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

Page 158

Rankaji had maintaining surprising peace and patience even in such painful circumstances and had converted his time into the hours of worship and prayer to God. This reveals his matured understanding of human life.
In the Wide Field of Service: Hrushabhdasji had permanent impressions for service, sympathy and piety from his childhood. He could not see pains of others without having tears in his own eyes. He stayed with Jamnalal Bajaj and Vinoba Bhave at Wardha occasionally. He was, therefore, more deeply attached for service of the people. In the years before independence he decided to follow the principles of Gandhiji very rigidly because he believed that the country couldn't have economic independence without first achieving political independence. His services first appeared in the propagation of Khadi, service to cows and up-lift of Harijans-down trodden people. Later, he gave his services in the works connected with Kasturba Memorial and Gandhi Memorial.
His services in the various relief works were not only praise worthy but also unparalleled. Rankaji with his companions would always rush for any relief work for draught affected people, earthquake victims or flood victims. He was a leader for relief works for draught affected people in Bihar and Maharashtra, flood victims of Gujarat or severe draught in Rajasthan. At the time of draught in Bihar, he started Mahavir Kalyan Kendra-Mahavir Relief Centre at Mumbai respecting the appeal of Shri Jayprakash Narayan. Distributing them food grains helped lacs of persons, clothes and residences by this Centre and people from other regions also came out to help and co-operate in this task in large number. Rankaji earned praises from all sides for his services and this Centre also became famous as a foremost relief-institution. Bharat Jain MahaMandal is a prominent institute of Jains and Rankaji began to take interest in the working of this institute since 1946. He deeply longed for the unity of Jains. He took up editing of Jain Jagat periodical in 1948. Shri Chiranjilal Barjatya was working here before Rankaji took his entry. Rankaji worked here with so much real, efficiency and integrity that his services were appreciated. He was taken up as General Secretary of this institution very shortly. He was elected as president of 1949 conference of his institution at Chennai. He began to register new membersgeneral and life-long for this institution with the co-operation of social workers. He sent very good articles for Jain Jagat periodical also, and thus, the periodical became popular as a foremost, authentic, matured, secular and social mouthpiece of Jain community in a few years. Its outward as well as internal form was attractive. With his continued perseverance, patience and hard work of 1517 years he earned love of intelligent and wealthy people of Mumbai. He stayed at there on permanent basis from 1958 so that he could do this work conveniently. In these days there was 2500th celebration year of Lord Mahavir's great departure for heaven and with the constant efforts for unity among Jains, these celebrations were made untidily upto 1971-72. There were committees of Jains at District levels; state levels as also at national level. A great book named Samansuttam prepared under the guidance of Vinoba Bhave was presented before Indians and the whole world. This accredited book was all acknowledged books in Jain community and it was brought out to make these celebrations more joyful. This was a great historical work. The credit for most outstands fieldwork to bring out unity among Jains on this great occlusion goes to Rankaji because he was the secretary of the celebrations-committee at Mumbai. Rankaji will be remembered for centuries to come for this great accomplishment. Shri Shantiprasad Sahoo and Sheth Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai lent their co-operation with open heart and the salvation-ceremony of Lord Mahavir at Mumbai and Delhi became extremely popular. The Government of India also approved such celebrations at other places in India and in several foreign countries. The celebrations were, therefore, made a grand scale. The central and state Governments extended their help and co-operation in these celebrations. So much literature on Jainism was
158