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Appreciation of His Works: The great works of Mooni Shri Punya Vijayaji were appreciated very well during his lifetime:
He was appointed as examiner of thesis written for Ph.D. degree in archeology. He was elected to be the President of archeology-history department at Gujarati Sahitya
Parishad in 1959. • The Jain community of Bhavnagar had awarded him gold medal, the Vadodara Sangh had
awarded him the title of Agam Prabhakar and Mumbai community of Worli had granted them
the honors of "Shrut Sheel Varidhi" at the hands of Shri Vijaya Samudra Soori Maharaj. • He was made an honorary member of American Oriental Society in 1970.
Last Days: He did not mind his health in his studies. He has held by piles in the monsoon of 1955. It became very acute and he suffered very much for one and a half years. He, however, continued to work on edition Katha Ratna Kosh and study of Nishithchoorni. His devotion, knowledge and peace of mine were exceptional. At last on Monday, the sixth day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha in 1971, corresponding to June 14, '71 he prayed last after performing Pratikraman (religious rite) at about 8.50 hours night and as if he was adopting Santharo (fasting unto death) he breathed his last within two four minutes while talking with Shri Laxmanbhai. He was at peace till the last minute. He had no pains nor had he any attachments with the world. He was a great person of total renunciation.
Conclusion: This saint of self-practices was a concrete idol of Anekantvad. He had sharpened his intelligence with the study of scriptures. His Dixa life of 62 years was an uninterrupted journey for religious deeds. He lived a life of true and dedicated intellectual and yet he was a student unto his death. The world lost a saint, the Jain community lost an ideal devotee and the world of literature lost a dedicated student. We have lost an invaluable jewel from humanity. But now what remains with us? We shall remember him in his works and draw inspiration from his life.
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