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THE DECISIVE DECADE Jain philosophy gives the highest importance to knowledge. The attribute of the pure soul is knowledge. When a man after shedding his 'karma' attains the highest degree of emanicipation, he acquires what in Jain terminology is known as 'Kewal Gnan'. The daily prayer of all Jains is known as 'Navkar Mantra' and in this prayer obeisance is paid to Arihant & Siddha who have attained Kewal Gnan, to Acharya who is the repository of knowledge, to Upadhyaya who disseminates knowledge and to the Sadhu who constantly endeavours to acquire knowledge. It will be clear from this that according to Jain philosophy, homage is paid to who so ever possesses highest knowledge irrespective of the fact whether he is a Jain or not. That is why, this prayer does not contain the name of any Tirthanker individually, although Jains believe in and worship 24 Tirthankers who attained the highest degree of knowledge. Shri Atmaramji Maharaj very well knew this and therefore the first task he set before himself, after renouncing the world, was to acquire knowledge. He tapped all the sources from where he could get knowledge, irrespective of the fact whether the teacher was a Jain monk or Jain layman. He was swayed by a burning desire to know things so that his mind opens up and he no longer remains the proverbial frog of the well. For ten long years, we find him immersed in studies, learning from great masters as well as teaching to younger ones. In fact a glimpse on his life during the first ten years of his taking the orders is an open castigation on those Jain monks who, after studying a couple of Jain scriptures, stop studying further on the pretext that they remain busy in the observance of rituals prescribed for Jain monks. Such monks not only delude themselves but they also delude the society because the Jain philosophy lays stress on the purification of the soul which is something inner and not outer. Having no bondage of the family and the worldly possessions and not burdened by the care of the daily creature requirements, Jain monks are in the ideal situation for the pursuit of knowledge. From this angle, Upashryas (shlter for the Jain monks) should become the centres of research and seats of highest learning, each monk specialising in one or the other branch of knowledge. Then and then only will they justify their existence and earn the respect of one and all. When we look at the yearning of knowledge of Shri Atmaramji Maharaj, our heart is filled with admiration for him and we begin to feel that
Shri Vijyanand Suri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth
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