Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 95

explanation has occurred of the highest order." Then Shrimad made a reference to Acharya Gunbhadra, the author of Atmänushäsan (Order of Soul) and pointed out that in the later part of the book he has blossomed forth in wonderful enlightenment. That distinctly explains the nature of soul. So saying he read it.
The graceful Guide had once said under the same mango tree of Idar, "Dear monks, the tendency of the living beings may fall down even from a high level. Due to devotion and detachment, the tendency and the state of Ambäläl was earlier worth manifesting various accomplishments. If we had taught him for three or four hours and asked him to bring that in writing the next day or the third day, he could bring it in our words ad verbatim. His tendency has now been slack on account of indolence, greed etc. We knew 12 months back that this fault was to arise within him."
I was sad to hear it and asked, "Would it remain as it is now?"
Shrimad: "Muni, Do not be sad. A leaf floating in a river may stop at a place by virtue of coming across a web, but would resume the journey by getting freed from the web and reach the ocean. Similarly the indolence of Ambäläl would be overcome by our teaching and he will attain a higher
state."
Thereafter Mohanlälji asked: "If someone asks about our sect, what should we reply?"
Shrimad: "Say that you belong to the eternal Jainism and that retreating from the sin constitutes our Pratikraman (ritual of atonement.)." Then he said, "Monks, ego is the cause of infinite wandering for the living beings. Ego is so strong that it has overcome even very great people. Once in a village near Morbi, we had been to Jivanji, a high positioned monk of Limdi sub-sect. During the talk I incidentally mentioned about his birth date, the constellation etc. Thereupon he asked how I came to know of it. I replied that all that becomes evident within the purity of soul.
Then he became keen to know that. As such, he came to Morbi after I went back and contacting Rewäshankarbhäi he was asking him to bring me to Upäshray. Rewäshankarbhäi once asked me to go to Upäshray, because the reverend monk was calling for me. I said that he does not have interest in well being of soul and no fruitful result would come out of our going there. Since Rewäshankarbhäi insisted, we went to Upäshray. There were too many people and Upäshray was full. After we sat there, the monk diverted from his talk and asked us whether there was mention of idol in the scriptures. I kept silence, but the monk continued to repeat the same question. Then I stood up and said;
"Revered sir, on oath of Lord Mahävir, can you say that there is no mention of idol in the scriptures that you have read?" The monk had to remain silent. Then Rewäshankarbhai reproached him in the following words, "Was it right to discuss this topic in the presence of all these people? Did you call us for that purpose? Then we came back.
Thereafter Shrimad told me, "Muni, if someone wants to come to the right path, I would bow to him and bring him on the right path."
I asked: "If someone asks about our place on the ladder of elevation, what should I say?"
Shrimad: "Sixth from the material point of view and fourth from the absolute one."
In the evening on the fifth day we were asked to go to the domed memorials of the ancient Digambar saints. There are ascetic postures of those saints. As such, all the seven of us went there. That desolate place leads to spontaneous sense of detachment and provides a background for calming down of the tendencies. That area was conducive to the rise of objectivity and disassociation. There was a cemetery close by.