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stanzas on a clock in three days. This shows that Shrimad was a born poet He also began to contribute to several monthly magazines, and newspapers, and wrote an essay on the importance of female education. When he was thirteen, he went to Rajkot to study English. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, he went to Morvi, and performed an Ashtavadhana (in which eight things are attended to at a time) feat before a circle of friends. He then increased the Avadhanas from eight to twelve, and gave a public performance of the same. He gradually increased his powers of memory to such an extent that from twelve Avadhanas he began to perform sixteen, and from sixteen fifty-two and lastly, one hundred, and thus at the age of nineteen, he became a Shatavadhani poet. He went to Bombay and gave a public performance of his Shatavadhans, in the Framji Kavasji Institute and other places. For these wonderful feats of memory he was awarded a gold medal by the Bombay public, and was given the name of Sakshat Saraswati ( MHIC 2477441.) Mr. Malabari, the well-known social reformer, after witnessing the performance wrote in his paper, the Indian Spectator, a very admirable article calling Shrimad, "a prodigy of intellect and memory.” Shortly after this, at the instance of the late Sir Charles Sargent, the then Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay, Dr. Peterson, Mr. Yajnik, and such other well-known citizens, arrangements were made for a big public meeting to witness Shrimad's Shatavadhana. The public and the Press expressed their high appreciation and admiration of the young prodigy. Sir Charles advised him to visit Europe and exhibit his powers there, but he could not do so, as he thought he could not live in Europe as a pure Jain ought to live.
After such public recognition, a sudden change seemed to come over him. At the age of twenty, he completely disappeared from the public gaze. He determined to use his powers and abilities for the instruction and enlightment of
| SR No. | 006234 |
| Book Title | Balavbodh Mokshmala |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Mansukhlal Ravjibhai Mehta |
| Publisher | Mansukhlal Ravjibhai Mehta |
| Publication Year | 1915 |
| Total Pages | 188 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 11 MB |