Comtemporary Jain Legends

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

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and scriptures. He established Jain School for religious learning at Raipur, Delwada, Sanwada, Gogunda etc., Mahila Ashram at Jodhpur, Oswal Nirashrit Fund at Ahmednagar, Samaj Hitaishi Shravak Mandal at Mandsaur, Chaturth Jain Vruddhashram at Chittorgadh and several other institutions.
Literary Writer: He was a very good writer of high quality religious literature. He wrote both poetry and prose. He has written 30 poems in which 19 are biographical and 11 are collection of religious songs. In reading these poetry, the reader was deeply influenced with religious fervor. Just as Lord Shri Krishna has given essence of all Vedas and other scriptures in his Geeta, Shri Diwakar Chothmalji Maharaj has complied the preachings of Lord Mahavir by searching into almost all Jain scriptures in his book Nirgranth Pravachan. This is an immortal work given by Chothmalji Maharaj to Jain community. It will inspire all Jains for centuries to come. In addition to this, his own lectures are collected and published in the book named Diwakar Divya Jyoti, which is in 20 parts.
A Step forward for Unity: Even after adopting Dixa, Chothmalji Maharaj tried his best to unite several sects in Jainism and to achieve this goal, he decided to speak from one stage with Digambar Acharya Sur Sagarji Maharaj and Shwetambar Moorti Pujak Acharya Anand Sagarji Maharaj during the monsoon of 1951 at Kota with a view to establish unity between several sects of Jainism. The effort was mainly successful. When he was spending his monsoon at Sadadi, he had expressed his views for bringing out unity among different Jain sects before Shri Zaverchandbhai Jadhavji Kamdar, editor of Jain Prakash. His suggestions, in brief, were as under: - • All Saints' mendicants and nuns of all sects should hold combined conference at one place.
There should be only one system for performing religious rites and all saints, mendicant and
nuns of all sects should follow this. • Sthanakvasi Jain Unions should publish authentic literature of high level. • None should comment or criticize a member of other sect.
• Festival-days and other days of celebrations are fixed unanimously. He advised to celebrate the birthday of Lord Mahavir jointly so that unity of several sects is well founded. All Jains belonging to Digambar, Shwetambar, Sthanakvasi and other sects from Ujjain, Ajmer, Agra etc. places met together and celebrated the birthday of Lord Mahavir with all joys and pleasures. This could be possible-with the efforts of Shri Jain Diwakar Chothmalji Maharaj only. This practice continues even to day at several places.
Conclusion: After Ratlam, the monsoon of 1951 was spent in Kota. This period remained to be a unique in respect of unity of the Jain community. At this time he had pains in his stomach and it continued for 14 days. At last, he passed away on Sunday in 1951. His soul united with the Absolute. Jain Diwakar Shri Chothmalji Maharaj was a multi-faced personality. He was a famous orator, reformer, revolutionary, believer in unity and a great man of the age. He will go on enlightening us as the sun in the sky for ages to come. His works have been inspiring the whole of Jain community and all Jains are indebted to him forever.
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