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

Previous | Next

Page 182
________________ back to Bhopal. He passed a monsoon here. After moving to all these places he came again to Kashi and he felt that he has come to his original place. The root cause of attachment to Kashi was that it is the birthplace of Lord Parshvanath. Shri Varniji Maharaj was related to the whole world-the whole mankind, but how can he have the same relations with other cities and towns as it was with Kashi? For him Kashi was the place of his own being. At this time, he published new edition of Shanti Path Darshan and after completing this work within three-four months; he went towards Chhindwara-Bhopal in 1982. Where Pandit Rajmalji became his most dedicated devotee. He came back to Benaras in May and began to work for preparing second edition of Jainendra Siddhanta Kosh. He was, however, not able to work so speedily as he desired according to his nature. He was, therefore, not happy. He was not well with the behavior of some people of the society. The greatest of his pains was I am not able to do anything to solve these problems. I have my own compulsions". His health did not help him. At this time Shri MunniBabu told him very clearly to stop his writing activities. He was, now, not able to sit for long hours. Maharaj Shri Varniji remained silent on this advice, but he did not take pen in hand after that date. His whole life was spent on pen and literature. He was getting life force and interest from them. But now his interest was waning. MunniBabu felt that he was at serious fault. He thought that Maharaj Shri Varniji would get loneliness, peace, rest and even physical health, but the decision of Shri Varniji was painful. The decision waited since long was not painful. The decision waited since long was not on. Maharaj Shri decided to go for Samadhi Maran-i.e. death in meditation. Maharaj Shri Varniji was a sea of virtues. He was flexible, truth seeking, simple-natured, appreciating virtues and secular. This was reflected in his personality. He was not great only because he was learned. He was not great only because he was learned. He worked hard to serve the Jainism. He was great because he sincerely tried to lead life according his knowledge acquired by his extraordinary ability in studying scriptures. His penances and mendicantship is even greater than his leaning. His simplicity, natural goodness and liberal outlook to co-ordinate among different views and beliefs are the shining sides of his life. As he was going deeper and deeper into the sea of knowledge, he went on acquiring more and more virtues. It there is any test for saintly life; it is simplicity and eagerness for service to others. It is difficult to get another illustration of his life. He never longed for fame, popularity or happy life. Varniji was, thus, a cent percent great personality. He was as holy as the Ganges, he was respectable and worth to be remembered in the morning. The work of service of Jainism, which would be done by a large group of learned personalities at a cost of lacs of rupees, was done by a lone, empty-handed unattached man like Varniji at no cost. This was almost a magic task so easily fulfilled. The Jains and non-Jains of Kashi believed him to be an ideal teacher-Guru. His behavior was not different from his words. He had some special virtues. He used to speak much less; he saw the world as a "Seer". He could understand complicated things very easily. His thinking was unprejudiced, original and natural. It was to the point and very effective. He was an unattached lovable mendicant. There was meeting of the three rivers in the form of truth, love and renunciation. He acted for truth, he saw for truth, he thought for truth. This was his ideal of life. It there is no love for mankind in your life, it is not a life at all this was his clear and touching belief. His lectures were wholly philosophical based on the description of atomic elements in scientific way. His arguments were justful, arising out of own experience, reasonable and easy to understand. He gave more importance to individual preaching rather than group preaching by lectures. He was not willing to waste valuable time in worthless pleadings. He considered every moment of time to be of great value and favored to use it for the good of self and soul. He used to say, "if we can bring our 182

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 180 181 182 183