Comtemporary Jain Legends

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

Page 75

Devotion to Teacher and Holy Love: Varniji was fully devoted to his teacher. When he completed the study of Ashta-Sahasri under Pandit Ambadas Shastri, he gave a diamond ring to him as a present from a student with deep feelings and reverence. Not only to Pandit Ambadas Shastri, but he was sincerely devoted to all the learned persons under whom he studied. Varniji also loved and duly respected all those who were his disciples and followers. He was always very much careful that every learned person is properly respected and honored in the society.
An Incarnation of Charity: He was surprisingly charitable. He gave away things, which were offered to him only with deep love and affection. Once Varniji was coming to Sagar with a basket full of good mangoes. He saw on one railway station that some poor children were sucking the fruit-stones of the mangoes thrown away by the passengers of the train. He atonce stepped down and asked the children to stand in a queue. He distributed all the mangoes to these children. When he reached Sagar, Chironjabai asked him, "Brother, did not you bring good quality mangoes from Varanasi?" Varniji answered, "Baiji, I did bring mangoes but distributed to the poor children at the railway station". Baiji was very much pleased to hear this. This is the striking illustration of the sympathetic nature of Varniji.
Kindness of Varniji: Varniji was very kind. He could not see any living being suffering pains. He always ran to help the needy. If he saw any one trembling in cold, he would atonce give him his own cloth from over his body. Once he was returning to Sagar from a village, he was taking-out drinking water from a well for himself and his colleagues. He saw a poor untouchable class woman was very thirsty and was asking some water. His collegous were objecting saying that if water is offered to an untouchable woman, our water pot and rope shall become untouchable and remain of no use for us. Varniji not only gave her water but also gave the water jug to the woman. He gave her his shoulder-cloth and Dhoti also. That evening he had to enter the city with a narrow strip covering him. Varniji, thus, did not mind to be ashamed of for the sake of kindness to others. Varniji could know the heart of others very effectively. He called on the most mischievous boys and taught them by sitting with them. There are many examples of such boys who later became highly learned personalities. Varniji was a very good orator. The audience maintained pin-drop silence to hear him. One would feel that he was showering nectar when he spoke. He could explain difficult and serious subjects of religion and philosophy in a very simple way. He used to give effective illustrations to explain complicated issues. He could speak on national problems also very well while talking of religious matters. He could impress upon his audience very deeply. His ialect had the impressions of Bundelkhandi surge, which is a very sweet dialect of a Hindi language.
A Successful Writer: Respected Varniji has written much in his natural language. His art of writing daily diary was exceptional. He noted stanzas and phrases coming out of his heart expressing his feeling alongwith the narration of the events. He wrote many letters on the saints and mendicants took "Sallekhana" andthat sat in meditation unto death. Several of these letters have been published also. These letters included essence of several religions and philosophical issues. Four parts of a big book Varnivani are published on the basis of these diaries. He has written large commentary on Samayasar of Acharya Kundkund in the form of lectures which is very much famous.