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 56

advanced. This came to be true. The child asked for Dixa and Acharya said that it would be granted at an appropriate time. The child was, then sent home.
Dixa, Study of Scriptures and Separation with Saint-Teacher: There are many Jains in Radhanpur town of North Gujarat. Acharya Shri Atmaramji was camping here along with his large group of disciples to pass the four months of rainy season in 1887. The ardent desire of Chhaganlal was about to be fulfilled. With the consent of his relatives. Chhaganlal was granted Dixa in 1887 at the holy hands of respected Mooni Shri HarshVijayaji and then the grandfather like teacher gave him the new name "Mooni" Vijay Vallabh. Young Chhaganlal was now on the way of detachment and renunciation and it was perhaps destined that he will rule over the hearts and minds of many people. Mooni Vijay Vallabhji became steady in muttering of holy names on rosary, penance, leaving away tastes of food and drink, performing Pratikraman (religious rite) regularly. On the other hand he began his study in various scriptures of Jainism under the guidance of his great teacher popularly known as Bhaiji Maharaj. He was also stepping up quickly on the path of renunciation and secluded
life.
Acharya Shri Atmaramji had the permanent place in his heart, but his Dixa-guru, (the saint who gave him Dixa) Mooni Shri Harsh Vijayaji was not keeping well and he had to be in his service all day and night. He did his study late at night but served his Dixa-teacher very well and thereby cleansed his heart and mind also. He stayed with Guruji at Delhi for passing monsoon season. The grandfather Guruji was to pass his monsoon in Ambala. All the mendicants, followers and disciples served Shri HarshVijayaji with best of their efforts but he died. Newly adopted Dixa, Shri Vijay Vallabh was deeply pained. He could not be at rest for many days and hence he, alongwith his two colleagues, obtained the permission of Delhi Sangh and started to be with grandfather guru Shri Atmaramji at Ambala. They told the story of demise of Shri Harsh Vijayaji with tearful eyes. Dada-guru Mooni Shri Atmaramji said that we have to do much work in coming days and pacified VijayVallabh with love. During the last three years Shri Vijay Vallabh Soori had studied almost all the scriptures in details while being in the service of Guru-teacher. This young mendicant desired to study more and more on religions and Darshnas etc and to fulfil this desire, he tried to study further under Mooni Shri Karmchandraji at Amritsar and also under Pandit Uttamchandji. But he could not succeed much for various reasons. He then passed his monsoon of 1948 at Ambala with grandfather-teacher Shri Atmaramji Maharaj who had been enormously famous by this time in the whole of north India and also in many foreign countries Shri Veerchand Raghavji Gandhi was sent to represent for Jainism at the World Religion Conference at Chicago under the direction of Shri Atmaramji Maharaj. He propagated Jainism in America and Europe very well. Shri Vijay Vallabhji was seeing all these events and matters with his own eyes and this lead and inspired him to acquire more and more knowledge. These were crucial years for India. The air of new age was expanding in the country slowly but steadily but one thing was very well realized that the society which will not keep pace with the advancing march of new vision, will be left out of development and progress not only in economic and political matters but also in social and educational matters. The pair of Atmaramji Maharaj and Vijay Vallabhji, therefore, thought the first need is not to create Jain temples but schools and study centers. They thought out a plan for this but in these days Atmaramji Maharaj expired at Gujaranwala before his death he had entrusted the responsibility of completing this task to Shri Vijay Vallabhji in the presence of learned and wealthy persons getting co-operation from all sides of the society. After coming out of the pains of death of Shri Atmaramji Maharaj, Shri Vijay Vallabhji decided to start with the following activities in Punjab: