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JANUARY, 1971
135
ing which placed the whole town to the mercy of the hooligans and ultimately led to the ban on the book. Unfortunately the action of the hooligans was not condemned in time either by top spiritual or political leadership and the Acarya was virtually left alone to issue clarifications which he did on August 22, September 6 and September 19. He was later forced to leave Raipur a few days before the căturmāsya ended. But before this, on October 9, he was prevailed upon to give a sermon in a public meeting of leading citizens arranged by the Collector of Raipur, a part of which is reproduced below.
"In all the communities in India, Rama and Sita are held in equal esteem and devotion. They have been viewed as gods in the Sanatana dharma ; I too view on them as gods of Jainism. Even the Buddhists view them as gods of their own religion. To me they are gods of humanness. The Jainas view on Rama as Bhagawan. The place of Rama is the same as that of Bhagawan Parsva and Mahavira. Mahasati Sita I consider to be worthy of morning remembrance, worthy of worship and devotion. She is ideal for the entire womanhood, To utter any disrespectful word about her is to show dishonour to self, to indulge in irreverence to self, to be disrespectful of one's own religion.”
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