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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30. Gnanoddharak Mooni Shri PunyaVijayaji (Gnanoddharak means up-holder of learning and knowledge)
Introduction: The best way to see the self and the world in its true form is devotional, selfless and pure leaning without any pretence. And hence, there arise such circumstances when efforts to achieve truth and knowledge meet together and make him without rivalry, fear, violence and full of love, piety mercy and other virtues. The great mendicant, knowing most of the scriptures respectable Mooni Shri Punya Vijayaji made so deep efforts to achieve truth and knowledge that his life becomes an ideal for all of us. His detachment was not, therefore, lifeless or unmeaningful but full of pleasure and fearlessness. His practices to touch the highest ends of truth and knowledge fulfilled the stanza; "A mind full of pleasure is the reward of deep devotion". He always worshipped the great soul internally as well as outs worldly and made his lie full of Sat, ehit and Anand-truth, knowledge and pleasure. Mooni Ratna (a jewel among the mendicants) knowledge was such a spiritual personality of Gujarat. His works of expanding knowledge and learning with a view to make the stocks of scriptural heritage immortal and permanent makes him every-living with all of us.
Birth, Native Place and Parents: He was born in 1896, the day for the worship of knowledge at Kapadwanj town of Gujarat. His child name was Manilal. Shri Dahyabhai Doshi and Shrimati Manekben were his parents. The mother Manekben was very much turned to religion. There was hardly any learning for girls before about 75 years and yet Manekben had studied up to sixth standard and learnt of five Pratikraman (religious rite), thinking about soul and nine elements i.e. Jiva Vichar and Nava Tattvas. Manekben had five children but only one survived and that also was critically saved. The town Kapadwani where Maharaj Shri was born, was also a religious town. The people were of the nature of renunciation, detachment and restraint. Many religious brothers and sisters of this town had adopted Dixa and walked on the way to salvation. In the present age, there were two able persons who worked hard to save the books of scriptures and the honor of giving these two persons to go the town Kapadwanj. These two respected persons are Shri SagarNand Sooriji Maharaj and Shri Punya Vijayaji Maharaj. There is hardly a Jain family at Kapadwanj from which at least one person has not taken Dixa. Thus, the native town of Mooni Shri Punya Vijayaji is place where three rivers of renunciation, detachment and penance meet together and it has also become the cause to lead Maharaj Shri Punya Vijayaji on the path of renunciation and restraint. As the financial condition of the family was not good, the father Dahyabhai was staying at Mumbai while Manekben was bringing up her children staying alone at Kapadwanj. When Manilal (Maharaj Shri Punya Vijayaji) was of hardly 2-4 months of age, his mother Manekben had gone to wash clothes at the riverside, leaving Manilal asleep in the cradle. At that time there was serious firebreak out and the house of Manekben also was caught into it. Hearing the news of firebreak out, one Vohragentleman came running. He heard the child crying. He was lead by the feelings of humanity and ran into the burning house. He took out the child safely and put it at his own house. When Manekben heard the matter of firebreak out at the river, she rushed home and saw that the house was totally burnt to derbies. She thought that her only child who would keep the family line undisturbed was also taken away by God. She was extremely taken up with unbearable grief. The Vohra-gentleman thought that the parents of the child would soon come to take the child but nobody came till evening. The Vohra-gentlemen was noble hearted and saw that the child was from a Hindu family and hence he obtained water from a Hindu and the child drank it. The child was given the milk of a goat. No one came to receive the child even at night and hence the Vohra-gentleman started inquiry for the parents
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