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ACHARYA MAHAPRAJNA: THE TRUTH OF THE
NOMENCLATURE
Dr. Harishankar Pandey
Acarya Mahaprajna is a renowned authority of Indian philosophy in general and Jainism in particular and the tenth spiritual-pontiff of Terapantha Dharmasamgha. He is enthusiatically engaged to display the relevence of unerring and precious preaching of Lord Mahavira. He is endowed with unfathomable mental calibre, omniscient-like personality and is also a dedicated disciple of the Pujya Gurudeva Sri Tulsi
The term Mahaprajna derives from the co-ordination of two words, viz, maha and prajna The term maha1 denotes manifold meanings viz. great, large, wide, excellent, heavy, illustrious etc and the prajna means wisdom, intellect, intelligence, understanding, knowing discerning, distinguishing, learning etc. Therefore, Mahaprajna means a man of wide wisdom, a man of excellency and a man of unfathomable mental calibre. The annotater of the Uttaradhyayana enounced the wide excellency of Mahaprajna. He said "mahati niravaraṇatayā aparimāṇā prajñā kevalajñānātmikā saṁvit asyeti Mahaprajnā.”* i.e who is possessed of unlimited and unimpeded wisdom and perfect knowledge is called Mahaprajna,
He
Acarya Mahaprajna from his very childhood is endowed with inherent insight and intuition. There are many anecdotes and miracles, connected with the childhood of Mahaprajna. Mahaprajna, himself, says. "When I was only of six months then my father died. I have seen my father's departure, which is even today very clearly remembered." Another anecdote is very peculiar Once Mahaprajna in his childhood, was playing with his fond-friends then a sannyası approached him and announced that that child will be a great yogi.
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Mahaprajna, at the tender age of 10, dedicated himself to the gracious feet of Acarya Sri Kalugani, the eighth supreme spiritualpontiff of Terapantha Dharmasamgha. He started his primary studies in the able direction of his teacher, Muni Sri Tulsi (now Ganadhipati Shri Tulsi). By his enthusiastic effort and unflinching exertion, he obtained the unimpeachable and impeccable knowledge and expansive wisdom.
Later on, Muni Tulsi was enthroned on the spiritual post of
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