Gandhis Teachers Rajchandra Ravjibhai Mehta

Author(s): Satish Sharma
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad

Page 33

The Life of Rajchandra
There is not a single truth which may be unknown to Jainism. It is only Jainism, which proclaims an object full of innumerable aspects. Nowhere there is a truth so purposeful as this. As there can be no two souls in one body, so there can be no two Jainisms throughout the world, i.e. there is no other philosophy comparable to Jainism. What is the cause for saying so? Nothing but its non-attachment, perfection, truth, and universal benevolence."13
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Though Rajchandra was very proud of Jainism, he felt that the tradition and its philosophy had fallen into improper hands of the vanias. Vanias interpreted Jainism in a vania spirit's and thus encouraged ignorance instead of knowledge, cowardice instead of courage, and indifference instead of compassion. Gandhi writes: "The Poet (Rajchandra) used to say that had Jainism not fallen into the hands of those who are called Jains, it would have filled the world with marvel at its truths. But, the fact is that the followers bring discredit to the truths of Jainism."17
When twenty years old, Rajchandra was married to Jabakbai, the talented daughter of Popatlal Jagjivandas Mehta, the younger brother of Revashankar Jagjivandas Mehta.'8 Rajchandra had some children from this marriage," but his soul was constantly hankering after self-realization and the attainment of moksha. His heart was full of renunciation, no matter what he did.. Rajchandra took his marriage to be result of his past karmas20 and led the life of an ideal householder. A verse in Gujarati was often on his lips, which meant: "There is a constant fruitation of the karmas. Engrossed in the desire for accumulation of materialistic gains, I have committed so many deeds. As much as I try to compensate this desire, the further it increases, it does not diminish in the least."21
Rajchandra started composing poetry in Gujarati language at the tender age of eight. It has been indicated that he had rendered the entire texts of Ramayana and Mahabharata22 in verse form within an year's time.23 Rajchandra was a bornpoet and he wrote from rich inner experiences.24 Gandhi