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38. Adhyatma Yogi Shri Sahajanandji Varni
(Adhyatma Yogi is a person who performs Yoga in spiritualism)
Introduction:
We have in India very high traditions of expanding knowledge and these traditions continue since time immemorial. The credit of continuing these traditions goes to the persons of deep knowledge, teachers, students and devotees. Shri Sahajanandji Manoharlalji Varni was a learned person of very high status; he was a renunciate, writer of extra-ordinary spiritual books and an able orator. He is an important organ to continue to the traditions of expanding knowledge. He wrote many spiritual, scriptural and authoritarian books for the good of himself and of others. His works were praiseworthy and need be imitated. The society could never come of this debt owed to him. He was engaged in continuous studies and undisturbed practices in literature. He was all the time in worship of the goddess of knowledge (Saraswati). He was a teacher of spirituality. He came out in time with the tradition of former spiritual teacher Shri GaneshPrasadji Varni (older Varniji) and this younger Varniji was his outstanding disciple. His power to studying difficult thins very easily, and his impressive face duly justifies his title of younger Vamiji and also of Sahajanand.
Childhood:
Shri Manoharlalji Varni was born in 1916 at Damdama Village of Zansi District. Shri Gulabramji and Shrimati Tulsibai were his parents. He had serious disease in his stomach in childhood and therefore, his name was kept as Maganlal. After painful efforts he was cured and the child began to reveal his impression of his previous lives.
The child Maganlal started his learning at the age of six in the village school and after a year and a half he was admitted to Sagar Vidyalaya, which was established by the elder Varniji. His father had deep love, respect and family relations with elder Varniji as well as Chironjabai. Maganlal could study very well. He was taking active part in games and exercises. He was interested in music also. He knew playing with harmonium, flute etc. His voice was also pleasing and suitable for music. His nature, his face and his speech were attractive and therefore, he was known as Manohar (something which captures mind). He was betrothed against his will during the vacation of Sagar Vidyalaya in his young age due to the pressure of relatives, and even after the betrothal, he was indifferent for family life. He did not like to talk about marriage. He was always engaged in his studies. He passed the examinations for the degree of Shastri at the age of 15 to 17. He obtained the degree of Nyaya Tirth at the age of 18. Thus, he was very well learned at the young age of 20. He was totally devoted to his teachers and extended lovable behavior with everyone. As he was deeply interested in studies, he was equally interested in teaching also. He worked as a teacher in Sanskrit for sometime in Sanskrit school. He considered teaching to be the most pious act of charity and taught his students with best of his efforts and attachment.
Moments of Change: onthe Way to Detachment:
Worldly relations are short-lived in the lives of great men and they also meet with such circumstances. Varniji also had similar circumstances. His wife expired when he was only 20 years of age but had to have second marriage because of the pressure of his relatives. His second wife also died after six years and now his desired way of life was clear. He now began with a new chapter of his life. He adopted the vow of absolute celibacy at the age of 26. His line of thinking also became detached with worldly affairs. As a result of this, Shri Varniji adopted life-long celibacy and other vows of Shravaks (rules of Jain family life) in the presence of and at the hands of elder. Varniji Shri Ganesh Prasadji at Siddhkshetra Shri Shikharji in 1944. He now started to walk fast on the way of eternal happiness. He
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