Teacher of Humanity

Author(s): C S Mallinath
Publisher: Pulchandji Ved

Page 12

now opened. He saw how he had been wasting his time in evil ways. His determination to become a sadhu was further strengthened.
At the end of the sermon he approached the revered sage and manifested to him his desire to get initiation as a monk. The sage considering the young age of the applicant and the failings which are incident to youth and inexperience, refused to comply with his request and advised him to go back to his parents and obtain their permission.
Mulachandra went back to Mahuwa and expressed his desire to his parents. The news was a shock to them. The mother wept and the father blamed and remonstrated. But Mulachandra was firm as rock. He could not be moved. He explained to his parents the righteous and holy life he was going to enter and requested them not to obstruct him. With great difficulty he obtained their consent, came back to Bhavnagar and begged the Guru to give him Diksha. Satisfied with the earnestness and enthusiasm of the young man, Vriddhi Chandra initiated him into the Holy Order of Monks on the 12th of May 1887 and gave him the new name of Dharma Vijaya.
When Mulachandra became a monk he was nineteen years old. Except his strong liking for ascetic life, he had no other qualification to become a muni. He had to learn everything. His Guru
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