Param Tattvagna Shrimad Rajchandraji

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text about Param Tattvagna Shrimad Rajchandraji:

The book "Param Tattvagna Shrimad Rajchandraji" by Atmanandji, published by Z_Comtemporary_Jain_Legends_007736_STD.pdf, presents Shrimad Rajchandraji as an exceptional 20th-century philosopher and thinker, deeply influential not only within Jainism but also to the modern world. Mahatma Gandhi lauded him for his astonishing personality and life-experienced writings, stating that following his words could lead to salvation and happiness for anyone, regardless of their religion. Kakasaheb Kalelkar described him as a great experimentalist who embodied achieved self-control and possessed exceptional strength and vigor in his creations.

Birth and Early Life: Shrimad Rajchandra was born on November 9th, 1867, during Diwali, in Vavaniya, Gujarat. His family, the Mehtas, were involved in shipping and money lending. His parents, Ravjibhai and Devaba, were devotional, and a prophecy from a commission agent and a saint predicted a great son for them. While named Laxminandan at birth, his name was changed to Raychand or Rajchandra at age four. His upbringing was influenced by both Vaishnavism (from his grandfather) and Jainism (from his mother).

Childhood and Spiritual Awakening: Rajchandra was drawn to Jainism, particularly the hymns of Pratikraman, for their emphasis on kindness to animals and the practice of seeking forgiveness. The Jain emphasis on knowledge, renunciation, and detachment resonated with him. A pivotal moment occurred in 1875 when, after witnessing a death by snakebite, his grandfather explained the concept of the soul leaving the body. This event led Rajchandra to slip into deep contemplation, a near-death experience of sorts, which caused his "veil of ignorance" to vanish. He recalled past lives, understanding the pains of repeated births and deaths, which fueled his detachment from family life and his resolve to seek Moksha (salvation).

Learning and Extraordinary Abilities: At seven, Rajchandra began his education, demonstrating an extraordinary ability to learn and retain information from a single reading (Ekpathi). He completed a seven-year curriculum in just two years and was constantly eager for knowledge. He started composing poems at eight and managed his father's business with honesty. He possessed a deep understanding of Gujarati, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Prakrit, and from a young age, exhibited virtues like kindness, sympathy, and tolerance.

His intellectual prowess extended to extraordinary abilities. At 16, he performed "Avadhan" experiments (performing multiple tasks simultaneously without error), culminating in a demonstration of 100 concurrent deeds at age 19 in Mumbai. He also delved into astrology and possessed psychic abilities like knowing books by touch and the taste of food without tasting. These exceptional powers gained widespread media attention and earned him the title "Sakshat Saraswati" (Goddess of Learning in person) and a gold medal from the Jain community. However, at the ages of 20 and 24, he renounced these public displays and extraordinary pursuits, fearing the consequences of excessive public contact and worldly progress derived from astrology. He categorized them as mere imaginations and turned his focus to restraint, detachment, study, contemplation, and solitude for spiritual growth.

Business and Social Reform: Shrimad Rajchandra's business in jewelry was primarily for family maintenance. He actively engaged in social reform through his writings, addressing topics like female education, ideal marriages, the decline of Aryans, and the protest against ostentatious wedding expenses.

Family Life and Spiritual Pursuit: At 20, Shrimad Rajchandra married Zabakben. His family life is presented not as an obstacle but as a means to work through past karma. His letters from this period reveal a desire to maintain equanimity in relationships and a strong conviction that while family life could be a source of passion and attachment, solitude was more conducive to spiritual progress and the eradication of worldly evils.

Thinking, Revelation, and Omniscience: Shrimad Rajchandra was deeply engrossed in spiritual contemplation and showed profound love for all living beings. His childhood aspirations for a higher quality of life, revelations of past lives, extensive scriptural study, continuous chanting of divine names, and dedicated efforts to cultivate virtues led him to achieve omniscience (Keval Gyan) in 1891, experiencing absolute bliss. He described this state as freedom from all soul-bondages, a state recognized as Samyak Darshan in Jainism and KevalGnan in Vedanta. He composed poems at Ralaj Village in 1891 to express this experience, highlighting their importance for spiritual seekers.

