the delay in publication
of Mokshamala.
The twelve sentiments to be cultivated are
briefly as follows:
1. Everything in the world except the soul
is transitory and subject to destruction.
The soul alone, is, in its nature, eternal.
2. In the world none can protect a living
being from death. Therefore the only shelter
one should seek in life is true religion.
Religion alone can be man's savior.
3. The soul has been passing through a chain
of births and deaths and it is high time
for it to think of its freedom from Sansara
- a cycle of births and deaths. One should
consciously realize that the soul's nature
is freedom and so it is but natural to think
of its salvation from Sansara.
4. This my soul, has always been and, is
alone. It will suffer the fruits of its deeds
and it is the lone pilgrim.
5. All souls are independent and none is
really related to the other.
6. This body is unholy, it gives out and
absorbs many unholy and impure substances.
I, as a soul,Ð /.2 Ðam quite independent
of my body which is subject to disease and
death.
7. Attachment, avarice, ignorance, sense
of futility, etc. are binding the soul.
8. One should devote his time to acquiring
knowledge and meditation and thereby save
oneself from the bondage of fresh actions.
9. To act with full knowledge of the nature
of the Self is the way to cut the knot of
binding actions.
10. To think of the fourteen worlds in which
the soul wanders in bondage.
11. To determine that a man cannot attain
the right knowledge of the nature of the
Self while living the worldly life. Even
if such knowledge may be had, conscious abidance
in the true nature of the Self will become
difficult. Hence, one should feel intense
obligation of the enlightened Guru who explains
the true nature of the Self.
12. Therefore one should appreciate the rare
possibility of obtaining the right preceptor
of religion and one should lose no time in
following his advice, should he be available.
Shrimadji writes about the Mokshamala that
a reader, on deep thinking and reflection
on the subjects discussed in it, will find
his way to salvation.
The book is an impartial composition on philosophy
and ethics. Its aim is to retrace young minds
from acquiring wrong information of truth
and reality and to put them on the path of
right knowledge and action leading to liberation.
Shrimadji himself stated that his spirit
of non-attachment, at the time he composed
Mokshamala, could only be compared with the
spirit of non-attachment that was found in
Shri Ramchandraji as described in Yoga Vashishta.
He said that he studied all Jain scriptures
in fifteen months and during the study the
index of his non-attachment was extremely
high to such an extent that he would not
be aware whether he ate or not.
In Mokshamala Shrimadji explains:
* The nature of true God, true preceptor
and true religion. He protests against the
description of Jainism as a skeptical religion.
To him Jainism is the true appreciation of
God, man and the world. It does not deny
Godhood, it only denies God as the creator
of the world.
* That the man's true greatness lies in the
practice of truth-telling, universal sympathy
towards all living beings, celibacy, benevolence
and equanimity of mind. Vanity and self-pride
block man's progress. Man can be great by
removing these elements from his nature.
Keeping to truth is essential to the maintenance
of the world. Hence truth-telling is the
first of the great religious observances.
* Company of the good and the great is the
source of all happiness. It purifies man.
It brings him nearer to the knowledge of
the Self and the final liberation.
* Reading and reflecting on the teachings
of the religious scriptures also serves the
same purpose namely soul's salvation.
* Solitude does not necessarily mean keeping
aloof from all company. Keeping company of
personsÐ /.2 Ðof similar aims (liberation)
and practice is also known as solitude. Company
of the Saints is a powerful purifying force.
As you can't swim on earth, you cannot sink
in good company. Hence, it is the sure medicine
for the ailing soul.
* Covetousness and greed, oppressive acquisitiveness,
result in the performance of sinful deeds.
ñ ñ ñ ñ* The Shastras should be read, understood
and practiced. Parrotlike cramming of scriptural
texts leads one nowhere.
* In the lesson on Kapilmuni, Shrimadji shows
the desire as the root cause of endless miseries.
Desire grows on what it feeds. There is no
end to the mind's desires. The world-tree
grows on the seed of desire. Desire is ever
young. True happiness springs from the abandonment
of all desires. Real peace lies in contentment.
By contentment the soul obtains equanimity,
discrimination and lasting joy.
* The soul has lost much by infatuation and
sloth due to ignorance of its true nature.
It is advised to wake up from killing slumber
and lose no time in expediting its salvation.
Wisemen do not wait for future opportunities,
they strive for liberation in the present
by all possible religious ways and leave
the future to its own future. Their sense
of the value of time is admirable.
* Discrimination is the light to recognize
the soul in darkness. By discrimination religion
is sustained and maintained. Religion without
discrimination is meaningless. To understand
truth and untruth as they are, is known as
discrimination.
* Non-attachment is the only guide to the
soul to its lasting happiness. To aspire
for lasting happiness in the pursuit of the
pleasures of the world is to live in a fool's
paradise.
* In the lessons on differences of opinion
and beliefs of different religions of the
world, Shrimadji argues that while all other
religions are incomplete or imperfect paths
to Self-realization, Jain religion is complete
and perfect as it has elaborately described
the nature of reality and the sure method
of soul's salvation. The founders of Jain
religion where omniscient. Their description
of sympathy, celibacy, chastity, discrimination
and non-attachment is unique. Besides, it
contains minute descriptions of pure knowledge
of the Self, its hierarchical gradations
and the mutations of the soul's states in
Sansara.
* In the lesson on celibacy he states nine
prohibitions conductive to the observance
of celibacy.
* The lessons on Jain philosophical doctrines
are lucid and simple expositions useful for
every student of Jain philosophy and religion.
* He has also enumerated the eighteen obstacles
to the control of mental modifications which
a seeker of the Self-realization should remove
from his life.
* He has also described fourteen mental states
which make gradual development of the highest
virtues.
AVADHANA OR POWERS OF ATTENTION AND RECOLLECTION
In about Vikram Samvat 1940 or 1884 A. D.
Shrimadji came from Vavania to Morbi. In
Morbi, Shastri Shankarlal M. Bhatt was performing
the feat of attending to eight objects or
eight activities at a time. At the same time
in Bombay, Gattulalji Maharaj was performing
similar feats. These wereÐ /.2 Ðthe
only two well-known persons for their exceptional
memory and attention feats. Shrimadji saw
the performance of these feats in Morbi and
quickly picked them up.
