Comtemporary Jain Legends

SR No.: 007736
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Publication Year: 2015
Total Pages: 183
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, N000, & N025
File Size: 1 MB

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to Vallabhipur nearly after one year at Palitana. Somebody told him that the persons bearing their names beginning with the letter B had the changes of being on long journey. Hearing this, Bechar once again asked his mother to allow him to go to Kashi but the mother once more returned. At last, he went to the Pathshala at Mahesana and completed the study of the book Margopadeshika of Bhandarkar within one month.
Higher Studies toKashi: Bechar was not satisfied with his studies. One day he took to Kashi with Harshchandrabhai in 1906 without informing his mother. Thus, Acharya Maharaj desired to prepare scholars in Jainism, met Becharbhai's wish to study further in Jainism under any circumstances. But Bechar was caught by smallpox within six months. As soon as, his mother knew this, she went to Benaras all by herself. A mother's love can not be judged by intelligence. Bechar returned to Vallabhipur after passing two years at Kashi. By now he had already studied three-forth of LaghuVritti written by the great Acharya Hemchandra. Bechar came back to Kashi after a short stay at Vallabhipur and started editing books of Shri Yasho Vijaya Jain Granthmala in co-operation with Pandit Hargovinddas Trikamdas Sheth meanwhile his study of Jain scriptures continued. The books published by this Granthmala on Jain Vyakaran and Jain Nyaya were accepted as text books for the examination of "Tirth" in Calcutta Sanskrit College and then Becharbhai passed the Tirth examination in Nyaya and Vyakaran (i.e. Philosophical logic and grammar). Becharbhai and Hargovinddas also passed the examination on Religion held by Mumbai Education Board with a top rank. Both of them were given prizes of rupees 75 each.
Thus, Pandit Bechardas was now being considered as an intelligent and clever student. In those days he was composing poems in Sanskrit also and could complete in complete stanzas on the spot. Seeing these merits, Maharaj Shri offered him scholarship of rupees ten per month but Becharbhai declined to accept it saying that when the Pathshala met with all his requirements, how could he accept such scholarship.
Prakrit Language and Study of Scriptures: Pandit Becharbhai had by now good acquaintances with many scholars who were coming to see Shri Maharaj Shree. Maharaj Shree desired to make Becharbhai a perfect master in Shraman Sanskriticulture and Becharbhai had already studied the Prakrit language by this time. Becharbhai said that he learnt Prakrit and ArdhMagadhi languages by his own intuition and that these languages entered his mind naturally and easily. But this was not enough. It was necessary to study Pali language also. For this purpose, Maharaj Shree sent Becharbhai and Pandit Hargovinddas to Srilanka with Dr. Satishchandra Vidyabhushan. Both of them returned to India after finishing their work within a short period of eight months. They started publishing Old Jain Books in the series already started before.
Nationalism: With Mahatma Gandhi andPandit Sukhlalji: There was on air of nationalism upto now in religious, social and non-secular education institutes. Becharbhai witnessed some of the movement of Bang Bhang when he was at Kashi. After this he decided to wear hand-woven cloth and used sugar prepared in villages. In 1915-16 AD Mahatma Gandhi gave a call declaired to use only Indian goods and Khadi (hand-woven cotton cloth). Becharbhai was so much attached to Jainism that he hardly read any book other than Jain scriptures. With his study of Prakrit, ArdhMagadhi and Pali Languages, his thinking limits broadened. He taught Jain literature independently. He was eager to know more and more facts and bare truth underneath. His blind faith began to weaken. He was then interested to memorize several scriptures and many a times he was reciting and repeating writings and stanzas of Jain scriptures. This time in the life of
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