________________
25. Celibate Pandit Chandabai
Introduction: This is the story when Raja RamMohan Ray, Ishwarchandra Vidya Sagar, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, Shrimad Rajchandra, Shri Ramkrishna Paramhans and other personalities were in efforts to wipe out the darkness prevailing on over country. The female community was suffering very much because of ignorance, evil practices, blind faith and social excesses. Daughters were burden on their parents and the birth of a daughter in the family was considered to be a disgrace of God on the family. In these days, one great woman was born. She taught women to live with self-respect and self-efforts. She enlightened them, taught them to be free from fear. She presented her own life before them and led them to be brave and turn to true renunciation. She encouraged them to be courageous to fight against the prevailing social evils. She was a nun in self-penance, efficient and devoted to social services, and saw the whole world with love and sympathy. She was religious in her life and patriot in the service of the country. She saw possibilities in the presence, recognized the greatness of the past and assessed the circumstances in the future. This was highly learned mother Chandabai.
Birth and Childhood: Pandita Chandabai was born at Vrindavan in 1890 in a rich Agrawal Vaishnav family. Shri Narayandasji and Shrimati Radhikadevi were her parents. Her childhood passed in the devotion of Shri Radhakrishna -i.e. in prayers to Lord Krishna and his beloved Radhika. She earned faith from the childhood songs of her mother. She learnt to be dedicated to her work form her father. She was married to Shri Dharmkumarji, son of Chandrakumarji and grandson of Pandit Prabhudasji at the age of only 11. This was a famous family of Goyal family line and was devoted to Jainism. Her husband Shri Dharmkumarji died within a year of his marriage. Thus, Chandabai became widow at the age of 12 only. Shri Devkumarji, who was a famous writer in Jain community, was the elder brother of Shri Dharmkumarji. He was also religious minded and always eager to do good of others. He was deeply unhappy with the untimely demise of his younger brother and consequent widowhood of demise of his younger brother and consequent widowhood of Chandabai. He however took immediate decision with wisdom, non-attachment and patience. There was no salvation for anyone without true knowledge and virtues with knowledge were indispensable for the up-lift of man. Chandabai began to learn again with the advice and inspiration of Shri Devkumarji. She faced many difficulties but she passed the examination of Pandita-a woman Pandit-a learned woman from Kashi-Benaras.
Her Works: She always thought of women living as a subordinate or servant with covered face, ignorant and prays to evil practices of the society. She strongly believed that the only way to save the women is to impart her sufficient learning and invest her with good culture. If she is not illiterate she will certainly be healthy. She can be self-supporting if she was learned to some extent. She would earn prestige by spiritual practices. She kept all those things in view; she started a girl's school in 1907 at Agra City for expanding learning among girls. She obtained two rooms in the temple of Shantinath Bhagwan and appointed two lady teachers. This school went on advancing and it became known as Jain Balashram in 1921. Today it is an exceptional institution for the learning of girls. It is a symbol of Chandabai's service to women. Mahatma Gandhi saw the Vanita Vishram established by Chandabai and said, "I am very much pleased to see the Vanita Vishram started by Chandabai. I am happy to see its peaceful atmosphere". Thus, this a unique institution for the uplift of women of Jain
130
