Ladubahenni Jivan Rekha

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text about Ladubahenni, based on the provided pages:

The text is a biographical account titled "Ladubahenni Jivan Rekha" (Life Sketch of Ladubahenni) by Sukhlal Sanghavi, published within "Z_Darshan_ane_Chintan_Part_2_004635.pdf." It is for private and personal use within Jain Education International.

Part 1: Tragic End and Underlying Cause

The author begins by stating that most Jains in Palanpur, and many Jain scholars and education enthusiasts in other cities, knew Ladubahenni. Her recent, unexpected, and tragic death by drowning has caused great sorrow to those who knew her. The author acknowledges the mystery surrounding her decision to commit suicide, especially given her scholarly, virtuous, and service-oriented nature. However, he explains that for those who had been in her company for the past year and a half, the reason is more understandable.

For about 18 months, Ladubahenni had been experiencing a mental decline, described as a "chittabhram" (mental delusion or confusion). Her physical and mental strength had been progressively weakening, and she had lost significant control over her mind. Her usual strong willpower, determination, and steadfastness had greatly diminished. This affected her physically, leading her to feel useless and a burden to the world. Despite efforts by her acquaintances and family to alleviate this self-loathing, they were unsuccessful.

In the last two months, Gangaben, the daughter-in-law of Seth Amarchand Talakchand, came from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. She resided near the Satyagraha Ashram, where Ladubahenni was staying. Gangaben, like Ladubahenni, was a close spiritual sister and friend. The intention behind Gangaben's stay was to provide Ladubahenni with the positive environment of the ashram, the influence of Mahatmaji's discourses, and the opportunity for service, hoping it would improve her mental state. However, the author notes that things don't always turn out as planned. The text then trails off, hinting at Ladubahenni's despair regarding her father's life and a persistent delusion that ultimately led to her death. This delusion had previously driven her to attempted suicide, but these attempts were foiled when her intentions were discovered. The author emphasizes that when one's time comes and destiny is set, even the vigilant can falter. In her final night, she managed to elude those who were watching over her.

Part 2: Ladubahenni's Character and Virtues

The author then focuses on Ladubahenni's other mental faculties, which, apart from the delusion, were pure and compassionate. He cites a letter she wrote to Mahatmaji the day before her death, which Mahatmaji read and described as filled with immense sympathy and wisdom. He even commented that if the writer of such a letter were still alive and aware, she might be found. However, this hope was in vain. Her body was later recovered from the river and cremated.

The author then provides details about her life. Ladubahenni was widowed in her childhood and was less than forty years old at the time of her death. Her in-laws' Parekh family and her paternal family were both well-known and respected. Both families were very affectionate towards her. Ladubahenni possessed exceptional qualities that captivated anyone who met her, primarily her humility and self-sacrificing nature. She was never observed to be arrogant in her thoughts, actions, or speech, interacting with everyone, regardless of their status or age, with gentleness and a smile.

Her self-sacrifice was unparalleled in the author's experience. For her, offering any valuable possession was not just about giving the item but also about serving the recipient wholeheartedly, body and mind, especially if they were ill or suffering. The author recounts an incident where she found a weak donkey in a field in the scorching afternoon and, with the help of a student, moved it to the shade, provided it with food and water, and attempted to comfort it. Hearing of an unwell woman in a nearby village, she was ready to travel at night with medicine and stay to care for her. When students or others fell ill, Ladubahenni would readily attend to them, whether by massaging their heads or feet. Her spirit of service was not superficial; she did not exhibit the "Kaliyugi" (of the Kali Yuga) tendency of having conflicts with relatives and showing affection only to strangers. She diligently fulfilled all her duties towards her in-laws, brothers, sisters-in-law, and others, simply out of a sense of duty. She truly embodied the virtues of humility, friendship, and offering.

Part 3: Intellectual Curiosity and Influence

Another extraordinary quality Ladubahenni possessed, rare in both men and women, was her thirst for knowledge and her drive to learn. During the author's first encounter with her 18 years prior, he saw her studying Sanskrit in Palanpur. She was not someone who shied away from physical labor to seek comfort. He observed her constantly studying while also managing household chores. Her intellectual curiosity extended to other women and young girls in Palanpur, where she taught, encouraged learning, and offered genuine solace to distressed widows. The girls' school in Palanpur was considered an attractive and ideal institution among all Jain girls' schools of that time. Many girls learned Sanskrit, spoke and wrote pure Gujarati, and this vibrant atmosphere was a result of Ladubahenni's influence and emulation. Ladubahenni learned poetry, logic, and Jain philosophical texts, as well as Hindi and a little English.

Wherever she went, whether Mumbai, Calcutta, Pune, or Ahmedabad, whether to an institution or to visit family, she never neglected her self-study. Working and studying were her constant companions. The author noted that even during her mental distress in the last year, these two qualities remained active. Despite being told not to, she would often stay awake all night, reading something. Even during her mental breakdown, her memory was exceptional; she often helped the author with the meaning of English and Sanskrit texts. She also made time to read other literature. In the last month, she attended Hindi classes at the ashram, and her Hindi writing, reading, and comprehension were so good that her teacher, Surendra, remarked that Ladubahenni was fit to be a teacher herself. It is estimated that no man, woman, or child at the Satyagraha Ashram was unaware of Ladubahenni.

Part 4: The Delusion and its Impact

Despite her many awakened strengths, fate brought a single delusion into her mind: the belief that her life was meaningless. This delusion, the author states, was her destiny. It is a happy thing that her family and impartial admirers, who were impressed by her qualities, have considered ways to preserve her memory. The author then addresses a misconception held by some men and immature women who, not understanding the place of women and the social respect they deserve, might use such an incident to argue against women's education. They might say, "What has been achieved by educating women? Look, even after studying, she committed suicide! Is it better not to study then?" The author refutes this, stating that such a statement arises from ignorance and impatience. He questions if men are free of faults and shortcomings. He argues that expecting women to be completely free from the conflicts, quarrels, greed, and thoughtlessness seen in highly educated men is unrealistic. Furthermore, he questions the fairness of focusing on a minor negative aspect and magnifying it, while disregarding the numerous positive aspects.

He uses analogies: would one blame the jewelry business if there's a defect in one piece? Or would one eliminate medical or traditional treatments entirely because one person could not be saved? From this, the author concludes that the fruit of knowledge is indeed obtained, but one also has to experience the consequences of their past karma, which can be powerful.

The author states that Ladubahenni's life has instilled a sense of curiosity among the women and girls of Palanpur. It has inspired dependent widows to find intellectual support and lead better lives. It has brought awareness of their own disadvantaged state and awakened a degree of self-reliance. The flow of intellect, stagnant for centuries, has been reactivated. If even a small part of these positive changes have manifested as a result of her life, then who can say that women's education is a failure?

The author feels there is much more to write about Ladubahenni, but acknowledges that even what has been written might be considered excessive. He hopes that readers of this brief introduction will offer prayers for the peace of her soul in the afterlife, contributing their thoughts to her memory.

The text concludes with a note that this account was written by Pt. Sukhlalji in the Shravan month issue of the "Palanpur" periodical.