________________ Cover page The novel is a first ever bold attempt to reveal the hollowness and uselessness of the exploitative and parasitic institution of monks, mahants, purohits, pundits, astrologers, tantrics and their ilk, developing its theme and story around real life characters and events. It explodes myths about their chicanery, eulogised by them and their agents as charismas or miracles. The book exposes their articulated contrivances to entice people by false assurances to grant boons for monetary and other gains without effort. Inter alia it impresses the need for eradication of superstitions and blind beliefs in order to promote rational and scientific temper and attitude. The book also endorses the scientific principle of cause and effect and postulations enshrined in our canonical sacred scriptures that one reaps good or bad fruits (results) according to one's own good or bad deeds and there is no short cut or any other alternative. Born on 8th September, 1928 Dr. S.M. Jain had his education at the then Government Herbert College, Kota. From 1949 to 1951 he worked as teacher (Maths) in the then Govt. Girls Inter College, Kota and Govt. High School, Bhawanimandi. Selected by Rajasthan Public Service Commission he had his Forestry Training at Forest Research Institute & Colleges in 195153 and again in Refreshers Course in 1967. Shri S.M. Jain is a retired Forest Officer. He worked on responsible and challenging posts in State Forest Department, covering every sphere of forestry activity. After retirement he did his innings in a leading paper mill, Rajasthan Tribal Area Development Cooperative Corporation (RTADCC), Apex N.G.O. and Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), New Delhi. In RTADCC he started and organised first ever from the scratch the collection, storage and marketing of over forty different minor forest products in six tribal districts. In ISMA he planned, coordinated and guided various widely acclaimed rural development activities of 180 member sugar factories spread all over the country. He was member of two Sub Committees of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on behalf of ISMA and represented the President of FICCI in the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. His project, "Forest for Food" was sanctioned by Department of Science and Technology and Ms. Sneh Sharma has done Ph.D. on it. Subsequently he started his consultancy services and worked as consultant in various industrial houses and mining firms and was instrumental in raising large scale plantations on wastelands, mined areas and waste dumps. The Government of Rajasthan awarded him and also the Associated Stone Industries Ltd., Ramganjmandi for the meritorious plantation work. He was awarded the honour 'Jain Gaurav for his work as specialist in forestry on 15th April 2002 at Science City Auditorium Kolkata, on the eve of 2600th birth celebrations of Lord Mahavira by All India Digamber Jain Samman Samaroh Samiti, Kolkata. Since 1989 he is in the panel of Consultants in Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests (NAEB) and also the Ministry of Rural Development and Employment. On assignments from these Ministries he has so far carried out thirty seven evaluations and survival rate studies of tree planting, afforestation, soil conservation and watershed projects implemented by the District Rural Development Agencies, Divisional Forest Officers and Apex NGOs in Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and J&K. NAEB gives such assignments to retired forest officer not below the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests. "Rajasthan Ke Vanya Pashu", a book written jointly by him and late Shri Mahendra Prakash was first ever pictorial and descriptive documentation of wild animals of Rajasthan and was published by Public Relations Department, Government of Rajasthan His second book "Vanpal" is his novel in Hindi. "Pristine Jainism." With 'Foreword' by late Dr. L.M. Singhvi is his third book. His fourth book is "Environmental Ethics" with 'Foreword' by Dr. Karan Singh ji (ex ruler J&K.).His fifth book "Essence and Substance of Yoga" with 'Foreword' by Dr. Kiran Bedi has also been published. His next book "Environmental Doctrines" is also being published. He has written over eighty technical and general articles published in prestigious dailies and journals and have presented papers in national and international seminars. At 82 he is agile and active and is continuing his writing hobby. He is associated with Digamber Jain Atishaya Kshetra, Shri Mahaveerji and other charitable and social welfare organisations.