Within two days after he saw the memory feats,
he started performing similar feats before
his friends and then for the open public.
He was already known as a learned man but
when he performed a memory feat of attending
to twelve activities at a time before a public
of 2,000 persons he became famous as a prodigy
with exceptional powers. Some admirers used
to address him as the precious diamond of
India.
In an exhibition at Wadhwan he performed
his memory feat of attending to sixteen activities
at a time before an audience of rulers and
highly educated public, and all were extremely
pleased. The dailies published articles in
his praise.
In Botad, before his millionaire friend Sheth
Harilal Shaivalal, he performed the memory
feat of attending to 52 activities at a time.
They included:
* Playing Chopat with three other players;
* Playing cards with three others and at
the end to call out all thirteen cards he
had;
* At the same time playing chess and at the
end of the memory feat to declare all the
pieces which were removed from the chess
board;
* To count grains which were dropped on his
back while he was engaged in the memory feat;
* To perform addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, and to keep the results in mind
and to declare them at the end of the memory
feat;
* To tell as to how many beads, a man sitting
opposite him, had turned from a garland till
the time he stopped turning them;
* To hear words of 16 sentences in 16 different
languages in a random fashion and later on
to speak out all the 16 sentences in the
16 languages;
* To supply individual letters in a random
way in a chart to be completed and at the
end to compose a verse;
* To prepare problem poems;
* To compose complete verses on being supplied
only with one line or half lines,
* To compose 16 poems in 16 different poetical
forms starting with one line of each of the
recollected complete poems at the end.
Later on Shrimadji easily performed memory
feats of attending to 100 things and activities
at a time. Even than he used to say that
his powers were merely a drop in the ocean,
that the powers of the Self were infinite.
Shri Chatrabhujbhai, the brother-in-law of
Shrimadji, said that Shrimadji used to tell
whether a person uses his right hand or left
hand to fix a Paghadi (a head dress - turban)
just by looking at the shape of the Paghadi
on the wearer's head.Р/.2 ЇIn Vikram
Samvat 1943 or 1887 A. D. Shrimadji went
to Bombay and there, in Faramji Kavasji Institute
and at other places he performed various
memory feats and all the newspapers in Bombay
gave wide publicity and praise to these performances.
He was awarded gold medals by the public
and institutions, for his excellent, unheard
of and amazing memory feats.
In one of the memory feats he was shown twelve
books of different sizes and told their names
too. Then he was blind-folded and he used
to touch a book he had seen before and immediately
call out its name. Dr. Peterson who presided
over the performance had nothing but admiration
and praise for this outstanding feat.
On another occasion he was shown different
food dishes and just by looking at them he
told in which there was less salt, without
touching the dishes or tasting the food in
them.
Some of his admirers suggested Shrimadji
to tour the foreign countries and show his
ability and powers to the outside world.
But he refused the suggestion on the ground
that he could not observe religious discipline
in foreign countries.
Shrimadji thought the wide publicity of his
exceptional powers may hinder his march towards
the Self-realization and so before he reached
twenty he gradually discouraged it and after
twenty we hear next to nothing about his
performances of memory feats.
OTHER ARTICLES WRITTEN BY HIM UPTO THE AGE
OF TWENTY
Shri Vinaychand Popatlal Daftari, a friend
of Shrimadji, declares in a booklet `Sakshat
Saraswati' published in 1887 A. D., as follows:
"In accordance with the rules of epic
poetry, Shrimadji composed `Namiraja' a work
of five thousand verses wherein he has explained
the nature of the four Purusharthas - Dharma,
Artha, Kama and Moksha. This book was composed
by him in six days. His spotless divinity
and a very high order of thoughts are evident
throughout the book.
One religious head requested Shrimadji to
prepare a book in verse, of the fundamental
tenets of his religion and offered to pay
Rupees One Thousand to him for such composition.
But Shrimadji turned down the offer.
Shrimadji also edited a newspaper named Vairagya
Vilas or the enjoyment of non-attachment.
To our grief nothing of the above is available.
In some of the advisory compositions prepared
by him at the age of eighteen years he enunciates
a doctrine and then illustrates it.
He says: "The gift of all scriptures
can be summed up in two words - devotion
to God and adoption of a life of benevolence
in the world.
In 1885 A. D. his composition on `Shurvir
Smarana' (in memory of the brave) he has
given in verse a picturesque description
of the brave warriors of the past, who victoriously
fought the battles in India; and he compares
those glorious moments with the present times
when he does not find any one of that caliber
to free India from foreign domination. The
poem gives us sharp contrasts between the
brave of the past and the cowards that inherit
them in his days.Р/.2 ЇHad Shrimadji
lived a long life, his aspirations of Indian
freedom would have been amply rewarded. He
would have been happy to see his friend Mohandas
Gandhi, the harbinger of Indian freedom and
of the betterment of the peoples of the world,
liberating India from British yoke by the
Jain method of truth and non-violence.
In all forms of literature Shrimadji has
made his mark and had he turned all his energy
to literature, he would have given us a vast
literature which would have been a milestone
in Gujarati literature. But literature to
him was a means of expression and not a method
of liberation. He was interested in teaching
the people the art of Self-liberation, the
foundation and the climax of all arts.
Shrimadji used to say that telling truth
about one's own Self is neither Self-praise
nor Self-abuse; telling otherwise than truth
is a vice.
"One who possesses wider intelligence
and outlook, equaminity of mind, straightforwardness
and complete sense-control is a properly
qualified person for truth-realization. From
ages immemorial attachment, avarice and infatuation
have clouded the soul's strength and so it
has not been able to think of itself. Human
birth and that too in Arya Desha or India,
and in a noble family and a sound healthy
body are the proper means for the soul to
think of itself and of its liberation.
If all this is there, then one has only to
grow a strong desire in his mind to liberate
oneself. If these qualifications are fulfilled
one would automatically follow the path of
the wise and liberated souls. No doubt will
distract him.
As compared with other systems of philosophy
and religion, Jain religion is preached by
the most pure and holy, by those who have
been completely free from all attachments,
avarice and infatuations, hence, it is unqualifiedly
a path of personal purification and Self-realization
by Self-improvement. Therefore, all what
the liberated have said and advised is thoroughly
believable and should be easily acceptable.
