________________
Jin Vijayaji decided to co-operate in the working to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and connected the work of Sindhi Jain Granthmala with the working of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Mooniji began to do this dual work simultaneously. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji kept himself away from Quit India Movement in 1942. By this time, he was invited to consolidate the bookstalls of Jesalmer and he went there. He stayed here for about five months and prepared manuscripts of about 200 books. He then returned to Mumbai and joined to work as Director to guide the work of edition and publication of various books and help the students in their study for the degrees of Decorate. Mooniji was always concerned for the problems of the country as well as of the society. The problem of food-grains became very serious after independence and his attention was drawn to agriculture, physical labor and self-sufficiency. As a result, he obtained some land near Chaderia village in Chittore region from the ruler of that area and established Sarvodaya Sadhana Ashram on 28 April 1950. Mooniii then gave over this Ashram to Shri Vinoba Bhave when he came on his foot journey to Rajasthan. Rajasthan Puratattva Mandir was established on 13 May 1950 with the efforts of Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji and he himself took up the work of its administration. He was, thus, attending the activities of agricultural development of the Ashram on one side and was working in Rajasthan Puratattva Mandir with total devotion on the other side. In 1952, he was selected as an honorary member of the world famous Oriental society of Germany. Very few Indians have got this honor. He was granted this honor in recognition of his research work on Indian language. In 1961, the Government granted him the award of Padma Shree. This was in honor of his study, research and publication of archaeological books particularly in Jain literature. The Rajasthan Purattva Mandir-i.e. archaeological school of Rajasthan was started in Jaipur and many hand-written as well as books of unusual importance on history and archaeology was collected there. The publication work was taken up on large scale. The Government of Rajasthan constructed a special building to make this institution a permanent one and Shri Mohanlal Sukhadia, the then chief Minister of Rajasthan had put it open in 1959. This could happen only because continued efforts of Shri Jin Vijayaji. This institution secured a place of extra-ordinary importance all over India on the subjects of Indian languages and archaeological information. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji was honorary director of this institute until 1967.
Mooni Shri had special attraction for Chittore because its history is worth taking proud of. It was the place of rigorous penance and work place of the great-learned Jain Acharya Shri HariBhadra Sooriji. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji established Shri HariBhadra Soori Smarak Temple just opposite the famous fort of Chittore as a respect and honor to Shri HariBhadra Sooriji. To day, it is a place of pilgrimage of Jain community and a place of interest for other virtues. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji has also created Bhamasha Bharatiya Bhavan in the memory of famous charity maker Shri Bhamasha. Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji established several institutions during his lifetime and many learned personalities, students and institutions received guidance and inspiration from him.
Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji was very weak at the age of 80. His eyesight was now very poor and yet he continued to work with the same interest and efforts for Indian archaeological study, Jain Darshan, old history of Chittore and also for national issues.
Conclusion: In over all consideration we see that the whole life of Mooni Shri Jin Vijayaji was spent for the worship of Goddess Saraswati-the Goddess of knowledge. He inspired even the learned persons, research students and intellectuals in the subjects of archaeology, old India History and culture. He created
128
