Anuvrat Movements Theory and Practical

Author(s): Shivani Bothra
Publisher: USA Florida International University

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The above quotation apparently conveys the significance Tulsi placed on women's
education, not only among the lay community, but also among the women ascetics within
his sect. He conceived that an educated woman will educate the entire family and this
will reflect in the development of a healthy society.21 The idea that western feminism
understood equality, as sameness with men is widespread but prioritizing education was
perhaps the major part of western feminism. Even though Tulsi went in precisely this
direction, his efforts of empowering women were inclined towards motivating women to
overcome the traditional mind-sets towards their own social status.
Besides the aforementioned characteristics of Tulsian vision of society, he also
wished to see the entire nation free from drugs and intoxication. Tulsi's foresightedness
for an ultimate society reflected both his secularly inspired ideals and the recognition of
individual potentiality. He believed the value system ought to be rooted in ethics and
compassion towards all sentient beings, including oneself.
Many respondents remembered Tulsi's charisma and the unusual power he
demonstrated as a young leader of the religious sect. He was fearless yet very conscious
of every step he took towards actualizing his mission. As a fundamental theory for the
movement, Tulsi embraced nonviolence, which according to Anne Vallely, is the
quintessential norm of Jain ethics.22 Tulsi analyzed that nonviolence is the essence of
religions and truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possession are the extrapolations of
nonviolence. As it is appearing, his vision for an ideal society was also in keeping with
21 Muni Sukhlal, Anuvrat Ke Paanch Dashak (Anuvrat Mahasamiti, 1999), 30.
22 Anne Vallely, Guardians of the Transcendent: An Ethnography of a Jain Ascetic Community, 1st ed. (University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division, 2002), 35.
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