The eternal path preached by the liberated
souls is mixed with many undesirable offshoots
and developments in course of time. One should
distinguish between the path of the liberated
and the path of the initiate and erring.
Shrimadji has been very strong in his criticism
of these various creeds that have developed
in the name of the religion of the liberated
Jinas. He has shown in his Atmasiddhi Shastra
that the founders of the various creeds have
measured their own level and substituted
their imperfect beliefs for the true religion.
The wrangling of the Jain religious heads
in support of their self-chosen paths of
liberation and ethical discipline flows from
ignorance and leads to the sharpening of
prejudices. Sometimes the highly advanced
religious souls are misguided by the rise
of infatuating (Mohaniya) Karmas in them
and in such circumstances they offer sham
religion for the real one, to their followers.
It also happens that finding the difficulty
of attaining to the path of the liberated
souls, one decides for himself and his followers
that the path is not worth following and
that what he has achieved for himself is
the last limit of achievement for all. Besides,
one may not have enough intelligence and
discrimination to grasp the reasonableness
of the path of the liberated Jinas.
Unfavorable times, selection of wrong persons
as the religious teachers, general ignorance
of the Shastras and the reluctance to study
them for oneself are also some of the causes
why various religious castes and sub-creeds
develop in the body of the old established
religions.Р/.2 ЇShrimadji says that
the present times are such that the educated
are bankrupt in the fund of faith needed
for religious discipline. Very few have faith
in religion. Those who have faith do not
study the religion for themselves nor do
they seek proper Guru who can explain them
the truths of religion. In case a few try
to understand religion there are many who
will obstruct their path rather than help
them. This is the plight of the educated
people of the time and they keep away from
religion.
The uneducated in the present times, on the
other hand, are so inert and orthodox that
they fear to go a step beyond the beliefs
of their forefathers and they go the easy
way of following blindly the religion of
their ancestors. Hence, they believe that
the religious teachers, accepted by the elders
in age, know everything and that they should
be followed wholeheartedly. Neither worshipped
nor the uneducated worshiper cares to obtain
knowledge and both are rocked in the cradle
of a few accepted slogans and pet forms of
prayer.
One can rarely find in the present religious
folds of Jain religion, one who has intense
desire for knowing and following the eternal
path of the liberated Jinas.
Normally the Jain Sadhus are initiated by
force of adverse circumstances or by an accidental
rise of the spirit of intense non-attachment
by distressing events.
One who really wants to follow the eternal
path of the Jinas gets suffocated in the
clumsy practices of the Jain creeds and he
runs out of these clutches to a wider atmosphere
and freedom wherein he can make real progress.
Shrimadji says that there are very few souls
interested in spiritual religious research.
Those, who would heartily desire to be free
and would actively work for it, are still
few. Even for such souls the proper guides
by way of an enlightened Guru, proper religious
contacts and the supply of adequate religious
scriptures are difficult to obtain.
Every one who is given a hearing by them,
blows his own trumpet and never inquires
whether what he says is true, half-true or
untrue. Besides, even these few souls starving
for Self-liberation are compelled to waste
their precious time in many worldly activities
that they find it difficult to maintain the
continuity of their spiritual progress. Shrimadji
admits that there are a few souls following
the eternal religion propagated by Lord Mahavir
but the rest of the Jain religious public
present a sorry debacle.
"What pains me," he says, "is
not that the Jains lose anything but that
only a few are ready to take the advantage
of the magnanimous achievements of the great
realized souls to the credit of the Jain
philosophy and religion. Any well thinking
mind will appreciate the truth of what I
say.
Two fundamental divisions of Jainism are
on the importance of the idols of the great
Tirthankaras in the practice of Jain religion.
One side believes that these idols of the
Jinas and their worship are authorized by
the Jain religious scriptures and they are
direct means for Self-realization. The other
side believes that the idols need not be
worshipped at all.
Shrimadji holds to the first view and declares
that the worship of the idols of the Jinas
is necessary, desirable, and always helpful
in the path of spiritual progress.
By an improper use of reasoning all the tenets
of Jainism may be shown contradictory but
that is notÐ /.2 Ðwhat a man of spiritual
experience does. None will benefit by the
way of logical wranglings. Truth which is
tested by the touchstone of religious experience
is the religious truth and no amount of denying
it, can serve any useful purpose.
"I did once believe that idol worship
is unmeaning, but now I am convinced of the
need and authenticity of it by my own spiritual
experience and so I endorse the religion
which accepts the worship of the idols of
the great Tirthankaras.
In these fearless statements, Shrimadji advises
all seekers of truth to keep truth alone
and part with prejudices wherever they are
found. Shrimadji says that the Jain religion
would have been easy of approach and benefit
to seekers of Self-liberation, had it not
divided itself into two powerful sects on
the ground of idol-worship.
A truly religious man does not pamper this
or that opinion, he is ready to accept truth
and sacrifice everything on the alter of
truth and the experience of the Tirthankaras
or the great liberated souls.
Shrimadji declares his complete faith in
the sayings and experiences of Lord Mahavir.
He says: "The author of Jain scriptures
does not mean to say that all those who accept
the Jain religion will obtain liberation.
One has to work for what he believes. One,
whose soul will practice religion, will gain
by it. Worship of the idols of the Tirthankaras
whose obligation on us is unreturnable is
a great purificatory agent and an effective
means to Self-liberation. It is meant for
us to realize the objective for which worship
of the idols is enjoined by the scriptures."
SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA AS A HOUSEHOLDER
In a letter to his friend in his twentieth
year he writes: "Having no intrinsic
love of money and yet to use it for the benefit
of the distressed and the needy, I tried
to earn some money for the future. On other
side, wealth, even if acquired for benevolent
works, may breed in the person possessing
it, blindness, deafness and dumbness. Hence,
I do not care for wealth at all.
Shrimadji married Zabakben, daughter of Popatlalbhai,
the elder brother of Jagjivandas Mehta on
the 12th day of the bright half of the month
of Maha in Vikram Samvat
1944. He was twenty at that time.
One year after his marriage, he writes to
a friend, under the caption `My thoughts
on woman', that unqualified and unrestricted
happiness lies in pure knowledge of the Self
and never in the worldly enjoyments of married
life. Bodily happiness is only a shadow of
the real happiness. Besides enjoyments of
the body are only short-lived and the sources
of consequent misery, disease and death.
