Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 5

SHRIMAD RÄJCHANDRA
Followers:
Though Shrimad had tried to keep his spiritual personality completely private, several people accepted him as their guide to achieve ultimate liberation and devoted their lives to him. Some of his closest followers were:
Shri Sobhagbhai:
Almost 350 of the 950 letters of Shrimad Räjchandra were written to Shri Sobhagbhai who was about 40 years older than him. In the very first meeting, Sobhagbhai recognized Shrimad as a highly self realized person and accepted him as his true guru. He was simple in his behavior and serious in devotion. He was a native of Saila, a town near Rajkot. Based on his request, Shrimad composed the epic poem Atmasiddhishästra so that it would be easier to memorize. Shri Sobhagbhai attained self realization and died in deep meditation (Samadhi).
Shri Laghuräj Swami:
Shri Laghuraj Swami was a Sthänakaväsi Jain monk and one of most devoted disciples of Shrimad. As a monk, his devotion to Shrimad caused him great problems from the Jain community.
Shri Laghuräj Swami attained self realization during Shrimad's presence and then established the Agäs Ashram, near Vadodara. The Ashram can take credit for preserving Shrimad's writings and making it available to the Jain community at large. Agäs is an important place for Shrimad's followers. Today there are more than fifty Ashrams in India and aboard where the followers worship and study Shrimad's literature based on the divine faith and testimony provided by Shri Laghuraj Swämi.
Shri Ambälälbhai:
Ambälälbhai, a native of Khambhat, was a very devoted disciple who sacrificed a brilliant legal career to be in the service of Shrimad. Shrimad entrusted him to copy scriptural works and his letters because of his exceptional memory. He and Shrimad's younger brother, Mansukhbhai, were responsible for recovering Shrimad's letters and writings and publishing them. Four years after Shrimad, in 1905 A.D. (1961 V.S.), Ambälälbhai attained self realization and passed away in deep Samadhi at a very young age.
Shri Joothäbhai:
Joothäbhai was the first person to recognize Shrimad's divinity and accepted him as his spiritual mentor. Their relationship was very close but also very short as Shri Joothäbhai passed away when he was only 23 years old in 1890 A.D. (1946 V.S.).
Teachings and Contribution of Shrimad Räjchandra:
All of Shrimad's literature is based on Bhagawan Mahävir's teachings. He presented these teachings, in simple Gujarati and Hindi, in prose and poetry forms. As we study Shrimad's writings in depth, we find that he has made an enormous effort to shed new light on true spirituality. He has succeeded in reforming the blind faith with real spiritual awakening.
JAIN STORY BOOK For Private & Personal Use Only
141 www.aineloryang
Jan Education intentional