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The Unknown Pilgrims
undertake the total fast which led her to full awareness of her own being.
616
She went on insisting on the inward joy that accompanied such an experience. She said that if this joy were lacking, then there was really and truly no tapas, seeing that, in itself, tapas is simply an efficacious method for bringing about the stoppage and destruction of karman and, thus, the Liberation of the atman. To one sadhvi who asked whether she was experiencing the awakening of the atman, she replied in all simplicity: "On this subject I can only remain silent."
F - Satsanga
In holy company
The five sădhvis mentioned above have introduced us to the setting in which their life was lived, they have allowed us to share in their personal pilgrimages, within the samgha. Each represents a crystallisation, as it were, of certain values which, while being specifically Jaina as regards their doctrinal formulation, also belong to humanity as a whole. There are many other sadhvis who have lived or are still striving faithfully to live the ascetic life, without, however, attracting any attention. Each one is part of a whole in which each member has her place. This whole, this great assemblage is called the satsanga, the society, community of those men and women who have chosen to follow the good, who have directed their steps towards what is true and helpful.72 The sadhvisamgha is a constituent part of the universal satsanga, in which the corporate belonging to a spiritual family is not outward and visible, but is very real, going beyond all religion and all nationhood. Here are a few additional life-testimonies of sadhvis who have departed from us and of others who are still with us. They invite us to enter into realtionship with them, to be in their holy company.
72 The meaning of satsanga is not restricted to the groups composed of
ascetics.
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