It is painfully surprising to find the human
mind enjoying in worldly and physical pleasures.
One should pray for the complete freedom
from all desires concerning the bodily and
sense-pleasures.
Regarding one's wife, Shrimadji writes: "My
desire is for liberation but forced by the
fruits of my previous actions, I lead a married
life. But here too I normally maintain equanimity,
neither attachment nor non-attachment. I
feel pained to find sometimes my behavior
contrary to my intense desire for liberation.
To a friend, he writes in Vikram Samvat 1946
or 1890 A. D.: "I have married earlier
than you by a little over two years. Within
these two years I have come to know my wife's
mind and I can say that none of us is dissatisfied
with the other. Nor can I say that it is
absolutely satisfactory. Our relationsÐ
/.2 Ðare common and normal. And this
is more due to my indifference. While thinking
of high metaphysical thoughts I get strong
suggestions for renouncing the householder's
order. I had similar thoughts even before
my marriage but I had to pacify them as I
found that following them would make the
very continuance of my life impossible.
In Mokshamala, in lesson No. 12 `Best Householder',
lesson No. 45 `Common Aspiration', lesson
No. 55 `Rules of daily observance by the
Householder' and in six lessons Nos. 61 to
66 under the title `Thoughts on Happiness'
he gives his views on the ideal householder's
life.
He writes: "Though I am happy as householder
as compared with others, but the worldly
happiness is to be suffered and not to be
enjoyed. It is not true happiness. Normally
people in the world are unhappy and so the
people who are happy in worldly life are
called fortunate and favored souls. I have
decided to utilize my life in the practice
of religion. I normally read and think of
the revealed scriptures, keep contacts with
the enlightened souls, observe prohibitions
and injunctions, observe celibacy for twelve
days in a month, give in charity without
declaring my name.
I have renounced much of my burden of worldly
life. I want to be a forest recluse after
entrusting the care of my family to my sons
no sooner they come of age. At present I
have deliberately chosen to remain as a householder
in order that I can guide the householders
in the path of religious practice better
than the Sanyasis or Yatis can do. The householder's
order requires much improvement and I want
to expedite it. A householder can easily
advise another householder and guide his
behavior by his example and practice.
Shrimadji declares that as a principle complete
renunciation from the householder's order
is necessary for lasting happiness.
SHRIMADJI AS A BUSINESSMAN
Shrimad Rajchandra was also an accomplished
businessman in jewelry and pearls. Of all
the jewelry merchants he was known as one
of the most reliable and honest.
Once a younger brother of a pearls merchant
sold his pearls to Shrimadji at a certain
price. When his elder brother came to know
this he scolded the younger brother for selling
the pearls at a much lower price then expected.
Thereon the younger brother returned to Shrimadji
and narrated to him what his brother thought
about the transaction. Shrimadji immediately
returned the pearls and canceled the deal
as it was a mistake by the younger brother.
This shows his honesty and sympathy.
Shri Maneklal Ghelabhai, while appreciating
Shrimadji's business acumen, writes that
even foreign customers used to praise the
excellent business organization and exactness
of Shrimadji.
Shrimadji wrote in his diary certain rules
of discipline which he decided to observe
after he joined a partnership business in
Bombay in Vikram Samvat 1946 or 1890 A. D.
These rules are in brief as under:
1. Do not see anybody's fault. Believe that
whatever difficulties come your way, are
due to your own shortcomings.
2. Never indulge in self-praise as in self-praise
one only lowers himself. Ð /.2 Ð3.
Behave in such a way as it may win affection
of others. It may not be so easy to start
with but gradually by strong self-determination
and resolute effort, you will be able to
mold your behavior.
4. Declare your line of thought and action
to one with whom you wish to join in business
or in any worldly matter.
Also win his confidence by your word and
deed and assure him that you shall never
think or do anything to harm his interests.
Should any of your thought or deed prove
harmful to your partner or colleague, repent
for it and tell him that it will never recur.
Tell him that you shall do the work entrusted
to you with care and diligence but without
pride or egotism.
Tell your partner that on no account you
are prepared to sacrifice your discipline
for Self-realization, that he should not
use you as a means to secure his unethical
motives, that when assured of a possible
conflict on the above conditions, you will
clear out of the joint partnership with no
harm to your partner.
In case your partner doubts your bonafides,
request him to declare them freely and explain
to him that there is no ground for such doubt.
Should he not accept your explanation, respectfully
terminate partnership.
SHRIMADJI AND GANDHIJI
Gandhiji regarded Shrimadji as his friend,
philosopher and guide. He acknowledges the
debt he owes to Shrimadji in his recollections
of his friendship with Shrimadji. From
1891 to 1901 A. D. for a period of ten years
they were best friends.
Gandhiji says that most of his lessons for
self-improvement and on truth and non-violence,
he has learnt from Shri Raichandbhai. Raichandbhai
is one of the three personalities that have
much impressed his mind, the other two being
the writings of Tolstoy and Ruskin's `Unto
this last'.
To love the murderer is one of the maxims
of non-violence and Gandhiji had well learnt
it from Shrimadji, who was full of sympathy,
forgiveness and piety for all living beings.
Gandhiji says: "I have drunk to my heart's
content the nectar of religion that was offered
to me by Shri Raichandbhai. Raichandbhai
hated the spread of irreligion in the name
of religion and he condemned lies, hypocrisy
and such other vices which were getting a
free hand in his time. He considered the
whole world as his relative and his sympathy
extended to all living beings of all ages.
Shrimadji was an embodiment of non-attachment
and renunciation. He has written only that
which he has experienced. He has never allowed
his poetic imagination to get ahead of truth
and experience. There is therefore no artificiality
in his writings. They come from the heart
and appeal to the very heart of the reader.
He used to keep diary and a pen with him
in all his daily routine and he immediately
wrote down important thoughts that occurred
to him. I never remember any occasion when
Shri Raichandbhai got lost or infatuated
in any worldly matter."
