Lord Mahavira and His Teachings

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 18

Lord Mahavira and His Teachings
original ideas are rich in meaning and deep with thought. He was well-versed in astrology and mathematics. Rich repositories of old manuscripts, rare coins and other antiquities providing links with the ancient history, always absorbed his mind. He believed that many problems, confronting loose links. of Indian History and Culture, would remain unsolved in the absence of a systematic research of old Jaina literature. This erudite savant was, therefore, anxi ous to start a research institute to bring to light the valuable storehouses of knowledge, now literally trapped in the ancient repositories, and to marshall the existing data in the framework of moderate research. Such efforts, he stated, would result in fertilizing the barren field of Jaina research and bring to the forefront the message propounded by Lord Mahavira.
xvi
A SILENT PATRIOT
Acharyashri Vijayavallabhasuri was a patriot without ostensible fanfare. He wore khaddar and was an ardent advocate of propagation of Hindi as national language. Swadeshism found an echo in his speeches. His illuminating address at a vast cosmopolitan gathering held some months before his death during the prohibition week in Bombay, provided a pointer to his growing popularity amongst all sections of the people. Lucidity and effective presentation of the ideal of prohibition prompted many persons not only to give up wine but forego all intoxicants.
His speeches were always a rip-roaring success, whether the occasion was an open air meetings or