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गणिनी आर्यिकारत्न श्री ज्ञानमती अभिवन्दन ग्रन्थ
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DYNAMIC JAIN SADHWI : GANINI GYANMATI JI
- N.L. JAIN, REWA
Importance of Women and Jain lady Saint
Women have been pivotal in the society. They have been centripetal in preserving and maintaining its religiosity for its smooth physical, mental and moral running. While men had to undergo larger number of accommodations due to wider sphere of its activities, the women had little chance for it because of their limited field. That is why certain characteristics have developed in them for which they have a venerable place in the society. It is said that gods reside where women are venerated.
Religiosity has been the nerve-center of women. That is why they have always outnumbered men in this field. If we look at the number of Sadhwi in the days of Lord Neminath, Parshwanath and Mahavir (40,000,38,000 and 36,000 respectively), we find a ration of 2.6 : 1 between men and women ascetics. Currently, Jain Jagat indicated a number of 6050 Sadhwi in all the Jain sects in 1982. The above ratio seems to hold even today. Scholars and canonists have pointed out that many social customs and conditions effected the status of women leading to the mentally secondary nature in the patriarchal society. This agonising point could find relief only in renouncements where women can get freedom to upgrade themselves. Ganini Gyanmati Mata ji seems to be exception to this scholarly opinion as she had an inherent desire to be a Jainist preacher aryika since her early childhood days-a rare qauality forming only ten percent of the renunciation causes in Sthananga. Ganiniji-a Shining Star among Aryikas
Jain history has always been associated with lady Saints glorifying the Jain order. Arya Brahmi, Arya Rajmati, Arya Chandana, Mrgavati and others top the list in different ages. Ganini Gyanmatiji is a twentieth century addition to this illustrious list. She represents the Digambra sect while Chandanaji, Mrgavati ji and Kanakprabhaji represent the other sects in current times.
Despite the fact that there are about 200 Digamber Jain lady saints Gyanmati ji is the shining star among them. She has shown tremendous capacity for ascetic practices and its attendant results for serving the society. She has attained a high state of litanic and meditational strength to give her an impressive aura pointing her high purity of mind and internal spiritual energy. She seems to have developed many inner powers equivalent to miraculous powers leading her to succeed in whatever she speaks or thinks. She has experienced tht asceticism is based more on mental strength rather than physical one.
Ganiniji is a firm believer in Jain scriptures and tenets. She does not give any credit to false beliefs and practices current in the society. She realises the importance of yogic and devotional practices for inner and outer well-being of human beings. She feels that the equanimous conductal practices of laymen and ascetics are tuned towards yogic exercises. That is why most saints have high longevity..
Her continuous studies, teaching and travels have made her a scholarly Aryika rare distinction among Digambera ascetics. Actually, teaching and writing have become her habit. She feels odd if either of them is absent from her routine. This habit keeps her healthy even during her illness. She has a super memory, that is why she could narrate her autobiography so lucidly and impressively. She is fertile in imagination, dotermination and long term planning. Her dynamism is shown through her gigantic multifarious activities.
Her sermons have traditionally devotional tinge and cast an ovrall impression on the listner with a popular appeal. She is staunch believer in the efficacy of different types of ritualistic observances and she has composed many of them. She has a trend of rejuvenating many older traditions. She has faced large
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