________________
ANUMODANA (APPRECIATION)
P.P. Acharyadev Shrimad VijayJaysundersuriji Maharaj Saheb While remembering the world of religious illustrations, it is almost impossible to forget the contribution of Pujya Gurudev Shri Bhuvanbhanusuri Maharaj Saheb of previous century.
A great tradition of expressing religious incidents through illustration has been prevalent in Jainism for thousands of years
It is not surprising that we can easily remember one illustration worth the matter of a page.
Pujya Late Gurudevshri used to say so many times that the Tirthankar parmatma is vairagi since his birth. But those who remember "Rajimati kun chhoddke nem sanjam leena, chitraman jin jovte vairage mann bheena', would easily reollect that Bhagwan Parshwanath saw the picture of Bhagwan Neminath who after giving up Rajimati desired to have restraint, and his heart was filled with vairagya.
We are indebted to those rishis, munis and pious gentlemen who have devoted their precious time and lakhs of rupees for the sake of religious paintings.
Millions of people watch vulgar pictures now a day that spread filthiness and spoil their mind. Thus, they are accumulating bundles and bundles of sins. In such an age, every city or town and village should have an art gallery, which exhibits paintings that teach religion and morality. But the Jains hardly think about it. They take least interest in it. Pujyashri was very much sorrowful about this. If we want to make our children and youth cultured, every village must have such art galleries that teach them culture.
Pujyashri Gurudev had devoted much of his time for the religious pictures getting prepared in spite of his other activities. Representing the rituals in visual form is like a shining star in the sky of his career.
As both Pujya Hemratnasuriji and Muniraj Shri Sanyambodhiji are determined to preserve this heritage, we can expect from sushravak Shri Kumarpalbhai that he would get a pictorial book prepared on the life of Puiya late Gurudevshri, which will be an invaluable tribute to his work.
Iti Sham.
XXXXXXXXXX
