Janyu Chata Ajaynyu Munindra Pujya Deepratnasagarji MS

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, focusing on the life and work of Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji Maharaj:

"Janyu Chata Ajaynyu Munindra Pujya Deepratnasagarji MS" by Kumarpal Desai is a tribute to Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji Maharaj, highlighting his extraordinary dedication to knowledge and literary output, which has resulted in the creation of over 501 books.

The article begins by acknowledging that while external changes in life are often unforeseen, they are deeply influenced by family values and an innate thirst for knowledge. Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji, originally named Deepak, was a bright and energetic youth who pursued higher education, earning M.Com. and M.A. degrees. His family had a strong spiritual inclination, with his father's grandmother and paternal aunt, as well as his elder brother, having taken diksha (renunciation). This spiritual atmosphere influenced Deepak from a young age, and even during his studies, he harbored a strong inclination towards renunciation.

During his S.Y.B.Com. studies, an encounter with the Ramakrishna Mission solidified his resolve to remain celibate and pursue diksha. While the specific path of renunciation wasn't initially clear, Deepak felt a strong disconnect from worldly life. He informed his parents, who were looking for a bride for him, of his decision. His father, Kantibhai, was accepting due to the family's previous experiences with diksha. However, his mother was deeply distressed. Ultimately, Deepak, who had been teaching in a classroom, embraced the life of a Jain monk, wearing white robes and walking barefoot with his guru, moving from village to village. He transformed from Deepak to Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji, dedicating himself to the path of knowledge and devotion. This marked the beginning of his prolific literary journey.

His scholarly pursuits began when he considered research during his teaching career. He initially intended to write a PhD thesis on the "Educational Philosophy of Jainism." However, his extensive reading of various Jain religious texts during this period further guided him from a worldly path towards the path of renunciation and self-control. After becoming a Jain monk, he observed the increasing difficulty in studying Sanskrit grammar, which is foundational to Jainism. The scarcity of learned scholars in Sanskrit grammar, coupled with the financial burden of supporting them, presented a significant challenge. In response, Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji took on the task of preparing Sanskrit grammar himself, creating four volumes totaling a thousand pages.

Following this, his book composition gained momentum. He authored "Abhinav Upadesh Prasad," a comprehensive work covering over a hundred topics, designed to be useful for seekers, scholars, and monks alike. Recognizing the need for a Jain Panchang (almanac), he created one, which facilitated religious observances for many and provided material for others' almanacs. He also published the "Bar Vrat Pustika" (Booklet on Twelve Vows) and compiled a collection of 779 Chaityavandans in the "Chaitanyavandan Mala." For attaining "Samadhi Maran" (peaceful death), he wrote a book titled "Samadhi Maran." He also created the extensive twelve-hundred-page "Jain Sachitra Pratikraman," and the "Tatvarthasutra Abhinav Tika," which is recognized by Jain sects in Los Angeles, USA, and is studied by knowledge-seeking groups there.

The text emphasizes that just as the Upanishads, Gita, Puranas, and Bible are revered religious scriptures, the Agamas are the holy texts of Jainism. These sacred Agam Granths are in Prakrit, with commentaries in Sanskrit. Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji's aspiration was to make these texts accessible.

His motivation behind translating and elucidating the Jain Agam Granths was the lack of a Sanskrit-Prakrit scholarly community and a declining genuine interest in academic study. He undertook this monumental task to ensure that monks, nuns, and lay followers would not be deprived of scriptural knowledge due to a lack of linguistic understanding. His vision was to continue the cultivation of Lord Mahavir's path through accessible language. He expresses immense satisfaction with this work, stating that the joy derived from devotion to Jinendra's knowledge is immeasurable.

Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji has produced over two hundred and fifty books on the Jain Agamas, making these foundational scriptures of Jainism available in Gujarati. His work encompasses not only the teachings of Lord Mahavir but also the duties of monks, nuns, and lay followers. He works diligently for fourteen to sixteen hours a day, from early morning until late at night. When fatigue sets in, he recites five rounds of "Padmavati Mata's mantra," which revitalizes him. His book "Agam-Suttaanisttikatam" has reached fourteen countries worldwide. He translated the Agam Sutras with commentary into Gujarati, including the original 45 Agam Sutras along with their Niruktis, Vruttis, and other commentaries, spanning ten thousand pages and published in 42 volumes. This compilation alone weighs over sixteen kilograms.

His writing and publishing journey, which began in 1984, continues to this day. He has authored approximately fifty-two books related to discourses, grammar, worship, meditation, study of sutras, rituals, and devotion to Jin. He single-handedly completed the Agam project and was bestowed with the title "Agam Divakar" (Sun of Agamas). To make these works easily accessible to everyone, he has made this literature available on the internet (www.jain-e-library.org), disseminating knowledge to a vast audience. His books are available on two DVDs: one contains 501 publications spread across 80,000 pages of Muni Shri's work, while the other focuses on the 2000-year-old "Tatvarthasutra," comprising 72 books and 12 articles over 27,500 pages. This extensive collection includes commentaries and translations of the Tatvarthasutra by Jain scholars of various sects, including Shvetambara and Digambara, in languages such as Gujarati, Sanskrit, Hindi, English, Prakrit, and Marathi.

Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji's specific works on the Tatvarthasutra are particularly noteworthy. These include "Tatvarthasutra Prabadh Tika" (Chapter 1) and "Tatvathambhigam Sutra Abhinav Tika," Volumes 1 to 10. These books provide comprehensive analysis, including sutras, reasons, original sutras, grammatical structures, meaning of sutras, continuation, compiled information from numerous reference texts, references to sutras, Agamas, poetic rendering of sutras, and a detailed analysis of the ten parts. The tenth chapter's book concludes with useful appendices for comprehensive study, such as a word index and subject index. Each chapter also includes appendices like sutra sequence, alphabetical order, and variations in readings between Shvetambara and Digambara traditions. The release of Muni Shri's various books and texts has taken place in numerous locations across India, including Mumbai, Jamnagar, Neemach, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Gondal, Dhoraji, and Thangarh.

Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji is connected to over 25,000 members from 97 countries through the internet. He is also consistently engaged in chanting and meditation. Daily, he performs 108 Navkar mantras three times a day, and to date, he has completed extensive chanting of various mantras such as 1.8 lakh Uvsargaharam, 27 lakh Padmavati mantras, 1 lakh Logass sutras, 4 lakh Vidya mantras, 4 lakh Vardhaman Vidya, and 1.25 lakh Chintamani mantras. He has also compiled eleven mantras, including those for Padmavati, Bhaktamar, Vimsatisthanaka Uvsargaharam, Santikaram, and 45 Agamas.

The article concludes by stating that Muni Shri Deepratnasagarji Maharaj's pursuit of knowledge continues unbroken. As a result of his thirty years of dedicated practice, his literary output exceeds ten thousand pages across five languages. He has already authored 501 books, with more currently in progress. Residing in Thangarh, Saurashtra, his intellectual endeavors are expected to yield many more literary treasures in the future. This article is shared with thanks from Gujarat Samachar, dated October 26, 2014.