GANDHIJI'S PEN-PICTURE OF SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA
His living was simple. He was satisfied with
whatever food was offered to him. He put
on simple but clean clothes. He used to wear
Dhoti, Peharan, Khesa and a turban. He used
to sit on a Gadi on the floor in his shop
or at home.
He was slow in his walk and he used to think
while walking. There was a spark in his eyes,
they were full of luster and steadiness.
They declared the single-mindedness of his
purpose. His face was round, his lips thin,
nose not pointed nor flat, body single, height
average, color darkish white and general
appearance that of an idol in peace. His
tone was so sweet that one would love to
hear him more and more. His face was smiling
and in full bloom and joy. It clearly declared
the internal joy and peace. His language
was so effective and measured that he was
never found to be searching for words. Language
was his maidservant. He was described by
some as an incarnation of the Goddess of
Learning, Saraswati. He never changed a word
while writing a letter. He expressed his
thoughts and meditations in fine and appropriate
language.
This description befits only a self-controlled
person. By renunciation the external forms
one cannot be self-controlled. The real self-control
is not an imposition, it is an inspiration
and an internal illumination.
Complete non-attachment and renunciation
is the gift of the soul. It should be spontaneous
and from within and not sporadic or externally
imposed. Very rare souls by virtue of their
high spiritual attainments in their previous
births possess these qualities in them. Only
those , who actively try to keep away from
all attachments from them, know how difficult
it is to attain. Such a difficult achievement
was easily found in Shri Raichandbhai. The
first step to Self-realization is a cultivation
of a spirit of complete non-attachment and
it was natural in Raichandbhai.
People normally believe that truth-telling
and successful business never go together.
Shri Raichandbhai on the other hand firmly
believed and advised that truth and honesty
were not only useful but essential to all
good business. Morality is not packed within
a prayer book, it is to be practiced and
lived in all stations of life. Religion and
morality sustain both good life and good
business. Though Raichandbhai never played
tricks with others, he used to find them
out quite easily when they were played by
others. And he used to snub the persons using
the tricks and force them to leave them.
While we are worldly souls, Shrimadji was
quite other worldly or liberated from the
worldly life. While we may have to take many
further births, for Raichandbhai his present
life may be the last. While we perhaps are
running away from liberation, Raichandbhai
was heading towards liberation with a tremendous
speed. This speaks volume of Raichandbhai's
self-effort.
Whoever will read his teachings and follow
them may speed up his march to Self-liberation.
From this is evident that Raichandbhai has
written for the advanced and the initiate
in religion and not for all and sundry.
While many Christian Missionary friends considered
their religious duty to convert me to Christianity
on the ground of its wonderful vows of charity,
chastity, faith and hope, I made up my mind
that I should first find out whether the
religion of my birth namely Hinduism, gave
me the message that I needed.
And I asked a few fundamental questions on
Hinduism to Shri Raichandbhai by post and
his replies were so logical, so appealing
and convincing that I regained my faith in
Hinduism and I was saved from conversion
of religion. From that moment onwards, my
respect and admiration forÐ /.2 ÐRaichandbhai
increased with leaps and bounds and I considered
him to be my religious guide till he lived."
THE NATURE OF RELIGION AS DESCRIBED BY SHRIMADJI
"Religion does not mean religious differences
and set beliefs. Religion does not mean cramming
or reading of all religious texts or believing
all what is said in them as gospel truth.
Religion is the spiritual quality of the
soul. It is embedded in human nature in visible
or invisible form. By religion we are able
to know the duty of man, by it we are able
to know our relations (or kinship) with other
living beings. But all this requires the
capacity to know one's self. If we do not
know ourselves we cannot know others rightly.
By religion one can know himself. Such a
religion can be selected from wherever it
is found. All students of comparative religion
will testify to what is said about religion
here. No religious scripture advises people
to tell a lie or to practice falsehood. Nor
does any religion advise violence.
Shankaracharya expressed the quintessence
of all scriptures in the formula "Brahma
Satyam Jagat Mithya" that Brahma is
the only reality, all else called the world
and its differences are unreal or mixtures
of truth and falsehood.
Koran Sharif declared that God is only one
and He is the only real, and there is nothing
else.
In Bible, Christ said: "I and my father
are one. All the rest are only manifestations
of the one God.
In the expression of the same perennial truth
that Reality is only one without a second,
many religious and philosophical brains have
offered their perspectives and unfortunately
their verbal differences have been the cause
of much doubt, disbelief and despair for
the laymen.
Those who are in earnest about their salvation
should leave these differences and follow
advice of the experienced Guru rather than
be lost in the interpretations of the various
religious texts.
We, as stepped in the world by consciousness,
are already imperfect and we are trying to
take the help of the imperfect scriptures
thinking that they are less imperfect than
ourselves. We are led by them to a certain
limit but beyond it they leave us in the
lurch and there we are to rely on spiritual
experience alone and none else.
Our spiritual experience becomes our guide,
illuminates our future path, assures our
march and pushes us to the goal.
Shrimadji says in one of his poems i. e.
Apurva Avasara, "The stage of experience
which the All-seeing Mahavir saw in spiritual
knowledge, He could not himself describe
in full. I meditated on that very stage of
spiritual experience but I found that I was
also incompetent to describe it. I have a
desire to describe it in full but for the
present it has remained only as my cherished
desire.
It is clear from the above that Atma or Self
alone is to liberate itself. This truth is
repeatedly declared by Shrimadji in many
of his writings.
He had studied many religious books. He followed
Sanskrit and Magadhi languages very well.
He studied Vedanta, Bhagavata and Gita. He
read the Jain scriptures as many as he could
obtain. He had a fine style of reading and
a method of quick grasping. He read Koran
and Zand Avesta inÐ /.2 Ðtranslations.
But he used to tell me that he had a soft
corner for Jain philosophy and religion,
for he strongly believed that soul-saving
knowledge had reached its highest possible
watermark in Jain philosophy and religion.
Nonetheless, Shri Raichandbhai was never
disrespectful to any other religion. He had
also a partiality for Vedanta. To a Vedanti
he might appear a thorough going Vedanti.
In his talks with me he never said that I
should follow a particular religion for my
salvation. He always advised me to purify
my thoughts and behavior.
