Santbal A Saint with a Difference

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

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expected to serve all the seniors including the Guru. His duty is, therefore, to collect alms and do every duty not only to his Guru, but also to seniors who have earlier joined the order under the same Guru. However, Shri Nanchandraji, the Guru, was a very wise and considerate Saint who understood and appreciated the talents and trends of all his pupils. So he distributed work among his pupils in such a manner that Santbal got the maximum of opportunity to progress further and further in his intellectual and spiritual persuits. Nanchandraji was some times saying in lighter veins that it is a question whether he (the pupil) has served his Guru or whether the Guru has served the pupil. The Guru took fatherly care of the new pupil and used to serve him with water and other needs as the pupil forgot about all the necessities of life when he remained fully engrossed in his studies. He was encouraged to express his opinions freely and frankly and he never hesitated to do so whenever he felt that truth was required to be told.
Visit to Kutch :
The first Chaturmas (four months of rainy season when a Jain Saint settles at one place and does not move from place to place as is done in the rest of the years) was spent in Morvi which is situated quite near to Kutch. Kutch District is on the border of Pakistan. It is surrounded by salty desert on its three sides and ocean on the forth. It has developed navigation and small industries. It has always occupied a very peculiar place in history. Its people are insular, simple, straightforward, frank and adventurous. Those of them who have gone outside Kutch, have established themselves in prosperity. Jains over there were agriculturists themselves. Though rustic in their speech they are warm hearted and loving. They insisted that Munishri Nanchandraji should visit their land and pass the next Chaturmas in Kutch. This was agreed upon and so Santbal had now a chance to have the hospitality of these warm-hearted people and to
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