Swadhyaya Ke Prabal Prerak Acharya Hastimalji

This document, an excerpt from "Swadhyaya ke Prabal Prerak Acharya Hastimalji" by Chaitanyamal Daddha, highlights Acharya Hastimalji as a profound spiritual leader and a strong advocate for "Swadhyaya" (self-study, introspection, and scriptural study).

Here's a comprehensive summary:

The text presents Acharya Hastimalji as a highly revered figure in Jainism, characterized as a "Mahakalpvriksha" (a wish-fulfilling tree), an "Adhyatma Yogi" (a spiritual yogi), a "Mahapurush" (great soul), a "Yugantkari Virala Vibhuti" (a rare, epoch-making personality), and a "Siddha and Divya Purush" (a perfected and divine being). He is described as an ideal embodiment of "Samyakdarshan" (right faith), "Samyagyan" (right knowledge), and "Samyakcharitra" (right conduct). The author believes that the reason Acharya Hastimalji reached the pinnacle of spiritual achievement was his strong emphasis on and inspiration for Swadhyaya.

Acharya Hastimalji is credited with continuously illuminating the path of knowledge for seven decades, sounding the drum of knowledge, and proclaiming the conch of right knowledge. While his personal achievements as a karmayogi and a yogi in deep meditation are acknowledged, the core of his impact lies in his role as a powerful motivator for Swadhyaya. He guided individuals from self-interest to the welfare of others, from attachment to detachment, from materialism to spirituality, and from indulgence to yoga. In moments of self-realization, he attained a divine and perfected state.

The text quotes Kabir's saying that great souls not only attain knowledge for themselves but also pave the way for humanity on the path of knowledge. This is illustrated by the saying: "Having burnt my own house (destroyed my attachments), I now take the torch of knowledge to burn yours, to illuminate you with knowledge." Acharya Hastimalji lived this principle by constantly igniting the flame of knowledge and Swadhyaya throughout his life. The text distinguishes between knowledge imposed from outside and knowledge derived from Swadhyaya, which is tested and solidified through the "heat of experience."

The influence of Acharya Hastimalji is further evidenced by the words of other prominent Jain figures:

• Acharya Samrat Shri Anand Rishiji M. Sa. called him a "guiding lighthouse" for Swadhyaya and "Samayik Swadhyaya" (contemplative self-study).
• Acharya Nanalalji M. Sa. described him as a proponent of "pure knowledge and immaculate conduct."
• Upadhyay Shri Keval Muniji recognized him as a "foremost scholar and writer-saint."

Acharya Hastimalji possessed the depth of the ocean and the height of the mountain, the firmness of resolve and the breadth of thought. However, the root of his great personality was "Samyagyan" (right knowledge). His personality was filled with the boundless ocean of knowledge, with countless waves of wisdom that enriched his receptive audiences. He was a "magician of words," capable of simplifying complex religious and philosophical terminology, captivating both the uneducated and the learned with his profound analytical skills.

Through the power of knowledge and Swadhyaya, Acharya Hastimalji not only studied and contemplated Jain Agam literature but also analyzed and dissected it with a research-oriented perspective. He championed Swadhyaya over mere external rituals, shifting the focus of religion from blind devotion and blind faith to the path of self-study. He believed that merely reciting mantras like a parrot without understanding, or performing Samayik without proper meditation, or preaching religion like a blind person without comprehension, was not true Dharma. Similar to Kabir, he valued the "rosary of the mind" and "Samyagyan" more than external observances like fasting and vows, and emphasized the importance of the mind's devotion over the physical rosary.

Despite being the seventh successor of the Ratnavanshi sect, Acharya Hastimalji was independent of sectarian affiliations. His Swadhyaya extended beyond the confines of Jainism to embrace a humanistic religion.

The text concludes by stating that numerous institutions have been established and are actively promoting Swadhyaya under Acharya Hastimalji's inspiration. Libraries, Swadhyaya Sanghs (study groups), and schools are carrying forward his teachings by igniting the torch of Swadhyaya. The Samyagyan Pracharak Mandal, Jaipur, has a resolution to preserve, transmit, and create the Shraman culture through knowledge and Swadhyaya, deeming this a true tribute on Acharya Hastimalji's पुण्यतिथि (death anniversary).