Comtemporary Jain Legends

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

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06. Guru Gopaldasji Baraiya
Introduction:
Just as Shri Shraddhanand and Rayjada Hansraj are in Arya Samaj and Sir Saiyad among Muslim Brotherhood, so is Pandit Gopaldasji Baraiya in Jain community. The Jain community was almost in darkness before the arrival of Panditji. The flag of Arya Samaj was not flying only in India but also in Arab-Iran. The Muslim and Christian religions were expanding with equal force. Shri Baraiyaji came to religions were expanding with equal force. Shri Baraiyaji came to resume the Jain community in such hard times. There will be no exaggeration to say that the souls of Shri Akalankdeva and Shri SamantBhadra were greatly pained with this painful condition of Jainism and they put in their extra-ordinary knowledge and power of scripture pleadings in Shri Baraiyaji and beat the drum of Jain Religion.
Birth, Childhood and Education:
Pandit Gopaldasji was born in Agra in 1867. His father, Laxmandas died when he was only two years of age and hence he could not study much but the mother gave him the best of impressions. He could study only up to seventh standard. It is worth to be noted that upto this age he did not have much interest in religion. He was in service of railway at Ajmer at the age of 19 and at that time he came into contacts with highly learned Jain gentleman Pandit Mohanlal. Gopaldasji was drawn towards Jainism with these contacts and he started studying Jain books. He left the railway-service after two years and started new service at the salary of Rs.20/- per month under Ray Bahadur Sheth Moolchandji where he had to supervise the construction work of various buildings. At Ajmer, he studied regularly for about six-seven years and with continuous hard working in study as also in service he mastered Laghu Kaumudi of Sanskrit grammar, some important sections of Jain grammar, Logic and principles of Justice (NyayDipika) etc. and then after started studying Gommatsar. Pandit Mathurdasji and Babu Vaijnathji helped and guided him very well in this task. He took up further study at the Pathshala (Religions school) of Bombay with Pandit Jivram Lallooram Shastri. He also studied Pariksha Mukh, Chandra Prati Kavya and Katantra-Vyakaran, Panch Dhyayi etc. with Pandit Baldevdasji.
Pilgrimage and Residence at Bombay:
In 1892, Sheth Moolchandji went for the pilgrimage of MoolBadri and Pandit Gopaldasji was with him. On his return journey, he came to Mumbai and felt that it was a good place for earning livelihood. He joined a European Company at the salary of Rs. 45 per month which was raised to Rs. 60 very shortly. During these years, his mother expired and he went to this native place without obtaining leave from his office. He was, therefore, removed from service but shortly reinstated because of his good record of previous service.
He worked as Commission Agent in jewellery after 1895 but it was difficult to maintain truth and honesty in this business and hence he stopped this work and then started to work as a broker in cotton, oil-seeds, silver etc. In V.S. 1902 he started working Adat (commission agent) at Morena with Gandhi Natha Rangji. He tried to work independently also for sometime in between but could not succeed. Now, he accepted service only for maintenance of his family
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