Saturday, December 20, 2008

Trip to Acharya VidyaSagar

I present my trip details and learnings from my first and only visit to Acharya Shree Vidya Sagar Ji Maharaj's Sangh.

I got fortunate to have my first Darshan of my life to Acharya VidyaSagar Ji Maharaj's Sangh in Ramtek, Nagpur. I started on 14th Dec'08 in the morning from Delhi to take flight till Nagpur and then took taxi to reach Ramtek Jain temple at around 1:30 PM, where VidyaSagar Ji Maharaj was present with 40 Munis in his Sangh.

I got a room in DharamShala and then attended Acharya Shree's pravachan at 3:30. His Pravachan was towards the spiritual side, and some of highlights were as follows:
  • Knowing that my soul has capability of attaining KevalGyaan is Samyakgyaan.
  • Do we dream of getting kevalgyaan in night?
  • As a small agarbatti gives good odors to the whole room, the same way Atma has the capability to have knowledge of whole world.
  • A chip is used to stabilize a rock which further is used in the foundation of a building. And people usually focus on the building, take picture of it, paint it. But nobody looks at the chip at the bottom which is an important factor in stabilizing the building.
During the pravachan, I was hearing people doing Jayakara of Acharya Shree - "Jay Jay Gurudev". And on the words of Acharya Shree people were hearing as if he is an angel come down from a sacred place to preach them. And I could sense the deep devotion of people by their body language and jaykara.

Acharya Ji's face was the most calm face I had ever seen in my life. His face was oozing out compassion for the whole world. It seemed that, if there any negative emotion would come to him, it would be like a small wave in a calm spring, which comes and vanishes in no time. For some moments I felt I can spend my whole life just looking at him.

After then I roamed around the temple to see the place, saints are staying. There were many rooms around the temple where saints were staying. And they were all crowded by people, who were asking them questions. I was trying to find someone whom I can talk to, but seemed I did not know anybody there and could not interact to anyone. To add to my misery, my cell phone roaming was not working.

I went to bed as early as 7 pm, then woke up next day. In the morning I saw the Maharaj Ji coming to take Ahaar, and Jain Shravak and Shravikas were lined up to give Ahaar to Mharaj Ji, and were full of devotion.

I visited a saint in the afternoon. He also had a background in engineering. I chatted with him on Dharma. I asked him - how good he finds sainthood. He told me that it is far less miserable than a householder life. For a householder- one misery goes, and many miseries come along; while for a saint there are no miseries. There are 2 kind of miseries- physical and mental. Mental miseries make people suffer more than physical miseries. And householders have 80% mental miseries, which are gone in sainthood. And rest physical miseries are gone by controlling emotions. Also he told me that many people only emphasize attaining knowledge. While there should be equal emphasis on to practice, which I realized I personally am lacking.

Then I roamed around and in the room there was a young man asking questions to saint about what soul is, and what is the purpose of life. I also sat close to them to listen to their talk to get some learnings. I was deeply impressed about the keenness of the young man to understand his real self, and the clarity of the saint while explaining it. After asking I learnt that the saint was in the Sangh for 33 years. Later I talked to the young man and found that he was keen on taking Brahamcharya for life.

Then I roamed around and saw the saints face full of happiness and completely stress free. And I could sense the devotion they had for Acharya Shree.

In the afternoon, Ashok Bhai and Abhaya Ji took me close to Acharya Vidyasagar maharaj Ji. And I got to touch his feet, which I had never imagined I would ever be able to. I got blessings from him to have Dharma-Vridhhi. He asked me to take care of Bhaksha-Abhaksha.

In the evening at 6 pm, I again got chance to meet Acharya Shri. Ashok Bhai took me inside where there were around 10 people. Some of them were doing his VaiyaVritii. Then some people left the room and we were 5 people in the room surrounding Acharya Ji. I was doing his VaiyaVritti. And we started asking questions - following things were discussed:
  • Soul/Body: I asked him that it is easy to understand things like motor engine, the economy of word etc. But it seems very tough how soul functions in the body.
  • He answered by saying that it is very easy. He used analogy of current and bulb to explain soul and body.
  • Education: He made comments on education these days. He told these days we do not have teachers, we have speakers. He told the connection extablishes when a teacher says 'Shabash' to the child, and the child reverts with respect for the teacher. This lacks in present education by speakers etc.
  • Vision and television: He explained by saying Vision is 'act of seeing', and Television is something which brings things from a distance. Science is all engaged in television and not in the vision which is the property of soul- and should be focussed on.
  • Telepathy: He talked about telepathy. He told that telepathy only happens to someone emotionally bound. For example, when a mother remebers her child- the child gets Hichki. He explained that Mano vragana vibration occurs by remembering the child and they strike the child and telepathy occurs.


Next day I gave Ahaar to a saint. I was surprised to see he did not take any fruit. Later I was told that none of the saint is taking fruits in the Sangh, since it is expensive and one Shravak made a bad comment and they stopped taking fruit. For one mistake done by a Shravak in worshipping, Acharya took a Prayashchit to take just 10 Anjuli. And again nobody understood at that time why he was taking less Ahaar.

I left the place in the afternoon. And I was more than satisfied to visit him. I was personally thinking when I would be fortunate to become a saint, but seemed my time is too far- may be in next births. I could very well extrapolate- how Moksha state would be infinitely full of bliss, when the saints are so blissful.

pics: Please click on the pic below to view all the pictures.

