Shrimad Rajchandra And Mahatma Gandhi

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Raj Saubhag Satsang Mandal

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Shrimad Rajchandra's Message
Jain sages have recognised life in trees and plants thousands of years ago when most of the world was ignorant about it. Shrimad Rajchandra experienced their suffering and expressed compassion for them. The world had never witnessed or experienced such compassion and love as expressed by Shrimad Rajchandra.
When Shrimad was in Mumbai, he learnt that on every Vijaya Dashmi (Dassera day), 108 buffalo bulls are sacrificed in Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra was absolutely shocked and distraught with this information. How can one who has unflinching faith in non-violence tolerate this? At once he set out trying to prevent this barbaric act. He requested the religious scholars in Mumbai to find references in Vedic scriptures and religious books against this barbaric practise. He soon found sufficient evidence to prove that tenets of Vedas were misinterpreted to promote such activities and raised his voice loudly against it. A public meeting was organised in Dharampur to prevent this massacre and it was arranged for Shri Maneklal Ghelabhai to attend. He urged people to think rationally about the massacre and was able to create enough of a stir to raise public protests and outcries against such practises. Shrimad Rajchandra worked tirelessly day and night to prevent the massacre and eventually succeeded. This highlights a unique feature of Shrimad's personality: his view that all living beings have souls which are identical to his own. Hence, everyone could experience the deep compassion and love Shrimad held in his gentle loving heart for every living being.
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Those who used to stay with Shrimad had noted that whenever he had to use a horse-drawn carriage for transportation, he would only do so with a specific condition that the horse was not to be whipped by the driver.
Those whose hearts are filled with compassion are deeply