Jains Through Time

Author(s): Shilapi Sadhvi
Publisher: Veerayatan

Page 95

Future generations will marvel at the fact that a great saint was born in the twentieth century who, by the example of his life, gave new meaning to words like 'monk', 'saint', 'ascetic' and 'sage'. The poetic brilliance of his speech stirred his listeners to the depths of their being and changed their lives for the better. So electrifying were his writings that they created 'thought-quakes' in the minds of his readers. His thoughts, words and deeds were one with the divine and a constant 'shower' of affection from his eyes transformed animosity into amity.
Venerable Shri Amar Muniji Maharaj was born on November 1, 1902, into an ordinary farming family in the village of Godha near Narnaul in the State of Haryana. No-one knows what inspired his father Lal Singh and his mother Chameli Devi to name their son Amar Singh. It is said that favourable opportunities naturally become available to those people whom destiny decides to elevate to greatness and glory. Even an ordinary occasion becomes an extraordinary opportunity. One day young Amar Singh was visiting Narnaul
The Jains through Time
with his father when he met Acharya Shri Motiramji, the spiritual stalwart of the Sthanakvasi Jain community. The Acharya Shri immediately perceived the hidden potential of the boy. Just then his father Lal Singhji said, "Guru Maharaj, he is the lamp that lights up your devotee's family." Upon hearing this, the Acharya Shri retorted : "Fool, he is no lamp. He is the sun. One day he'll spread the light of religion all over the world. Come, leave him with me." The father honoured his Gurudev's command. So at the age of fifteen, adolescent Amar Singh became Amar Muni, the disciple of Shri Prithvi Chandraji Maharaj.
Later, talking about the incident, Pujya Gurudev Upadhyaya Shri Amar Muniji Maharaj said: "I did not select my guru. At that stage I had neither the clarity of vision nor the maturity of thought to recognise a true guru. However, my guru, with his divine perspicacity, picked me and awakened the godhead that lay dormant within me."
Upadhyaya Shri Amar Muniji had an
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