Book Title: Life of Shrimad Rajchandra
Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

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Page 124
________________ feeling inclined to set up a memorial for Shrimad, he set up 'Shri Räjmandir Ashram' at Räjpur village near Siddhpur in North Gujarat. That Ashram has become a pilgrimage center for devotion and philosophical deliberation. Shri Laghuräjswämi had moved up to Khändesh in the South, Saurashtra in the West and Märwäd in the North. He, however, mainly moved in Charottar area in Anand and Khedä districts. The lay as well as the monastic people, who came in his contact, were urging him to remain steady at some place, but he had remained firm in moving around so long as he had energy to do so. As, however, the pain of arthritis in his knees and of piles etc. increased, many devotees, who assembled at Sandesar near Agäs, insisted that he should mostly stay at one place. He agreed to do so, if some structure could be constructed in the memory of Shrimad and be dedicated as a place for devotion. Thereupon Jijibhai of Sandesar gave the land as gift and other generous people raised a handsome amount for construction. Shrimad Räjchandra Ashram was thus set up near Agäs Railway station on the full moon day of the month of Kärtik in Vikram Samvat 1976 (the later part of 1919). Thereafter Laghuräjswämi mostly stayed at Agäs apart from some monsoon periods and was also available there during 14 monsoons. It was thus possible for the soul-oriented people to get the advantage of his contact and to remain devoted to him. That led to the construction of some rooms and dwellings at that place. That trend increased and by now the Ashram has turned into a small township. 100 to 150 people continually stay there. By virtue of Shrimad's writings and by listening to the essence of what Laghuräjswämi had learnt from him, many deserving beings there undertake the right endeavor of philosophical knowledge. In addition to the residents and the devotees staying for a couple of months, many knowledgeseekers from the roundabout villages come there and make their lives worthwhile by wholesome contact and by getting the right scriptural knowledge. The Ashram being non-sectarian, the people, who belong to Shwetambar, Digambar and Vaishnav sects and families, but who are soul-oriented, come and stay there. There are Shwetambar and Digambar temples in the complex. There is provision of a library and the wholesome atmosphere. Also there are marble and metal idols of Shrimad Räjchandra and installation of Aum. The Ashram has become a pilgrimage center for spiritual life. In short, it is a specimen hermitage for penance. With generous donation from Punjabhäi Hirachand Shrimad Rajchandra Jnänbhandär' (library) was set up at Ahemedabad at the hands of Mahatma Gandhi in Purätatva Mandir (The hall of Archeology). The hall is now closed, but the library is maintained by Gujarat Vidyapeeth. There are following places of wholesome contact running in the name of Shrimad Räjchandra:Ahmedabad, Ahor, Bandhani, Bangalore, Bhädran, Borsad, Devläli, Dhäman, Dharampur, Ghatkopar, Idar, Kalol, Kävitha, Khambhät, Kobä, När, Narodä, Räjkot, Säylä, Sadodara, Simarada, Sunäv, Surendranagar, Uttarsandä, Vadäli, Vaso,and Vaväniä. Their names are given here because that would be helpful to those staying at the respective places. These are the places where the thirst for knowledge can be quenched and the people can be awakened towards the spiritual life. Shrimad has written, "Do not forget that I do not belong to any sect or sub-sect, I stay within the soul." Keeping that in mind the soul-oriented people at the above places have been trying to experience the impartial truth in the form of pure innate soul, which was realized by Shrimad by examining all the six schools of thought. Even where the term 'Everlasting Jainism' is made use of, the broad meaning of the term is always kept in mind. The supreme realized personalities, who have overcome the obstacles coming in the way of self-realization, are called Jin (Conquerors); they are pure souls. Those, who tread on the path indicated by them for selfrealization, are Jains or the liberation-seekers on the path of realization. That path of selfrealization has been prevailing since the time without beginning. As such, all those who tread the path of liberation as per commands of the enlightened are the deserving souls and they are appropriately termed as eternal Jains.

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