VidyaSagar Ji Sangh in Ramtek

11 comments:

rajeev said...

you are really a very lucky bhakta from thousand ,who got this opportunity.Next week Acharya-Vidyasagar ji is coming to my home town Jabalpur and i am here in America. Hey god when you will give me this golden opportunity.
rajeev jain

Prashant Parikh said...

Isn't it wonderful how one spiritual experience can warm our hearts towards Sainthood, and the amount of knowledge (the one that actually counts) that you gain after such a transformation is beyond anything we can imagine, and most importantly the peace of mind, and spiritual awakening is above all. Very lucky

Evershinedamoh said...

Thanks a lot for such a great report...Really you touch me when you have written the below lines "Later I was told that none of the saint is taking fruits in the Sangh, since it is expensive and one Shravak made a bad comment and they stopped taking fruit. Also Acharya Shree was taking loki, but left it when someone pointed out that it is expensive and sold at Rs 30 per KG. After he left loki, nobody could understand the reason. Also for one mistake done by a Shravak in worshipping, Acharya took a Prayashchit to take just 10 Anjuli. And again nobody understood at that time why he was taking less Ahaar"
You will not believed that I wept for 1 min and prayed to God to give me strength and resources to each and every Jain in India sothat he never think like this ..

Ankit Lahri

Bhaskar Jain said...

Very nice.. You are really fortunate

View the world with my eyes said...

Hi... really you are very lucky and fortunate to touch the feet of Acharaya Shri. Even i would like to have such a pleasure(fortune) in future. I have never had darshan of Acharaya Shri.

Whenever I go for darshan in Sanmati Sagarji Maharaj's Sangh I try to interact with Shullakjis because they are at the learning stage of Jainism and they can come to our level and explain things. And probably they are more enthusiastic on sharing their knowledge. So never feel that you dont have anyone to talk to ( as you said in your blog)

Jai Jinendra !

Ashish said...

A good description of your trip. You are really fortunate. Jai Jai Gurudev.

राकेश जैन said...

It is very good " Yatra vritant".

Definitely fortune was shining upon those days. Jai Jai Gurudev.

Unknown said...

I am too missing bhagwaan/Guru je...i am weeping right now and praying to meet him again..but by reading your extracts..i could understand the pleasure and peace you have had. God Bless you..

Anonymous said...

I wish i could meet him... You are really very fortunate. Thank you for the extract that you provided me with..

Ashok Jain said...

"For some moments I felt I can spend my whole life just looking at him." its true even i felt same.
u gave a very good trip-description to all of us....we all r very eager to offer our pray before Guruver Vidyasgar ji.....
मेरी श्रद्धा का नाम है – विद्यासागर …

मैंने ईश्वर को नहीं देखा
देखा है विद्यासागर को
ज्ञान सिंधु जिसमें समा गया
मैंने देखा उस गागर को
सूरज जिनके चरणों में
आकर के शीश झुकाता है
प्रकृति का हर रोम-रोम
जिनके गीत सुनाता है
विश्वशांति होगी फिर से
हमको विश्वास दिलाता है
हिमगिरि का उन्नत मस्तक
जहाँ नतमस्तक हो जाता है
मोक्ष-महल का वासी वो
इस धरती पर यायावर है
मेरी श्रद्धा मेरे ईश्वर का
नाम ही विद्यासागर है…
मेरे राम तुम हीं घनश्‍याम तुम हीं
मेरा मान तुम हीं सम्मान तुम हीं
शब्द तुम हीं आवाज तुम हीं
गीत तुम हीं अंदाज तुम हीं
एहसास तुम हीं आभास तुम हीं
मंजिल और प्रकाश तुम हीं
तुम ही तो हो अरमान हमारे
तुम्हें देखकर सब कहते हैं
धरती पर भगवान पधारे…

हमसे पूछा जब लोगों ने
तुमने ईश्वर को देखा है
मैंने कहा हर उसने देखा
जिसने गुरुवर को देखा है
ईश्वर उतरा है गुरुवर में
या गुरुवर समा गए ईश्वर में
बस इतना ही है अंतर
वे मोक्ष महल में जा बैठे
गुरुवर अभी हैं धरती पर
इस युग का सौभाग्य रहा
कि इस युग में गुरुवर जन्मे|
अपना यह सौभाग्य रहा
गुरुवर के युग में हम जन्मे
कलयुग में भी यह सतयुग
गुरुवर के नाम से जाना जावेगा
कभी महावीर की श्रेणी में
गुरुवर का नम्बर आवेगा
जब तक सृष्टि के अधरों पर
करुणा का पैगाम रहेगा
तब तक युग की हर धड़कन में
विद्यासागरजी का नाम रहेगा।

if any one wants audio of this then cantact me ashokgourav@gmail.com
my mob no-08604448835
courtesy-
चंद्रसेन जैन
‘गुरु-प्रतिक्षा’, 7 रामानंद नगर, लालघाटी भोपाल- 462032
www.vidyasagar.net
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youngjainofbharat/473506666033906

Unknown said...

Jai Jai Gurudev.

सुख के लिये क्या क्या करता है।

संसारी जीव:  सोचता है विषयो से सुख मिलेगा, तो उसके लिये धन कमाता है। विषयो को भोगता है। मगर मरण के साथ सब अलग हो जाता है। और पाप का बन्ध ओर ...