Jains Through Time

Author(s): Shilapi Sadhvi
Publisher: Veerayatan

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destination. It is a steady light, a joyous lamp of sacrifice, penance, service, dedication and determination shining in the auspicious land of Rajgir where Tirthankar Mahavir spent fourteen of his chaturmas.
The great saint and preceptor, Gurudev Shri Amar Muniji trod the grounds of Veerayatan and imparted to it the sanctity of an ashram. It is the homage of an illustrious disciple to her great mentor and guru.
Veerayatan is a dream come true. It is the fulfilment of the noble vision of Upadhyaya Shri Amar Muniji Maharaj, the great sage of the Vaibhargiri Hills, and the saint of the Saptparni cave. He was compassion incarnate. Veerayatan is the precious gem of compassion in the treasure-trove of Jain
institutions.
It strikes the right balance between pravrutti (activity) and nivrutti (abstinence). It has the resonance of Swami Vivekanand's exhortation: "Arise, awake and do not stop until you reach your goal." As Acharya Shri Chandana Shriji says: "Awake, arise, and
make an effort here and now." Veerayatan highlights the holistic continuity of the spirit of cosmic oneness and universal compassion which are the hallmarks of Indian culture.
This souvenir issue is a loving tribute to Upadhyaya Shri Amar Muniji and Acharya Shri Chandana Shriji one a venerable teacher and torch-bearer and the other a dedicated pupil and path-builder in a timehonoured tradition. On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee, the souvenir reverberates with the clarion call of Jain history and philosophy, beckoning to the future with Veerayatan's message of humanitarian service and universal welfare in the twentyfirst century.
The four sections of this book are the four aspects of an invocation from Jain history and philosophy, its paths and pathfinders, its visionaries and their voices.
In the first section Sadhvi Shri Shilapiji has conducted a multidimensional survey, and a comprehensive analysis, of the ancient past.
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