Santbal A Saint with a Difference

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

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Nanchandraji expressing his desire to accept his spiritual guidance as his pupil. Nanchandraji was at Ahmedabad at that time and so he asked Shivlal to see him there.
As already noted above, Nanchandraji was a Saint of a different mould. His personality, his poetic attitude and his attractive oratory prevented the orthodox Jains from opposing some of his radical and reformist views. He was a complete Gandhian, was clad only in Khadi and resisted almost all obsolete social and religious practices. Traditionalist Saints would have jumped at the idea of recruiting a pupil like Shivlal. But Nanchandraji wanted to test the sincerity, honesty and spiritual growth of Shivlal before agreeing to accept his pupilship. He inquired about every necessary details and asked him to think calmly about the responsibility which he owed to his family members and others including his business commitments and to meet him next year during monsoon at Limbdi. He also asked him to get clearance from Munishri Saubhagyamalji of Rajasthan whom Shivlal had thought of accepting as his Guru.
Next year Shivlal went to Limbdi to pass time under the guidance of Shri Nanchandraji. He came in contact with Munishri Chunilalji who was at that time only a candidate to enter into the order as a pupil of Shri Nanchandraji. Both became close friends. Practice is that one who wants to enter the order of Jain Saints should take training for some time and should devote his full time in studying scriptures. The life which these persons are expected to lead before their “Diksha" is virtually the life of a hermit. Both Chunilal and Shivlal led such a life and studied scriptures. In 1928 A.D. Chunilalji was given Diksha at Limbdi when almost the whole of Limbdi and its Ruler participated with great enthusiasm. However, Shivlal was rendered alone without the company of a dear friend walking on the same path.
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