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Preface Divine Blessings of ācārya Vidyānanda (आचार्य विद्यानन्द )
On 7th August, 2019, I went to Kundkund Bharti, New Delhi, to present the manuscript of Ātmānuśāsana to Ācārya Vidyānanda.
A digambara ascetic (nirgrantha muni) for the last fifty-five-plus years, Acārya Vidyānanda (b. 1925) now dwells in own-soul. He meditates on the pure, effulgent soul through the instrument of his soul imbued with the "Three Jewels' (ratnatraya) right faith (samyagdarśana), right knowledge (samyagjñāna) and right conduct (samyakcāritra). He does not deliberate on any task inimical to soul-knowledge. If due to any reason he must undertake some activity of speech and body, he performs it with indifference. He is impervious to the external environment; even to his body. He has vanquished attachment (rāga) and aversion (dueṣa). Acārya Vidyānanda has showered me, yet again, with his divine blessings. His blessings have always had wondrous effect in making the process and the end-result of my scriptural undertakings most gratifying.
I bow my head in utter reverence to Ācārya Vidyānanda.
ācārya śrutasāgara (आचार्य श्रुतसागर ) - my silent guide
O Acarya Śrutasagara! True to your name, you are an ocean of the scriptural knowledge. Equally importantly, you follow assiduously the rules of conduct (căritra) prescribed in the Scripture for the digambara ascetic (nirgrantha muni).
I marvel your elation when I presented you, at Kundkund Bharti, New Delhi, the manuscript of ‘Ātmānuśāsana'. You were delighted as if you had received a treasure. Even before opening the packet, you had recited a couple of verses from this sacred-text (agama). Your assertion that you had studied this text years ago and it has impacted your life immensely made me feel extremely good.
You voluntarily undertook the task of going through the manuscript. Your observations have helped in making my translation of certain verses true to the original. No proofreader could have done this.
(XLI)
