Book Title: Comtemporary Jain Legends
Author(s): Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

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Page 127
________________ After Dixa, he started writing articles in Gujarati and these were published in Jain Hitaishi and also in Mumbai Samachar. He obtained many books on the famous Jain Vaiyakaran Shaktayan from the stocks at Patan and prepares one exhaustive article. A list of Jain Bookstalls at Patan was also printed in the form of an article. Shri Jin Vijayaji secured unparalleled position in the field of Hindi and Gujarati publications for publishing these articles and books. During his stay at Vadodara, he edited a large book titled Kumarpal Pratibodh and published it. When Shri Jin Vijayaji was passing his monsoon at Mumbai, an institution named Bhandarkar Prachya Vidya Sanshodhan Mandir was established at Poona and accepting the invitation from their Shri Jin Vijayaji went to Pune after the monsoon at Mumbai. Here, he established Jain Sahitya Sanshodhak Samiti and started a research magazine named Jain Sahitya Sanshodhak alongwith a book series on the related subjects. Thus, Shri Jin Vijayaji's stay at Pune proved to be turning point in his life because he could meet the famous freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak and great revolutionary Shri Arjunlal Shethi. Shri Jin Vijayaji began to think of Indian independence with these acquaintances. He was deeply moved by the political ideas of Shri Lokmanya Tilak. He began to think in a different direction from here and after long thinking, he decided to leave away the life of Jain Shwetambar Moorti Pujak mendicant. He was under pains that the country was under British rule. He did not like to stay inactive in these circumstances and thought to take active part in freedom struggle. He declared his decision in the newspapers. Mahatma Gandhi then called him to Ahmedabad and Shri Jin Vijayaji started his railway journey. Mahatma Gandhi and the workers of Gujarat Vidyapith appointed him in archaeological section and from here, he began quite a new chapter of his life. He ceased to be Jain mendicant and now he was the Head of the archaeological department of Gujarat Vidyapith. He worked here for about eight years. His nature was revolutionary and hence his attitude and thinking took a radical turn. The large stock of books in the library of this section is the result of his selection of archaeological books of extra-ordinary importance. His beloved subjects were the history of old Gujarat and its languages, his discourses with intellectuals inspired him to study German language and know the German personalities. Gandhiji also approved his desire to go to Germany. With the inspiration from everyone and respecting the invitation of the learned German professor Harman Jakobi. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji went to Germany to 1928 and stayed therefore about one year and a half. He exchanged views with the learned professors of archaeology of Bonn, Hamburg and Lipitsing universities. He established Hindustan House in Berlin to consolidate friendship between India and Germany. This House became an important center for India-German contacts and other facilities and many leaders, students and merchants took its advantage. He returned to India by the end of 1929. He had two ways before him at this moment: One, to keep himself confined to languages, literature and studies and the other to play active role in country's struggle for independence. He put off the first option for the time being and took up the second option in 1930. Mahatma Gandhiji's Dandi March and salt movement began on thirteenth of March and Mooniji was atonce sent to jail for joining this movement. He came in contact with Shri Kanaiyalal Munshi in the Nasik Jail and they exchanged their views on the subjects of various studies. Even though Mooniji joined the freedom struggle of the country, his future was connected with the subjects of studies. He reached ShantiNiketan at Calcutta and there he had extensive discourses with the famous and foremost personality Shri Bahadursinh Sindhi who was most connected with Jain literature. As a result the plan of establishment of Sindhi Jain Gnanpith took shape and Mooniji accepted to give his services here and then Sindhi Book series began. The first book published in this series was Prabandh Chintamani. Shri Jin Vijayaji started Jain Boarding also in ShantiNiketan. The monetary burden for all this work was being borne by Shri Bahadursinh. Mooniji stayed here for about three years. The atmosphere of Calcutta did not suit to his health and he decided to shift his working field from Calcutta to Mumbai or Ahmedabad. He had to go Mumbai in these days for the major operation of Pandit Sukhlalji. With the hard pressure of Shri Kanaiyalal Munshi, Mooniji 127

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