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in Mumbai was not happy about him for having traveled were several busloads of Jains at the airport intending overseas. He was largely forgotten. But having read a to block Munishri from leaving. But the Mumbai police lot about the life of VRG, Chitrabhanuji thought that the had undertaken assurance of safe passage to Jain Samaj owed him a debt of gratitude and he chitrabhanuji and that was enough for Muniji to board commemorated his centennial year in the presence the plane. of Jain leaders like Shri Lalchand Heerachand, CT The organizers of the Geneva conference were Shah and Ratilal Nanavati. He reminded everyone of aware of the troubles Chitrabhanuji had reaching Veerchandji's other accomplishments - campaign that Geneva. So, they honored him by giving him the shutdown slaughterhouse at Samet Shikharji and privilege of opening the conference. The theme of the abolishment of head tax for pilgrims to Palitana. Local conference was "The Practical Requirements for newspapers and magazines took notice of first ever World Peace". Chitrabhanuji addressed the gathering honoring of VRG but Muniji wanted more. He wanted by speaking of Non-Violence and Anekantvad as to see VRG's overseas mission revived. But did not guiding principles for a peaceful world. For the entire know how. He wanted to spread Mahavi's message of week, both inside the lecture hall and outside in the compassion, service to the poor and sick transcending swiss countryside thousands came to listen to sectarian divides but was slowly getting impatient with Chitrabhanuji as they wanted to learn more about limits of what he could preach in Upashrayas.
Jainism. In 1968, Chitrabhanuji was invited to the newly After the conference, Chitrabhanuji traveled to formed "Spiritual Summit Conference" promoted by France and the UK. He spoke at Oxford university and Shri G D Birla in Calcutta. Many international faith Cambridge university. His talks were covered by BBC, leaders were going to participate but due to prior Voice of America radio and also Radio Canada. He commitments and great distance from Mumbai, proceeded to Amsterdam, Munich and Rome where Chitrabhanuji could not accept the invitation and sent he met with Pope Paul VI. It was time to return to India. one of his disciples - Kumari Vatsala Amin in his place. After the six weeks visit to Europe, Chitrabhanuji Her presentation on Jainism so impressed the realized how timely and useful the Mahavir's message delegates that they wanted to know more about Jainism was for the world. He did not think it was essential to and Chitrabhanuji. They invited him to the second limit his universal message confined to one community conference organized by them was going to be in and one nation. He was ready to be the citizen of the Geneva in 1970.
world and a Mahavir's messenger. The invitation stirred many thoughts in As it happened, a large community of Jains in Chitrabhanuji's mind. Is it not a Jain sadhu's duty to Africa - Visha Oswals - had been urging Chitrabhanuji minister Jains where ever they lived? But what about to visit them for years. Chitrabhanuji decided to accept the ban on travel by vehicles or airplane? (for Jain their invitation and also accepted the invitation of World sadhus). How could spiritual hunger of thousands of Vegetarian Congress in Hague. diaspora Jains in Africa, UK and the USA be satisfied? Before going overseas again, Chitrabhanuji He remembered a tearful father talking about dilemmas debated with himself the new direction he was taking of his son who was in the USA studying and not being and norms of being a Jain Sadhu. He realized that he able to receive any religious guidance and difficulty in had to choose. He became fully aware of certain remaining strict vegetarian.
vibrations he had been experiencing in the presence Chitrabhanuji made a decision to attend the of one long time student, Pramoda Shah but was not conference in Geneva. The night of his departure, there allowing himself to express them. He felt that Usha - was going to be a public meeting in Birla Matushri the girl whom he had considered his soul mate during Sabhagruh where his book "Mukti Ane Bandhan" (45ct his college days and who had died of malaria had come B47 14-t) was going to be inaugurated. The book was back in his life in the form of Pramoda. It was time to compilation of a lecture he had delivered to prisoners be honest with himself. in the privacy of his own mind at Sabarmati jail just before coming to Mumbai. It and soul he renounced his high position and talked of mental shackles as far more devastating to disengaged himself from monkhood. human spirit than the prison walls. Ironically outside They married in early 1971 in a private ceremony the hall, a furious crowd had gathered hell bent on - Gandharv Vivah - no rituals or family participation preventing Munishri from boarding the plane by any just two witnesses. Out of consideration of feelings of means necessary including violent confrontation. There many people who were incensed by his decision to
YGS
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નવેમ્બર- ૨૦૧૮
