Jainism Abroad

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 13

Respected Gardiji and friends,
In fact we have already heard what Toliyaji performed in the beginning. It looks like putting the cart before the horse introducing after he has given his own introduction. There is a verse in Hindi language: I will translate it in English
One of the great poets wrote - "Don't ask about the whereabouts, the introduction - physical or family introduction - of a saint, of a spiritually advanced person - you better get knowledge from him and if you are going to buy a sword (of course we don't need it these days as the swords and the guns are killing people) So, if you want to buy a sword, you shouldn't care for its heath. Try to evaluate the soul itself". Anyway, because it is formally necessary to talk about Prof. Pratapkumar J. Toliya. He is a very "noted", (1 am using American language "noted") we can say he is a well-known, renowned - educator, musician, composer, poet and spiritualist from Bangalore, India. He holds Masters' Degrees in Hindi and English. He is author of 18 books, 119 research papers. He served as the President and Professor of Gujarat and Bangalore Colleges for 15 years! He doesn't look age - wise at all, you see, he looks so young! And also he taught at Mahatma Gandhiji's Gujarat Vidyapith.
Prof. Toliya is a versatile artist. He has recorded 24 internationally - distributed long play records and 51 cassettes. He performs in 6 Indian languages - Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada as well as in English. In addition to his religious music, he conducts seminars meditation sessions and has edited numerous publications contributing literary works in Jainist philosophy. Following the First International Jaina Conference, where I met him personally on October 30 and 4" at United Nations Plaza in New York, Prof. Toliya began a two months' tour of United States. He has been to Rochester, Boston, Washington DC and now from here - of course he has come to Great Cleveland always called - he is going to Detroit, Flint, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Raleigh, Connecticut and so on.
So, we are really very lucky. He raises our souls and if you hear him, I am sure that you will lose yourself. Self forgetfulness is the essence of enjoyment in life and when you enjoy his music, you will forget yourself without any artificial means of Bind, Johny Walker and people try to choir it. See, it is not Jaina way of life but why people want to drink. It may not be even unethical, but it is illogical, why people pay thousands to do work, to lose consciousness? But here is the music which gives you real self forgetfulness and raises your soul high. I am happy to introduce Prof. Toliya to the audience.
"JAINISM - ANCIENT & MODERN"
BY PROF. PRATAPKUMAR J. TOLIYA, M.A. (HINDI), M.A.(ENGLISH), SAHITYA RATNA. (Speech delivered on 24-10-1981 at Community Hall, Cleveland - U.S.A., under the auspicious Jain Society of Cleveland on Deepavali Mahavira Nirvana Day after the honouring Proclamation by the Mayor of Cleveland.)
Learned Chairman Gardiji, elevated representative of the Mayor of Cleveland, Dr. Bhaiji, Dr. Sharmaji, Dr. Salagiaji and dear brothers, sisters, mothers and little friends,
It is certainly a matter of privilege to come amongst you and I am overwhelmed with the love you have showered upon me, a common simple person you have elevated to the heights which represents the heights of your own hearts. In the same words of the same poet (KABIR) about Sharmaji just quoted, I would say:
"MERA MUJH MEIN KUCH NAHIN HAI, JO KUCH HAI SO TERA:
TERA TUJHKO SAUPATE, KYA LAGEGA MERA?" Whatever is with me is nothing mine. It is of the great, great Arihantas - Tirthankaras, and, our great Paramgurus. I have only collected a single drop from this vast ocean and I am trying to walk on this path, if I can! And that is my longing since long, perhaps since ages before this life even and even in this life.
Well, I have to come to the subject given to me, a very nice subject to cover in a short time: "Jainism - Ancient and Modern". To me, Jainism is a spontaneous eternity, eternal way of life and in eternity, there is nothing past, nothing future. Perhaps there is everything "present". As Bhagawan Mahaveera had said, "We have to live into the living Present". There is no past for us and no future reliable for us. The only moments reliable with us are the moments of the present. And that's why Bhagawan Mahaveera had said in Acharang Sutra":