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