Comtemporary Jain Legends

Author(s): Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

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the world religions. Moreover, their speech and religious feelings made special effects. If was full of heavy learning, deep scholarship, thinking and convalescence. But among all these, one young gentleman of Jain religion gave an altogether new line of thinking and philosophy. The young man is from an ordinary family, he was not a monk or mendicant, he was not a religious teacher or preacher. If he were able to present his religions aspects so effectively, how great his teachers would be? He was a simple but determined philosophy of religious life. It was definitely worth knowing and understanding."
There is a special aspect about the lectures of Veerchandbhai Gandhi on Jainism that he never criticized other religions. His thinking to adopt non-violence in life and to remain free and neutral on non-secular pressures and prejudices. This is quite befitting to a true Jain who maintains his attitudes to see everything in one thing and one thing in everything. He spoke correct English language, natural but effective presentation and deep study of all related matters, these three aspects matched in his speeches. His studious lectures went deep into the hearts of Americans. He gave us books like The Yoga Philosophy, The Jain Philosophy. But his main contribution came in The Karma Philosophy. In this book, he elaborated the theory of deeds and it revealed his deep knowledge of the subject with active attachment for Jainism.
A Great Patriot:
Shri Veerchand Raghavji Gandhi was not merely a philosophical thinker but also an ardent patriot. It was believed in America that India was a country of "Tigers, serpents and kings". The Christian propagandists gave an ugly picture of India. Shri Veerchandbhai tried to present India in her correct perspective. Swamy Vivekanand did the same. He explained the greatness of Indian cultures to the foreigners and said, "It is surprising that foreigners have continuously invaded India and facing all these calamities, India is still alive with all her might and right. India's religion and behavior are unchanged and the whole world has to see towards India. The cultural heritage, agriculture, craftsmanship, literature, character, behavior, sources of science and knowledge, respect for guests, worship of woman, love for all living beings and natural sympathy are the special and notable aspects of Indian life. If this culture could have been bought, the Britishe might have already bought it and took it over to England. But this could not happen and can never happen."
Very late in 1893 AD Veerchandbhai talked of economic and political independence of India. Once he said to Americans that India was crushed under the feet of the British. India was free only in religion but when India would be politically free, she would never launch violent attach on any other country. In 1893 AD, Gandhiji was merely a barrister and Veerchandbhai had made this statement in those days. His thinking of 1893 AD has fully come to be true to day!
Veerchandbhai was deeply religious. He could foresee many things. He could see beyond tomorrow. When there was not even a ray of hope for India is independence, Veerchandbhai said that if India became independent she would peacefully co-exist with other countries. Before five decades of Indian independence, Veerchandbhai said in his lecture on The Jain Philosophy: "you know my brothers and sisters that we are not an independent nation. We are subjects of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria the "defender of the faith", but if we are a nation in all that, name implies with our own government and our own rulers, with our laws and institutions controlled by us free and independent, I affirm that we should seek to establish and
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