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age, in 1942, Guruji was ordained into monkhood before an audience of many thousands of people. By 1957, Guruji had already made a name for himself when he founded The World Fellowship of Religions, an ecumenical institution dedicated to the search for world peace, universal love, and the freedom from poverty, suffering, and ignorance. As founder and first President of the organization, he brought together leaders of the major world religions, in a rare fellowship of good will and mutual understanding. In 1980, Guruji was promoted to the theological rank of Acharya which means Great Teacher or Leader of the People.
His role as peace maker to conflicting religious groups was growing. In 1992, Guruji became a power broker in a dispute between the Hindus and Sikhs in the Punjab region of India, preventing major bloodshed. He was able to mediate for other groups in many places and times through his reputation as an open-minded, wise, and peace-loving man.
The Jain religion can be traced to the 8th century B.C.E. although legend holds that it is much older. Lord Mahavira lived during the 5th century B.C.E. He was a contemporary of the Buddha, Confucius, and Socrates. He is known as the 24th crossing-maker or tirthankara in the Jain religion. A crossing-maker or tirthankara is portrayed as a super-heroic person who becomes fully
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