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calculated to directly strengthen the soul and to prevent its future rebirth in any but the best surroundings. Those who ddopt the sallekhana vow immediately become self-composed and selfcentred; they cease to be agitated by personal considerations and suffering, and rise above the cravings and longings of the world. The result of the terribly resolute frame of mind implied in the sallekhanā vow on the departing soul is simply wonderful and immediately raises its rhythm, tifting it out of the slough of despond and negativity. The man who-wanders of tosses about, hither and thither, weeping and crying, in the closing moments of life, and spends the little time at his disposal in making vain efforts to avoid the unavoidable, is nowhere compared with him who, realizing the hopelessness of the endeavour to save his life, earnestly applies himself to control his destiny. The result is that while the latter attains to deva birth in the highest heavens, the former only finds himself in painful and uneviable circumstances and surroundings.".
Except as indicated above sallekhanā is forbidden in the Scripture of Truth as will be evident from the following from thé “Bhagwati Āradhanā" (by St. S'ivakoti):--
“Bhakta pratyākhyāna marana (sallekhanā) is not proper for him who has many years of saintly life before him, who has no fear of starvation from a great famine, who is not afflicted by an incurable disease, and who is not faced by any sudden cause of death. Whoever desires to put an end to his life, while still able, with his body, to observe the rules of the Dharma and of the Ortder properly, he falls from the true Path !”
The sadhu, intent upon the observance of the sallekhana vow, begins by givirgup solid foods, taking to such sustai. aing liquids as milk, curds, whey, and, the like, and, finally, comes down to hot water, which, too, is given up, as soon as be is able to sustain bimself on the strength of his indomitable will. He now refrains from all kinds of foods and drinks till the last moments of life. If trouble comes and the cravings of hunger and thirst are overpowering, he ongages himself in boly meditation, going over in his mind
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| SR No. | 032175 |
| Book Title | Mrutyu Mahotsav |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Sadasukh Das, Virendra Prasad Jain |
| Publisher | Akhil Vishva Jain Mission |
| Publication Year | 1958 |
| Total Pages | 48 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 8 MB |