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THE JAINA GAZETTE
thickness. The 1st atmosphere Ghanodadhi vata-valaya or Humid atmosphere is 2 koses thick. (Note that all these distances are big i.e., 500 times of the ordinary measures.) The 2nd Ghana-or Thick-air atmosphere is 14 kosas thick. The 3rd Tanu-or Thin air atmosphere is į kosas thick. At the end of this and just above the cup is 45 lacs yojanas space of Siddha Kshetra with infinite sacred lotus feet and bodies having for their eternal asana the 45 lacs yojanas of the brilliant diamond cup below.
Now each Siddha has a size slightly less than His last human body. The biggest human being to attain liberation was Bahu Baliji, son of Lord Adinath. His height was 525 bows ; whereas Lord Adinath's stature was 500 bows, the largest among Tirthamkaras, the smallest among them being the 6 hathas or 9 feet of Lord Mahavira. People are anxious to secure pilgrimages. I am anxious to stop my long long pilgrimage and reach my goal, my lasting Abode the Siddha Kshetra.
Even a very slight control of Passions or only of some Passions, induces a peculiar calm and power in mind. It is a matter of merest personal experience, not of dogma or religious theology. When this is so, how much more a suppression and destruction or uprooting of all Passions must be the cause of Pure Joy and Power of Soul. Uprooting of a passion or even of a twig or leaf of this soul-deluding plant means and is indicated by the fact that there is no response in the soul to all even the most subtle, indirect and remote call of that particular passion twig or leaf. Cultivate purity of soul by uprooting the root, branch or leaf of the innume. rable variety of the Passions of Anger, Pride, Deceit and greed, and see for yourself the inrush of the light, beauty and joy of Truth into YOU.
The best and only solution of World-misery is Simplicity : Poverty. This must be the ideal. To give up all. Then whatever you possess will only be forced upon you when the extreme necessity is gone. The poison and dirt of Attachment to mere Matter will never affect your soul : and being thus lightened you will march on to the goal of the greatest amount of Light and
Happiness for the greatest number of living beings. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
