Comtemporary Jain Legends

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

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therefore, go to a good teacher somehow and march on the way to god. This is the real good thing for me. He remembered the great obligation of his maternal uncle of and he was feeling of it very much and yet continuous thinking, unshakable determination and the power of taking firm decisions lead the boy ahead on the way to search for the Absolute.
Dhanrajji Objects:
Dhanrajji the elder brother of the father of Jawahar came to know that Jawahar was not working for the shop-cloth with enough attention and hence he called Jawahar and persuaded him to be more careful for shop and homely work. Jawahar told him that he was internally detached from worldly affairs and might not stay with family for long time. Hearing this, Dhanrajji was very much displeased and angry with Jawahar. Dhanrajji asked his two sons to keep an eye over Jawahar so that he should not meet any saint, mendicant or nun in or about the village. This continued for some time but there was no change in the attitude of Jawahar. Dhanrajji then instructed the prominent persons of the village that they should speak ill of monks and mendicants before Jawahar whenever occasion arose so that Jawahar might begin to hate the monks and put off his idea to become a mendicant and may turn back from intense religious feelings. Thus, Dhanrajji tried to take back Jawahar from his way by all means he could but who can escape from what was destined to happen? Jawahar was staying like a lotus in between water since last four years. He took the least interest in shop and home. He was passing his time in reading, thinking and meditating. He was unhappy, as he was not able to meet any mendicant or devotee of religion.
Meeting with Saint and Dixa:
Jawahar happened to go to a small Limbdi village near Dahod with Udaychand, the son of Jashvantlalji. He could meet Ghasilal Maharaj of the tradition of Shri Hukamchandji. He, therefore, stayed at this village and expressed his intention to get Dixa, but Ghasilal Maharaj pressed upon Jawahar to obtain the consent of his relatives. Jashrajji, however, called up Jawahar back to home by creating false circumstances. But Jawahar was now impatient. After some days he went back to Limbdi. Since there was no way out, Dhanrajji had to send consent-letter with his son Udaychand for Jawahar's Dixa. He was granted would Dixa in 1892. Shri Ghasilalji Maharaj drew out the hair from the head of Jawahar also fulfilled his desire by taking Dixa as the disciple of Maganlal. Jawahar was now so much pleased as a hungry man would set sweets and a poor man would get huge stock of money. The feelings of detachments that had arisen in Jawahar were now being fulfilled.
Study and Travelling:
Jawahar was very much anxious to make his life very much advanced right from his childhood. Jawahar had exceptional power of memory, outstanding intelligence, deep thinking and tendency to be in readiness for the service of others. He was fully obedient. With all these virtues in Jawahar, Goddess of knowledge had to be pleased on him. Jawahar could commit to memory hundreds of Stanzas, Gathas-songs, prayers, Samayik, Stotras-hymns to be spoken when performing this religious performance, Pratikraman-a religious rite very shortly. After only one and a half months from Dixa, Jawahar had the separation from his teacher-master Shri Maganlalji Maharaj at Patalvad village and the mendicant Shri Motilalji Maharaj passified him taking him under his care. Shri Motilalji Maharaj installed more steadfastly the virtues of service to others, penance, restraint, detachment, renunciation, tolerance, sympathy and so on in this young Mooni Shri Jawaharlalji. During the first four months of rainy season which was spent at Dhar, Jawaharlalji studied poetics and at Rampura in the second monsoon, he studied, very carefully Dash Vaikalik, Uttaradhyayan, Acharang, Sutrakrutang, Prashna Vyakaran and other scriptures under the learned Shri Kesharmalji. He was always ahead of other learners because of his exceptional intelligence. He spent next three monsoons at Javara, Pandla-Shivganj and Sailana. Alongwith studies, he propagated freedom from
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