Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 11

"Even while being involved in insignificant activity, it is the natural tendency of the brilliant souls to plunge in detachment. This may not be evident so long as such souls are outwardly seen as involved in delusive worldly activities. It would, however, be very easy to notice the accuracy of that statement when viewed from the subtle point of view."
Detachment and discernment as well as philosophical thinking gained by him at the early age can be mainly attributed to the recollection of previous lives. In this life he was about 15 years old, but his words, which were derived from the experience of innumerable years and which were brought to light by the knowledge of previous lives, are worth consideration and deep contemplation.
Chapter 3: CHILDHOOD, THE MANIFESTATION OF EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS
Purity of soul required for knowing previous lives or exceptionally powerful memory proves the continuity and the fruition of Yog (observing restraints, external and internal austerities etc.) undertaken in previous lives. From the early childhood, by virtue of humility, art of talking, logical thinking and detachment, Shrimad was popular in the village as well as with all the students in the school. His memory was so sharp that he could remember every word by reading or listening only once. As such, he did not know what committing to memory was. He was admitted to school at the age of seven and half years. In less than a month he finished the multiplication tables. Within two years he finished the seventh grade. After finishing the seventh grade he helped the class monitor of the first grade to finish his grade study. Shrimad finished up to seventh grade in that short time due to his exceptional memory. In general the students have less love for the teacher; he is considered the source of fear, dislike and uneasiness. Shrimad gave lessons to all sixty students in the class and the teacher just sat. All the students still loved him.
Once the teacher reproached Shrimad, so he did not go to school. Other students came to know that Räychandbhai did not go to school, so they came to him. He took them to a distant farm. He had a bag full of berries, which he distributed among all the students. Since the students were thus in the farm, the teacher did not find any student at the school. While thinking about the reason, he remembered that he had reproached Räychandbhai the previous day; so all the students might be with him. On inquiring, the teacher came to know that the students were in the farm. So he went to the farm and apologized to Räychandbhäi. Promising not to reproach him again in future, he took all of them to school
Shrimad started writing poems at the age of eight. It is said that in the first year he wrote five thousand stanzas. At the age of nine, he wrote abbreviated versions of Rämâyan and Mahabharat in poetic form. At the age of ten his thinking was like a mature adult. At that age he had a limitless and intense desire to learn new things, listen to new things, thinking about new materials and giving talks on newer topics. Because of his ability to write poems, excellent memory, oratory and outstanding qualities, he was considered a genius at a very young age. He started writing articles for magazines at the age of eleven and had won prizes in essay competitions. He wrote an essay about the usefulness of education for women.
At the age of twelve he had composed within three days a poem of three hundred stanzas about cloak. At the age of thirteen he went to Rajkot for the study of English language, but no information is available from any colleague or teacher about the duration and the depth of his study of English. At one time, Manibhai Jashbhäi, who was the minister of Kutch, had invited Shrimad to visit Kutch. Shrimad had given there an excellent talk on the subject of religion. The people of Kutch had praised him saying that the boy would turn out to be very famous.
From the age of thirteen he had regularly started studying many new subjects privately and by the age of fifteen he had acquired in-depth knowledge of many subjects.