Comtemporary Jain Legends

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

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breathing took high speed. A doctor was called at once from the nearest town Surendranagar but before the doctor could arrive, Maharaj Shri had decided to go to the mercy of the four, viz. Arihant, Siddha, Saints and the religion prescribed by Kevli-i.e. Jainism and breathed last at night at 10-25 hours to begin his journey to the Absolute.
The news of this sad demise of Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji spread very soon in all directions and people from Saurashtra, Gujarat, Mumbai and Hyderabad rushed to see him last. There were more than 10,000 persons in this small village. He was cremated amidst the repeated sounds of "Jay jay Nanda, Jay Jay Bhadra" in the presence of his disciples, devotees and followers. His bright body was mixed up with five major elements of earth, water, light, wind and space. Maharaj Shri had lived long life of 64 years with total restraint and expanded religion and virtues of good behavior, non-addition, humanity, prayers, truth and sympathy among the Jains and non-Jains communities all around in Gujarat, Saurashtra, Mumbai and many other places.
Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji had granted Dixa to Mooni Shri Chunilalji in 1927 and Mooni Shri Santbalji in 1929. Both of them were totally devoted to Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji. Even after 60 years of his Dixa, Shri Chunilalji Maharaj is following the ideals of Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji, while the personality of Mooni Shri Santbalji was revolutionary and hence while following the rules of his daily life, he was lead by the ideas of world-brotherhood and turned to the feelings of nationality, Indian culture, thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and development of society. His whole life reveals his thoughts and his activities. In his Ashram at Chinchan, he established four divisions of Shrimad Rajchandra, Mahatma Gandhiji, Respected Shri Nanchandraji and Pandit Jawaharlalji. Thus, the two ardent disciples of late Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji, Shri Chunilalji Maharaj and Shri Santbalji Maharaj carried on the thoughts of their great teacher Shri Nanchandraji Maharaj by their activities and, thus, paid him a befitting homage.
Maharaj Shri Nanchandraji had the power to create effective poems from his childhood and he had special practices in prayers and religious rites. He composed about 400 songs of prayers and devotion deeply related to the religion. The songs are in different poetic metres, they are rhythmic and every one likes to recite them with pleasure. These songs are published in the books "Prarthana Mandir" (Temple of Prayers) and "Subodh SangitMala" (Preachings in songs)-parts 1, 2 and 3. He wrote and compiled three parts of "Sanskrit Kavyanand" (Pleasure poetry in Sanskrit) and "Manavatanu Mithu Jagat" (Sweet world of humanity). His teachings can be summarized as under:
⚫ Life and Wealth: Money is for human life; life is not for money. The beauty of the world is merely an illusion. Body and ornaments have no real value. It is madness to run after wealth by degrading your soul.
Let there be light of humanity in your heart and maintain it by constantly remembering the God. Is it good to go round in business day and night like a bull of oil-seeds crusher, to increase the family, to worry for them, to suffer many hardships for them and at last to go away leaving everything here itself? Why is life? Why have you come here? Where from have you come? Where are you to go from here? What will you take with you? Who are we? What are we doing? Think of all these questions whenever you are free.
Always be in the company of saints and teachers. Go on reading good books. This is the way to eternal bliss. Otherwise, all these scenes before your eyes are vain. Every man has some or other defects, but one must accept and appreciate virtues. Tell all the members of your family to be remembering god at all times.
Always keep in efforts to be before the god. Think of god, read about god, see god every where and hear the praises of god. Spend more time in thinking than in reading. Go on reducing your attachment, be serviceable to everyone, keep your speech and thoughts under control. Always be gracious, kind, helpful, love-all living beings, he devoted to god and makes prayers everyday.
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