Looking to my habit and training of my childhood
he encouraged me in my reading of the Bhagavata
Gita, and he advised me to read among other
books Panchikaran, Mani-ratna-mala, non-attachment
chapter of Yoga Vashistha, first part of
Kavya Dohana and his own composition of Mokshamala.
He repeatedly told me that the various religions
are prisons in which men are prisoners. Whoever
wants liberation should jump out of them
and should not bear any religious mark on
his body.
His simple advice is `live easily and in
such a way that you can attain the Lord.'
Akha Bhagat gave the same advice. Shri Raichandbhai
never bothered with religious differences.
They used to choke him."
SOME ANECDOTES OF SHRIMADJI'S LIFE
1. Once he had gone out with a friend for
a walk in Bombay and on his way he came near
a cemetery. He asked his friend as to what
was the place they came by. His friend replied:
"Cemetery". Shrimadji said that
he viewed the whole Bombay city as a cemetery.
2. Once Shrimadji's neighbor knowing his
superhuman powers told him that he must be
knowing the market rates of all commodities
and such knowledge could be used to his financial
benefit in his dealings in shares. To this
Shrimadji replied that he was not a fool
to use his spiritual powers for such petty
selfish benefits.
3. Once Padamshibhai, a resident of Kutch,
sought from him the remedy for removing his
fear of death. Shrimadji advised that till
life is fully led according to fixed destiny
there is no death. Why then should we not
live well until death visits us ? By the
fear of death one cannot be free from death.
Be fearless, lead a chaste life and embrace
death when it comes.
4. His servant Lallu, a resident of Morbi,
who had stayed with his family for a number
of years caught a deadly disease in Bombay.
He used daily to nurse him personally till
Lallu breathed his last.
5. Once Shrimadji went to see Tokarshibhai,
who had Pneumonia and whose sickness was
growing fatal. In his presence Tokarshibhai
became quiet and experienced peace and joy.
After some time Shrimadji receded from him
and said to other relatives of Tokarshibhai
that the latter was gradually sinking. When
he was asked as to how did he know it and
as to what did he do by which Tokarshibhai
got a relief from his pain and enjoyed peace,
Shrimadji replied that he could see Tokarshibhai's
death and he therefore tried to change his
mind and last desires so as to improve his
spiritual prospects for the future birth.
Ð /.2 Ð6. Once Shrimadji asked his
three years old daughter her name, to which
she replied that her name was Kashi. Shrimadji
lovingly said: "No you are the Self."
But Kashiben refused to agree to it. Shrimadji
laughed at the child's ignorance.
HIS PERCEPTION OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE
On Kartik Sud 14th, Samvat 1947, Shrimadji
writes in a letter as follows: "That
my soul has attained complete knowledge of
its nature is an indubitable fact, that my
knots of the heart and head have been removed,
is a truth of all times and all Self-realized
souls will easily recognize and endorse my
experience."
At other place he writes: "O you Self-knowledge,
the source of all heights of joy and bliss,
to you I bow down with all devotion and humility.
Innumerable souls without you suffer from
ignorance. It is solely by your grace that
I could know you and I could reach the goal
of my soul's pilgrimage. As a result, I enjoyed
unprecedented peace. I felt freedom from
all worries and burdens, mental and physical."
"In Vikram Samvat 1947 I could realize
the full stature of my spiritual being, and
from then onwards I am enjoying increasing
peace and bliss."
"In a wink the knowledge which drew
me to the worldly life, changed its course
and has led me to my proper goal i. e. Self-realization.
In a couplet he says: "One gets a spiritual
insight by his spiritual eye and without
it he cannot obtain soul-saving knowledge
at all. This is not a matter of physical
perception and it is foolish to try that
way. Only by unqualified, concentrated devotion
to a spiritual Guru or guide, one can obtain
the soul-saving knowledge. Only a Guru can
give this spiritual eye to see the spiritual
reality.
In Vikram Samvat 1948, in the month of Magh,
Shrimadji writes: "The system which
contains a clear description of the right
positions of bondage and freedom is the only
guide to Self-liberation and such a system
is that of the great Mahavir - the Jain system.
If in my humble opinion, there is any living
man available, in whom the heart of the great
Tirthankara is residing, he is no other than
the author of these lines. The result of
the soul-saving knowledge is the experience
of complete renunciation from all worldly
considerations and this is what I experience
in my own being. Hence, I consider myself
to be the perfect disciple of the great Tirthankara.
One who gains the soul's knowledge in accordance
with the enlightened Guru's opinion, has
obtained correct insight and experience,
and none else. When the goal and the path
are clearly seen there is no difficulty for
a sincere disciple to follow the path and
reach the goal.
In his talks with Muni Mohanlalji, Shrimadji
said: "I do not forget the Self even
for a second." Once Shrimadji said to
Shri Devkaranji Muni, an associate of Shri
Lalluji Maharaj, that he lived in his body
as a separate pulp would be felt in a dried
coconut shell.
At Kheda one day Shrimadji in a soliloquy
says: "In Samvat 1948, you the great
soul of infinite peace and calmness visited
Ralaj, in these days you visited Vaso and
there you were a great Yogi absorbed in deep
meditation and now you are the same Yogindra
enjoying bliss and peace here at Kheda."
This is Shrimadji's description of himself
as a disembodied soul.
In a letter Shrimadji writes: "I think
in my mind that I have all qualifications
to re-establish andÐ /.2 Ðpropagate
the Vedic religion, but in order to settle
and propagate the Jain religion I do require
some more qualifications than I actually
possess, though of all the available person
I am better qualified for the purpose."
LETTER OF SIX FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS
Shri Lalluji Maharaj being sick in Surat
requested Shrimadji for Samadhi Maran. In
reply, Shrimadji wrote the famous letter
of six fundamental truths, and inspired Lalluji
Maharaj not to fear death.
This letter is the theme, of which "Atmasiddhi"
is the development. Shri Lalluji Maharaj
appreciates this letter as follows:
"This letter has helped us to remove
all our stray ideas and wandering thoughts,
it has removed our doubts, confirmed our
faith in the fundamentals of Jainism and
those of all religions in general, namely
the nature and development of soul.
It has taken us out of our prejudicial attachments
to the Jain sects; it has kept us clear of
fixing our faith in the Vedanta; it has,
in brief, re-established our pursuits in
the nature of the Self and its knowledge.
