Silent Soil

Author(s): Vidyasagar Acharya
Publisher: Bhagwan Rishabhdev Granthmala

Page 11

Preface
Many years ago Shri Shanti Lal Gangwal, Arihant, F-23 Mangal Marg, Bapu Nagar, Jaipur inspired me to translate the epic Mukamati of Acharya Shri Vidyasagarji Maharaj in English.I am very much obliged to him for this inspiration. It is such an epic reading which one feels very enlightened and never gets tired reading it again and again. During the whole course of translation and publication of the work, indeed, I never felt it tiresome going through it again and again. It was, rather, a new joy every time I read it.
The beauty of the work- its spiritual significance, the arduous journey of the soil in taking the pitcher shape, the modern problem of terrorism, result of the capitalist greed and sensual over-gratification, and other important features introduced in the Prastavana by Shri Laxmi chand jain of Bhartiya Gyanpeeth nicely, I need not repeat them. I want to draw the attention of the reader to the friendship relation between the upadana (material cause) and the nimitta (efficient cause) as Acharya Shri has pointed out in 'Mental wave'. The help of the potter, disc, stick etc., to the soil is necessary in getting the shape of the pitcher capable to hold water and be used in the consecration of the feet of saints, in quenching the thirst of the thirsty ones. The soil without the help of these nimittas could not get moulded in the form of the pitcher by itself. Acharya Shri admits that definitely it is the upadana that gets moulded into the desired shape and not the
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