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THE JAINA GAZETTE interpreted by Jaina-doctrines is so high and broad that it is for the hightening of humanity, and not to make dummies and weaklings of mankind.
THE ADVENT OF JAIN SADHUS
IN LUCKNOW. CVERY reader of books on ancient India and every school L boy has read of the gymnosophists or the Digambara or Sky-clad Jain ascetics performing severe penances on the Parasanath Hill in the province of Bihar. But it has not fallen to the lot of many to actually see such Sadhus, and to see them engaged in their austerities and meditation. Such a sight I had the special privilege of witnessing at Ajitashram, the house of Mr. Ajit Prasada, Vakil of Lucknow. It was on the 2nd of June, 1927, that I saw 4 such Sadhus engaged in meditation and aus. terities. Three of them were standing, apparently motionless, in the blazing heat of the mid-day Sun of the month of June on the reinforced concrete and cement plastered roof of the Jain chapel at Ajitashram. The ground was hot literally like a fur. nace, the hot winds were blowing and the sun was ablaze just over their heads. They stood errect like statues and seemed to be oblivious to all surroundings, so deeply absorbed were they in contemplation. And thus they were engaged for over an hour. At times they changed the errect or Kayot-Sarga posture for the seated (Padmasana) or the half-seated (Veerasana) attitude. The changes of posture were not adopted by way of change or relief, but as a part of the austere discipline. After finishing their contemplation they talked freely and with ease, as if they had been quite comfortable all the while. There were no signs of fatigue, annoyance or weakness. Their faces had the freshness of health, their lips were not parched and the voice was clean and strong. On being questioned they said that having concentrated their mind on the contemplation of the pure, allpowerful, all-happy and all-knowing soul, possessed of all the attributes of God-head they were quite unaffected by external
conditions. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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