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श्री राष्ट्रसंत शिरोमणि अभिनंदन ग्रंथ
SA PROTRAIT OF A GREAT SAINT
M.L. Punmia, Rtd. Dy. Director Postal A lean and thin personality having bald-head with a white long hanging beard and whose bones are eagerly waiting to come out from the main body, is no one else, but a holy saint famed as Acharya Hamendra Suriswarji. A very sober, calm and simple saint having not attractive and beautiful face-cut and look, still attractive thousands of his followers by his sweet utterances and smiling look though he is having no ortory cult. He is having no rich ornameetal dress but clad in a small loin cloth (Chol Patta) upto knee level and utrasan on the upper body still having an attractive and rare spiritual glaze on his face cultivated by his soul out of his fasting and austere habits. When a follower touches his feat after traditional Vandana, he puts his cool and soothing hand on the head of his follower, giving all the religions and spritual blessing (Dharam Labh) which produces unbelievable immense comfort and ease in the mind of his disciple who forgets all this worries with resultant heart-beating becoming normal. He feels a sense of solace.
This saint is in true sense, the follower of Lord Mahavir. He believes in non-violance, simplicity, austerity and Anekantwad. He never hurts the feelings of anybody by words, behaviour or otherwise. He never believes in show business. He never accumulates clothing more than it is required. Even in diet for more than 10 days in a month, he eats the food of Ayambil which is devoid of incodiments, spices and sweet and fatty elements. He is of the belief that by fasting habits, one can control the outer senses. He believes that by winning (18) eighteen Papsthans one can reach the stage of enlightenments,
Born in a small town named Bagra in Jalore District of Rajasthan State in 1918 in a middle class family, he became saint in the early age of 24. He is not married and is Brahamchary. In the childhood, he was having no attraction towards wordly life and earthly pleasures. His learning was towards religions activities. He became disciple of a great saint named Harsha Vijaiji. From the very beginning of his saintly life, he devoted most of his time in learning jain philosophy and service to his Guru. He observed celebacy and performed fasts. he won the anger and never looses his patience even in extra ordinary exciting occasions. He never indeliges himself in wordly affairs. In true sense, he is an idol of sacrifice peace, self-command and continence. He is having no enimity or learning towards anybody and thus neutral in behaviour with all. Thus, his followers feel that he hailed from the masses and not from silver spoonfeds. That is why, after the death of Acharya Vidhyachandra Suriji, he was made his heir by his followers and thus on 10.2.83, he became the sixth Acharya of Swetamber Jain Tristutic legacy at Ahore a small town in Jalore District
With his holy hands, he performed many religions rituals viz Anjansalakas of new temples, repairs and remodifications of old and dilapidated Jain temples, Jain poshadh shalas and Guru Mandirs. He also performed updhyans and Diksha Samaroh. He also headed many pilgrimages and chharipalak Sanghs.
Some 5 years back, I had an occasion to stay for about 22 months in a holiest town of Palitana, where this saint was also halting for Chaturmas. In that year about half a dozen famous
हेमेन्द्र ज्योति* हेमेन्द्र ज्योति 68 हेमेन्द्र ज्योति* हेमेन्द्र ज्योति
