Laghurajswami Biography

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 18

true Guru; your physique is imbibed with the said sense by virtue of devotion; your mind also is imbibed with that sense by continual remembrance thereof. Moreover, by virtue of knowing the nature of universe you stay within the Self. Let the attributes of such great sages always stay at our heart. It is my humble entreaty to you to come this side in order to elevate this miserable soul, which has been drifting in the worldly sea and is wandering in the forest of life and death. Quiet prevails here by the grace of unique saint (Shrimad), my devotional obeisance to him. Let the feet of that detached Guru always stay at our heart! Let us remember that great man and stay at the shelter of his feet forever!
"Let my repeated obeisance be to the soul-abiding great monks, whose tendency stays within and who are holding the deeply serene posture, as if they might have resolutely determined not to move within the four states of worldly existence. You have been imbibed with acute detachment; have been holding the sword of 'forgive and forget' for fighting against the realm of defilement so as to uproot the same, and you surrender at the feet of the enlightened while observing total silence. Repeated obeisance to those monks, who are equipped with the weapons of restraints like the brave men, who are illuminating the flame of spirituality, who are setting ablaze all sorts of wrong modes, who have controlled the sense organs, who firmly stay in the lotus posture with inner insight, and who remain delightfully absorbed within the consciousness."
A press note prepared by Lallujiswämi or Devkaranji or other monk, or by some liberation-seeker in their name, and published or proposed to be published in Mumbai Samachar after passing away of Shrimad has been found from the collection of Lallujiswämi. It seems that the concept of setting up an Ashram or other center had arisen among some devotees by the time of Shrimad's departure. The press note given below seems to have been prepared in 1902 prior to Devkaranji's passing away.
'A request from the Jain monks for setting up Shrimad Rajchandra Jnanmandir?
To the editor of Mumbai Samachar
Sir,
Munishri, Devkiranji and other monks have conceived of the following idea, which we request you to publish in your paper.
“The path of detachment laid by Lord Mahaveer was divided in two parts of Shwetämbar and Digambar sects in course of time after Lord's Nirvän. There had been some differences in thinking, but the main reason for their going apart lay in their staying in different climes and different administrations. Both sects adopted changes in regulations in accordance with the conditions in which they were placed. Long after that, a situation arose in which the followers of Shwetambar and Digambar sects did not come across each other. Meanwhile there had been great thinkers in either of the sects, but they did not get the opportunity to think over the sectarian differences. They were loaded with the responsibility of undertaking the great task of rectifying the miserable position of the respective sect that had arisen by virtue of ignorance, and of putting the same on the right line. Take, for instance, the time of Acharya Haribhadrasuri. During the time of that great man the condition of Shwetämbar sect was so much in disorder that he had to undertake to improve the same. He had to devote much time and energy in that direction. That task was so extensive that he could not spare time to discuss the differences between the two sects and to come to the decision for introducing the changes. As such, he resorted to the work of improving the condition of Shwetämbar sect, which was highly beneficial. The same applies to Digambar thinkers. The different thinking pattern on both the sides thus continued to stay.
Now take the time of Hemchandrächärya. For him also lay the task of improving the condition of his sect. Hence he could not undertake the work of coming to a joint decision with Digambar people. The same was applicable to other great thinkers. Minor differences and different viewpoints had grown to such a scale that it was very tough to remove the same even for the great Achäryas, yet they did what they could. The time after Hemchandrächärya was so much in disorder that it merely did the work of increasing the differences.
Thus the work of reconciling the differences between the two sects remained unattended. Since the administration is now stable, that part of difficulty has been reduced for great men, if they arise at present. On the other hand the minor differences had grown up and they had gone so deep that it was hard to uproot the same. The great man, who