Jain Journal 2001 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 47

138
JAIN JOURNAL: Vol.XXXV, No. 3 January 2001
navangi worship. The court ruled in their favour and the aggreived trust siled an appeal before the High Court. The judge observed, 'Guru vandanā, will depend on the devotee and the Guru.
The New Indian Express 31 July 2000
HC order on Jains' worship
In a landmark verdict, the Mumbai High Court has held that observing 'Be Tithi' calendar and performing 'Navangi' Guru worship by devotees was no illegal or contrary to the principles or tenets of the Jain religion.
The ruling will have a bearing on the two-crore Jain community spread all over the country, because it puts at rest the controversy over the manner of Gurupoojan' (worshipping Guru) and observance of'titis' in the absence of any such mention in Jain religious scriptures since time immemorial.
While one section believed in 'Ekang (in reverence to one point of the Guru's body) and 'Ek Tithi', the other followed 'Navang' (in reverence to nine points of the body) and 'Be Tithi'. However, there was no dispute over the manner in which the idol should be worshipped.
The judgement was delivered by Justice Ranjan Kochar, who recently upheld a lower court's order which restrained the Matunga Jain Shwetamber Murti Pujak Tapagachha Sangh, a trust, from putting up signboards at the Upashraya (temple banning Navangi' worship and the practice of following 'Be Tithi' calendar.
A few devotees had challenged in a civil court resolutions passed by the trust in its general body meeting on July 1, 1998 banning 'Navangi' worship. The court ruled in their favour and the aggreived trust siled an appeal before the High Court.
The judge observed, "Guru Vandanã will totaily depend on the devotce and the Guru. No trust can permit or allow any member of the Jain community to perform 'Guru Pooja' in a particular way. There is nothing wrong is a devotee or member of the trust performs Pooja in accordance with his own 'Bhakti', which, however, should not be against Jain religion."
The Judge observed "If the Guru accepts such a form of worship (Navangi), I do not find how the trust can prevent or prohibit 'Gurupoojan' by a devotee in this manner.'