Thus, this letter is uniquely wonderful in
many ways. If the disciple is deserving,
the constant meditation on this letter, on
the truths contained in it, would put him
to the path of Self-realization."
ATMASIDDHI SHASTRA - ITS COMPOSITION
At Nadiad in Kaira District, Shrimadji wrote
out his famous Atmasiddhi in the form of
a poetic dialogue in 142 verses, at the suggestion
and request of Shri Sobhagyabhai, in the
gathering darkness of the night when Shri
Ambalalbhai stood with a lantern in his hand
while the composition was on. The prose version
by the name "A letter about six fundamental
truths" could not be easily memorized
by the aspirants and hence, Shri Sobhagyabhai
requested Shrimadji to put the matter in
verse.
This succinct and accurate composition is
a masterpiece in philosophical literature.
The author has, in a simple form of question
and answer, explained the gist of Jainism
and of all true religion namely the six fundamental
truths, that the soul exists, that it is
eternal, that it is the author of its activities,
that therefore is responsible for the results
of its activities, that it aspires for liberation
and that this is achieved by following a
right kind of religion.
Shrimadji instructed Shri Ambalalbhai to
make out four copies of the manuscript and
give one copy each, to his close and deserving
disciples namely, Shri Sobhagyabhai, Shri
Ambalalbhai himself, Shri Lalluji Maharaj
and lastly to Shri Zaveri Maneklal Ghelabhai.
He instructed to Shri Lalluji to study and
reflect upon the Atmasiddhi in solitude and
not to make it a subject of collective reading
or public discourse.
A SHORT SUMMARY OF ATMASIDDHI SHASTRA
In the first 44 verses the subject is introduced
- The truth that without Self-knowledge,
the worldly pains cannot be completely removed
is clearly demonstrated, the mechanical attachment
to the pathÐ /.2 Ðof sacrificial activities
and the theoretical parrotlike dry as bone
repetition of the different natures of the
soul and the body as found in the theoretical
academicians of the Vedanta system are declared
as two major obstacles in the path of the
aspirant for Self-realization.
The special characteristics of the persons
who belong to the above two lines of thinking
are described and all this is done to remove
these drawbacks from all aspirants for soul-saving
knowledge and experience.
Then, the way to remove these defects or
to keep them miles away from the spiritual
pilgrim, the resort to the advice of an enlightened
Self-realized Guru is advised and advocated.
All the authentic scriptures helpful to the
spiritual pilgrim should be studied and followed
under the guidance of such a Guru. Then only
truth can be grasped and right experience
of reality can obtained.
The importance and impelling need of a living
enlightened Guru is repeatedly emphasized
in order to keep clear of the pride, conceit
and ignorance. Humility is declared as the
root of true religion and therefore a disciple
is advised to serve his Master without any
reservation. On the other hand, one should
not pose to be a Guru without developing
proper qualities in himself. An unmerited
Guru degenerates into a bad type of a worldly
person, and he leads his followers to deep
darkness and bondage.
According to Shrimadji, only a truly enlightened
Guru deserves to be a spiritual guide. To
follow others is a sheer waste of time.
Later on, the doubts of the aspirant regarding
the six fundamental truths, are posed and
considered and conclusively replied so as
to dispel them for ever and to help the disciple
to see the truth in its purity.
Regarding the nature of the soul it is said
that as it is quite different from the body,
no bodily sense organ can perceive the soul.
The unreasonable obduracy to try to see the
soul by any or all of the physical sense
organs results from the attachment of the
soul to the living body. Philosophically
the soul and the body are two absolutely
separate entities like the sword and its
scabbard. The soul is neither a body nor
its senses, nor breath. The soul is the source
of organic unity of a living being. The soul
is the all-knower, always the subject and
co-ordinator of the information collected
through the senses. The soul is conscious,
knowing and blissful in nature. The conscious
and unconscious differ in kind and not in
degree. Hence the unconscious cannot probe
the conscious. But the conscious is a quite
powerful light to understand the unconscious.
Hence, the superiority of the conscious over
the unconscious.
Such a soul eternally exists, it has no beginning
and no end. The body which is composed, has
an end but the unique soul is neither composed
nor decomposed.
Though the soul and body are two different
realities both are found to be cooperating
in a living organism. One helps or hinders
the other. All creation and dissolution can
be understood by the conscious soul but the
conscious soul can be known only by itself
and by no other physical or visible means.
Hence, the talk of the source and decay of
the soul is unmeaning.
Shrimadji confirms the belief in births and
rebirths.
An unconscious body cannot act by itself.
If an animal moves, it can only do so as
directed by the conscious soul living in
it. Hence, the soul is the author of all
activities. It is not the nature of the soul
always to act, though no activity without
it, it can cease to act also. Metaphysically
the soul hasÐ /.2 Ðno reason to act
and so it is unattached to the body, but
in worldly practical life we see the soul
propelling the living body to various activities
to suit its motives formed by its association
with and attachment to the body.
Further Shrimadji has elaborated the Jain
doctrine of Karma and its various categories,
and has shown that no principle of God is
needed to explain animal and human activities.
Activities naturally being the fruits enjoined
with them and no divine force is needed for
this arrangement.
He uses a fine logic to show that, as doing
good or bad actions results in enjoying good
or bad rewards, not doing them is the way
to be free from their results. The first
path leads to bondage, the second to liberation.
To say that only a conscious soul can initiate
activity, does not mean that it must always
act and as doing something brings some result,
not doing it should bring the opposite result.
If activity, good or bad, will lead one to
bondage, keeping away from it should lead
one to its opposite namely release.
The great Tirthankaras have reached the state
of non-attachment to all bodily forms, hence,
they are eternally free. Release is the fruit
of retirement from action. In the Siddha
state, the soul is absolutely separated from
all Karmas and so this is the state of complete
release. In this state the real nature of
the soul is experienced for ever.
The soul's long standing infatuation to bodily
forms is removed by the enlightening knowledge
and guidance of the true Guru just like dispelling
a long standing enveloping darkness by a
ray of light. By attachment, avarice and
ignorance, the soul binds itself, removing
them with the help of his Guru and the scriptures
it obtains release. Wrong perception of truth
is removed by right understanding of the
scriptures under the guidance of an enlightened
Guru. The wrong habits of behavior can be
removed by a spirit of non-attachment to
worldly life. This is the correct remedy
of the soul's ills.
