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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision
foreigners have been constantly attacking India and in the face of all these aggressions the soul of India has stood vital and watchful. Her conduct and religion are safe and the whole world looks at India with a steady gaze."
"Cultural distinctions, agriculture, art, artistic skill, literature, good conduct, means of knowledge and science, hospitality, feminism, love and respect - all these are found in India in quite a different form. If that culture was purchasable, England could have purchased it, adopted it. But it has not happened, it cannot happen."
As early as in the year 1893 Virchand Gandhi talked of the economic and political freedom of India. He said to the American people :
"India is at present under the foreign rule. She is independent in the field of religion, but when India will be free, she will not invade any country in a violent manner."
Virchand Gandhi had a rare ability to see beyond the immediately visible world. He could see beyond this world, he could know the future. Even before the dawn of political independence, Virchand Gandhi had foreseen the proper role of India.
"If India becomes free, she will live in a political cooperation with all countries." Five decades before the independence of India, Virchand Gandhi had the prophetic sense; he said in his lecture of 'The Jain Philosophy - "You know my brothers and sisters, that we are not an independent nation. We are subjects of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria" the 'defender of the faith', but if we are a nation in
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all that name implies with our own government and our own rulers, with our laws and institutions controlled by us free and independent, I affirm that we should seek to establish and for ever maintain peaceful relations with all the nations of the world."
Virchand Gandhi made such a great impact that the conveners and scholars of the conference of world religions awarded a silver medal to him. Subsequently on 8th August 1894 the citizens of Kasadova awarded a gold medal to him. In this city he delivered a lecture on 'Some mistakes corrected.' The newspaper, 'Buffalo Courier', records the immense success of the lecture. In America Virchand Gandhi founded two institutions namely, 'The Gandhi Philosophical Society' and 'The School of Oriental Philosophy'. In Chicago he founded an institution namely 'Society for the Education of Women of India. The secretary of this institution was Mrs. Howard who had adopted pure vegetarianism and other codes of conduct of Jainism under the influence of Virchand Gandhi. As sister Nivedita became Swami Vivekanand's disciple, so Mrs. Howard became Virchand Gandhi's disciple and like Jain, she practised Samayika.
Later, Virchand Gandhi went to England, where he fulfilled his desire to be a barrister, but he did not use this training for monetary gain. Knowing the curiosity for Jainism in England, he started a coaching class. Later he founded the Jain Literature Society' in London. Herbert Warren, a religious enthusiast, abandoned non-vegetarianism and adopted the Jain religion. He took notes of Virchand Gandhi's lectures and wrote in English a book on the Jain religion. Moreover, Charles C.
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