Desire for Loneliness and Final Efforts: Despite attaining omniscience, Shrimad Rajchandra remained dedicated to the path of eternal truth. He sought detachment from the world and family, spending increasing time in solitude outside Mumbai to deepen his understanding and practice. His final years (V.S. 1952-1957) were marked by rigorous prayer, weakening attachments, and a further embrace of restraint. He lived in solitude in forests, minimizing external comforts like mattresses and clothing, enduring hardships like insect bites, and focusing on meditation and silence. He would remain outside Mumbai for over six months at a time, seeking the company of saints and further detachment. He left his business in 1899 and sought his mother's permission for Dixa (renunciation), but his body failed him, and he passed away in 1901. His solitary retreats were primarily in the Charotar region, Saurashtra, and other areas like Idar and Ahmedabad. Even after attaining omniscience, he continued his efforts for self-mastery until his death.

Disciples and Influences: Many individuals were drawn to Shrimad Rajchandra due to his spiritual power. Notable among his disciples were:

• Shri Sobhagbhai: A simple yet devout follower, a significant portion of Shrimad Rajchandra's correspondence was with him.
• Shri LaghuRaj Swamy: An exceptional devotee who dedicated his life to Shrimad Rajchandra, even enduring hardships.
• Shri Ambalalbhai: Known for his exceptional memory, he was entrusted with copying scriptures and letters and played a crucial role in collecting his literature after his death.
• Shri Joothabhai: Devoted despite a short association, he died young.
• Shri Mansukhbhai: Recognized Shrimad Rajchandra as a great soul and was sincerely devoted to his service.
• Mahatma Gandhi: Considered Shrimad Rajchandra one of his three primary guides and received spiritual instruction from him, referring to him as a "Dharmatma" (Spiritual personality).

He also influenced many other prominent figures, including Shri Popatlal Mahokambhai Shah, Shri Dharshihai Sanghvi, and others listed in the text.

Inspiring Events: Two notable events highlight his compassion and wisdom:

1. Sympathy without Reason: He canceled his train journey to spend more time with a devotee who was regretful about leaving a spiritual discussion, prioritizing the devotee's spiritual benefit.
2. Do Not Allow Your Mind to Be Idle: He advised keeping the mind constantly engaged with virtuous thoughts, scripture, or devotional practices to prevent it from becoming idle, which could lead to harm and spoil spiritual progress.

Conclusion: Shrimad Rajchandra's life was primarily spiritual. Though his life was short, his message had eternal significance. He was recognized as a saint, an outstanding educationist, a gifted poet, a social reformer, an experimentalist of non-violence, and a proponent of secularism. His works, like "Atma Siddhi Shastra," "Mokshamala," and numerous letters and poems, are considered the essence of Shad Darshan (six philosophical systems). He provided guidance for spiritual seekers and elevated the ideals of religion and society. The text emphasizes the need to understand him without bias and fully embrace his teachings to benefit oneself and society.

Preachings of Shrimad Rajchandra: His preachings, though delivered in a short life, are of eternal importance and include:

• Normal Good Behavior, Honesty, and Justice: Treating all beings equally, avoiding causing pain, and not overexerting others.
• Life Management: Reducing engagements and attachments to find happiness and live a sufficiently long life, prioritizing activities beneficial in this and future lives.
• Human Life: Recognizing the preciousness of human life for spiritual progress, following the guidance of the learned, and avoiding unhappy attachments that lead to misery.
• Detachment (Vairagya): Disinterest in worldly affairs is the path to eternal happiness. Devotees must detach from family and worldly concerns and realize their vices through listening to saints. True detachment is followed by self-knowledge, without which renunciation is in vain.
• Knowledge: True knowledge allows one to understand the nature of things, control external feelings, diminish attachment to worldly pleasures, and reveal truth. Self-knowledge is paramount for liberation from suffering and is achieved through contemplation. Knowing oneself leads to knowing the world; without self-knowledge, worldly knowledge is worthless.