Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 59

Notes and References
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2
Stephen N. Hay, Gandhi India and the world, Univ of California, p. 32: Virchand was one of the few Jains of his generation to receive a Western style education, he had graduated in 1884 from Bombay's front-ranking Elphinstone College. Soon after he was made the secretary of newly formed Jain Association of India and took up the study of law. By the time Gandhi met him, Virchand had successfully represented the Jain community in legal disputes in Kathiawad and Bengal. Gandhi invited Virchand to share his experimental vegetarian meals, and Virchand reciprocated by telling Gandhi unnerving stories about the difficulties of making a go of the law in Bombay, and teaching him the principles of truthfinding embedded in the British Indian law of evidences". By the time Gandhi left for South Africa in 1893, Virchand found himself as the official representative of the Jain-faith at the first parliament of World religions at Chicago along with Vivekanand for Hinduism, He won enough admirers in USA and stayed there for two year even organizing his followers to the short lived Gandhi Philosophical Association. Perhaps Jain logic with Anekantavada was impressed on Gandhi by Virchand.
My.Ex. p.39 Becharji Swami was originally a Modha Bania, but had now become a Jain monk. He was a spiritual advisor of Gandhi's family.
3 My.Ex. 1 pp 52-54
S.R.Mehrotra, The Mahatma & The Doctor, Vakils, Feffer & Simons. Dr Pranjivan Mehta 1864-1932 Pillar of support to Gandhi, first at Rajkot college, then England settlement, return to India, stay in England during 1909 at Hotel West minister, guide to plan Swaraj (Gandhi dedicated his book Hind Swaraj to him), offered money for his ashram and to set up Gujarat Vidhyapeeth. He came from a prosperous Jain family in Morvi Gujarat. Rajchandra was his younger brother's son in law.
4
5 My.Ex. 1, pp 53-54. Dr Mehta (I was given an introduction letter to him in India), to whom I had wired from Southampton, called. He invited me to his home in the evening. I got my first lesson in mannerism in England from him (like not calling Sir, not touching anything, not asking questions in the first meeting, not talking
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