Vardhaman Book on Jainism

Author(s): Jayshree Menon
Publisher: Bennete Coleman & Co Ltd

Page 50

Thirty years later, the boy returned to his ancestral temple to thank Mandavraiji for granting him his heart's desire and to ask for another wish fulfillment. Rs. 1000 no longer being a very sig. nificant amount now, he wanted God to enable him to donate at least a lakh of rupees daily.
Once again he heard the same voice granting the wish.
The phones ring constantly, as Deepchand Gardi prepares to leave for New Delhi, for a meeting with the Prime Minister, to discuss the agenda for the celebrations, planned in honour of 2,600 years of Mahavir Jayanti. As President of the Bhagwan Mahavir Memorial Trust, he is on the Prime Minister's special committee, in charge of the planned festivities.
The 85-year-old Gardiji does not eat a morsel of food without donating a minimum of his wished for amount daily. He feels that his life full of miracles, is proof of the fact that his tenure on earth is merely to serve God's will. Given up for dead at birth, then miraculously revived 45 minutes later, without any sign of physical or mental damage, Gardiji is no ordinary mortal. For the inhabitants of hundreds of villages, where he has built waterworks, schools and shelters, for the thousands of students who owe their education in both India and abroad to him, for the
ess living creatures - from the smallest in- sect to bigger animals that survive due to his benevolence, he is a veritable God.
Hailing from Paddhari, in Saurashtra, Gardiji did his schooling from an English medium school in nearby Vankaner; his University education from Mumbai and went on to earn the prestigious degree of Barrister at Law from London.
A totally self-made man, Gardiji always had a strong bent towards social service. He recalls making small donations, even as a young student, when he could ill-afford it. He built his first school at his native place, Paddhari, in 1946 when he was just 31 and named it after his father, the late Swarajji Gardi. Since then, his philanthropic activities have spread far and wide and include interest-free loans, distribution of food, funding for Cheshire homes, orphanages, schools, colleges, hospitals and religious institutions.
As per the Jain principle of anekantvada, he does not differentiate on basis of religion, caste or creed. He donates equally generously to nonJaini or non-Hindu organisations. "Jainism," according to him, "is a universal religion, treating
God, not as a creator but as a Divine Being showing one a better path to salvation." It is not sur prising that many Muslims come to take his blessings en route their pilgrimage to do Haj.
His sons, Dr. Rashmikant Gardi, a gynaecologist in Chicago, USA and Hasmukh Gardi, a solicitor in London are firm supporters of their father's selfless service to mankind. A clause in Gardiji last will and testament states that a crore of rupees be donated daily, after his death. While explaining this to his grandsons, Hiten and Binoy, he teasingly threatened them, that if they did not work towards this end, he would take rebirth in the house to remind them of this wish. To this his devoted grandsons retorted, "You will definitely have to return, just to see that we are doing twice as much, of what we have been asked to do."
Jeeva Daya, or compassion for life, the prime tenet of Jainism, is the guiding principle of this dignified man's life. He staunchly believes in the code of, "live and let live; and help them to live". This along with ahimsa, or non-violence and peace towards all living beings has been the inspiration for his selfless service to humanity and even other forms of life, big and small. To this end, large amounts of grains are distributed to the needy in remote villages, and he has donated generously to the care of all types of living creatures - Cows, dogs, cats, fish and birds.
To serve the poorest of the poor, is his motto, and to achieve this aim, he utilises his personal funds, through the Deepchand Gardi Trust. Aparigraha, the principle of non-possession, based on the philosophy of denial, has been responsible for the charitable bend in his naresponsible for the charitable ture. "I believe that my time on earth is merely to do God's will and all that I own has been given by God to be passed along to the needy, on humanitarian grounds." He feels he is a mere instrument of Divinity, and says, "When I serve the lowliest creature, I get the highest satisfaction; and satisfaction is the best form of happiness."
Seated under a massive picture depicting Lord Krishna's teachings to Arjuna, in his Carmichael Road residence in Mumbai, situated next to a chowk named for his wife Ruxmaniben Gardi, he refuses to take credit for his innumerable contributions to charity. He very modestly refers to himself not as a giver, but as a taker. "I am just a bhikshuk, a beggar for the blessings of people. What I give to them is mere money, which belongs to the mortal world. What the recipients give in return, are priceless blessings, which will benefit me in life, as well as, after death, in rebirth. These blessings are my main source of strength. These blessings are the reason, that I am still going strong at 85 and have never been admitted to a hospital. I thank the Supreme Be
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