By anger one binds actions and by forgiveness
he loosens the knots of actions and becomes
free himself. Hence, forgiveness is declared
by Shrimad Rajchandra as the gateway to liberation.
Forgiveness destroys bondage to actions.
Whoever, high or low, follows this path of
liberation will certainly attain the goal.
This path, in brief, consists in quelling
down the excitements of anger, honor or pride,
delusion and greed, in harboring the desire
for liberation and none else, in feeling
uneasiness in worldly activities, in developing
compassion towards all living beings and
in feeling sympathy for all aspirants for
liberation and in praying and working for
their release.
Whoever possesses these qualities is on the
correct path and he will certainly be liberated.
By following this path one sharpens his spiritual
insight, purifies his being, loosens his
attachment with the body and burns his actions
in the fire of his spiritual consciousness,
gains power and light and in the end releases
himself and becomes a guide to others for
similar work. At this stage the released
soul is neither acting nor it is bothered
with the fruits of action. This is the essence
of every good religion and this is the only
accepted path soul's liberation.
Towards the end, in nine verses Shrimadji
has described the effect of this soul-saving
knowledge on the disciple and the disciple
pays his grateful homage to his Guru for
his help and advice.
In the final fifteen verses, the whole subject
is brought to its natural close. It is shown
that this work contains the fundamentals
of all six systems of Indian philosophy too.
Ð /.2 ÐThus Atmasiddhi is the quintessence
of the truths of all scriptures.
TRANSLATIONS AND COMMENTARIES
* He has written 51 sayings about the religion
of a Sanyasi and a Muni (Samyati Dharma)
as described in "Dasha Vaikalika Siddhanta".
This is a fine exact Gujarati rendering of
the original Magadhi text prepared in Vikram
Samvat 1945.
* In Vikram Samvat 1953 he wrote on "The
doctrine of liberation" or Moksha Siddhanta.
* He had started the Gujarati translation
of "Swarodaya" by Shri Chidanandji.
His writings are marked by his simple attractive
style.
* He had also started writing a commentary
on the 24 prayers for 24 Tirthankaras written
by Shri Anandghanji. His reflections on the
first two of these 24 prayers are worthy
of deep study and emulation for any one who
wants to complete the commentary. He has
brought out in his reflections all the spiritual
associations of Shri Anandghanji, in a lucid
and inimitable style.
* On one of the couplets of the sixth out
of the eight perspectives composed by Shri
Yashovijayji, Shrimadji has commented so
beautifully well in his three letters Nos.
393,
394 and 395 printed in "Shrimad Rajchandra".
* He prepared a Gujarati equivalent translation
of the first one hundred verses of "Atmanushasan".
* Besides, he wrote on the Anitya and Asharan
Bhavana and a little on Sansara Bhavana out
of the twelve Bhavanas or spiritual sentiments
from Shri Ratna-karand Shravaka-achar.
* Shrimadji is the only author who has prepared
a complete translation of the Panchastikaya,
a work of the celebrated Shri Kundkundacharya.
In appreciation of this great work, the Panchastikaya,
Shrimadji writes to Shri Dharshibhai: "It
is rare and subtle to obtain the contact
with the spiritual Self. The aim of the discourse
is to obtain this difficult objective. The
study of this work will develop in a person
pure meditation which will lead to absolute
knowledge of the absolute reality, the Self,
the Atma. The contact with this Self results
from the reduction and destruction of perceptual
delusions, from the indifference to the sense-pleasures,
from a single minded devotion to the Self-realized
Guru. As, by these means, the Self-control
gets ascendant, the Self begins to manifest
its nature in its entirety. A right insight
develops and in result, the Self-knowledge.
* He had prepared an index on the Pragnavabodh
in Vikram Samvat 1956 which was lately written
by the late Shri Brahmachariji of Shrimad
Rajchandra Ashram, Agas.
HIS LAST SPIRITUAL STATURE
In Vikram Samvat 1957, Shrimad Rajchandra
with his mother and wife stayed at Agakhan's
Bungalow in Ahmedabad. One day Shri Devkaranji
Muni asked the reason for reduction of his
body to which he replied: "I am on a
war with my body as it took unwholesome food
during my stay in Dharampur.
One day prior to going to Wadhwan Camp he
called Shri Lalluji and Shri Devkaranji to
his residence in Agakhan's Bungalow at Ahmedabad
and advised them to see no difference in
him and in ShriÐ /.2 ÐMahavirswami.
On the day prior to his death at Rajkot,
Shrimadji said to Shri Mansukhbhai, Shri
Revashankarbhai, Shri Narbherambhai and others
around him: "Be sure this soul is eternal,
it is reaching increasingly higher stages,
it has a very bright future. You remain quiet
and behave with calmness and peace. I may
not in future tell you with my tongue nor
there is now the time for it. I only advise
you to continue your efforts towards Self-realization.
At 8:45 a. m. on Chaitra Vad 5th Vikram Samvat
1957 he said to Shri Mansukhbhai: "Mansukh,
do not be afflicted, take care of mother,
I retire to my soul's true nature."
From
8:45 a. m. to 2:00 p. m. he lay on his death
bed quiet as a machine, in deep meditation,
and he left his body for ever.
Shri Lalluji Maharaj heard in Kavitha the
sad news of his Guru's expiry and he retired
to the fields in solitude and passed his
day in dedication to the departed Guru. ñ
ñ ñ ñ According to English calendar Shrimadji
left his body for good on 9th April 1901
at Rajkot after a little over one year's
sickness.
In brief, Shrimadji lived and died as a Self-realized
soul, though in body, completely independent
of it.
He had in his mind an aspiration to re-establish
the pure religion of Shri Mahavirswami which
had been distorted in the institutional sectarianism
which cut at the very root of Jainism. To
some extent this purpose has been fulfilled
by his great disciples in recent years.
Shrimad Rajchandra was a universal man practicing
the universal religion of Atma, the only
reality and he defined a person as Jain if
he followed an enlightened Guru's advice
and practiced the religion of Atma.
Infinite salutations to the great Shrimad
Rajchandra.
From Jain Data Base
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