Santbal A Saint with a Difference

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir

Page 16

had strange notions about Jainism and Jain monks who were wrongly supposed to resort to mesmerism and other occult practices. He had to pass nights in open under trees, walk barefooted in blazing hot summer over foot tracks which were infested with insects and thorns. He took offerings only from those who were completely vegetarians and non-alcoholic. So many a times he had to go without food. These were the trials and tribulations through which he passed with courage and spirit undaunted.
With all these challenging troubles, he never disregarded the spiritual discipline prescribed for a Jain saint. Though he did rationalise some obnoxious practices, he meticulously observed all basic principles prescribed by the Jain scriptures, namely, truth, non-violence, non-stealing, restraint in possession and Brahmacharya and proved to his ditractors how wrong they were in their understanding Jainsim.
History of this nation is full of instances of the saints belonging to a particular religious order rendering social services to the people. But instances are rare where such saints have not attempted conversion of people to their faith, and trying to prove directly or indirectly the superiority of their own faith over others. Santbalji was rare exception; though he himself was a strict observer of all Jain doctrines and practices, he has never thought of proselytization of any of his non-Jain followers, and years after his death, people of his work area still remember him with great love and respect.
He was a great scholar. He wrote books on Hindu scriptures like Gita, Mahabharat, Ramayan and Bhagwat and also on almost every Jain scripture and followed the Jain doctrine of Anekantvad in its true spirit.
His memory was very sharp. He was a Shatawadhani means one who can remember one hundred questions of various types at one sitting and could correctly answer all of them in the same order.
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