IVY Swadhyay - December 2016

Year 2016 marks as the 150th birth anniversary of Param Krupalu Dev. As all the followers of Shrimadji across the globe unite in celebrating his birth, IVY mumukshus too would be joining the celebrations.

The December swadhyay gave insights on devotion, faith, the joy of giving and overcoming the obstacles of the spiritual path in 5 simple ways.

Brahmnisht Minalben began her discourse with recitation and then reflection upon the meaning of the powerful stuti ‘Mahadevya kukshi ratnam, મહાદેવ્યા કુક્ષિ રત્નમ’ and the verse ‘Hey Param Krupalu Dev, janma jara maran aadi, હે પરમ કૃપાળુ દેવ, જન્મ જરા મરણ આદિ’.  The verses encourage disciples to give up bad qualities like anger, ego, greed and deceit, and remain under the shelter of an enlightened Master.  The benevolent soul does not expect anything in return for his endless love and leads the disciple on the path of complete destruction of sorrows and sufferings and therefore, we are forever in his debt.

Faith and Principles are two pillars that keep mumukshus strong during hardships. The results may not be immediate but not giving up on them pays handsomely. A story of a shopkeeper gave inspiration. Posted in the Himalayas for 3 months, a troop of tired army men where on the lookout for something to keep them warm. En route to the peak, they came across a shop. The army men keenly desired a hot cup of tea. However, the shop was locked. The officers looked at their leader silently pleading to allow them to break the lock. Against his own better judgment and caving in to the need of the hour, officer permitted his men to break the lock. With the materials available, army men made themselves a good hot cup of tea and ate some biscuits. The leader, not happy with his decision, slid a 1000/- rupee note under the box of sugar to assure the shopkeeper that no theft has been done. Three months later, their posting was revoked and while coming down from their post the officer saw that the same shop was now open. The officer still reliving his guilt interacted with the shopkeeper and curiously asks him about his opinion on the existence of God in such a mountainous terrain. Answering his question, shopkeeper narrated his reasons for having faith in God. His son had suffered several injuries and had to be operated, which required huge amount of money that he didn’t have. Feeling low and powerless, he came to his shop and prayed. He had his head resting on the table but when he looked up from there, he found a 1000-rupee note under the box of sugar. That was more than he required and knew that was God taking care of him. After seeing how the events turned unexpectedly, how could he doubt His presence and God’s love for him?

God walks in our life when we need Him to. Till then, He teaches us the art of walking: exercise that keeps our body and soul both in good health. Whenever we face an undesirable or distressing situation, walk away.

Walking now possible in 4 simple ways:

1. Walk away from arguments that lead nowhere but towards anger.
2. Walk away from people who deliberately put you down. Never feel you are anything less.  We have our Guru to take care of us.
3. Walk away from failures and fears that stifle your dream. Often we allow our minds to underestimate ourselves; Dream big, be passionate about it, trust yourself and have patience.
4. Walk away from people who do not care.

Walking away from the unnecessary is the walk towards Happiness!!

Things, people and situations that cause stress and pain can be avoided. If cannot be avoided, ignore them. When even that’s not possible, rise above the situation, become a witness. Keep calm and let the karma pass.

That is how Krupalu Dev sailed the worldly boat, other elevated souls are sailing and we have to do the same. If nothing else, SMILE! It’s the curve that makes everything straight.

So, as a tribute to Param Krupalu Dev, Ivy mumukshus have pledged to -

1. Sing stuti - Mahadevya kukshi ratnam – everyday.
2. Begin reading ‘Pinnacle of spirituality’ – from January swadhaya.
3. Smile always –It costs nothing, but gives much radiance. It’s the antidote to our troubles. Pujya Bapuji would always remind everyone: ‘સાધના કરો છો આનંદ લેવા માટે, તો આનંદ લેતા સીખો!’
4. Exercise- gift ourselves a walk towards happiness.
5. Respect our parents; they are our best well- wishers.
6. Dream high and be passionate about them.

IVY Swadhyay - November 2016

The IVY swadhyay for November was special since it was held on Gyan Panchami.

Starting his discourse, Brahmnisht Vikrambhai asked several questions to the young mumukshus present.

• Why do some people have a stronger sense of understanding than others?
• Why do we not have complete knowledge
• Why is it that even when we read books we do not understand the true meaning of it?
• Why are some good at studies while others at sports? 

Explaining the prime reason for this differential understanding, Vikrambhai said it was due to our Gyanavarniya Karma. When we disrespect gyan or knowledge in thoughts, words or deeds like stepping on paper, eating while reading or writing, we build gyanavarniya karma. This accumulated karma determines our understanding and perception of knowledge for our next life.

 Highlighting this principle with a story, Vikrambhai said: 

A king named Ajit Singh ruled over the town of Pasmapur. He sent his young son to a pundit for an education. Since the young student was the king’s son, the teacher took extra care while teaching his young ward, but unfortunately the prince could not remember a single thing. Along with this difficulty, he contracted leukemia and his whole body was covered in white spots. This made the prince sad and depressed.

In another near by town lived a merchant named Singh Das, who owned gold worth crores of rupees. He had a daughter who was unable to speak and suffered from several diseases. She was always sad, as no one was ready to marry her and her entire family was worried about her future. 

An enlightened and respected Guru once visited Pasmapur and the king with his family as well as Singh Das came to seek the Guru’s blessings.

The guru started his discourse: “O Bhavya people, if you want moksh you must respect and worship knowledge. Those who disrespect knowledge by thought will not be able to discriminate between right and wrong; those that show disrespect by word will not be able to speak and those that disrespect knowledge by action will contract several diseases like leukemia. "

Listening to this, Singh Das was quick to ask why his daughter was the way she was?

The guru replied, "Hey Singh Das. Listen to this story about your daughter’s previous birth. In Khetak was a rich man with 5 sons and 4 daughters.  When they were older, all the boys were sent to a Guru. But instead of studying, they would play and disrespect the teacher and if they were reprimanded, they would complain to their mother. Their mother, in turn would be angry with the teacher instead of her children.

Once in a fit of rage, she burnt all the children’s books. When her husband asked his wife, about the future of uneducated children or who would marry them? How would they earn a living? The wife replied that since he was a smart man he should teach his own kids.

In due course of time, the children grew up and were good-for-nothing.  No one was willing to marry any of them because they were uneducated. The man and his wife blamed each other. In his anger, the man hit his wife with a stone on her head and she died. The same lady is reborn as your daughter in this birth.”

Listening to this narration the daughter recalled her previous birth and agreed with the Guru about the sequence of events. Singh Das now asked for a cure for his daughter. The Guru said that doing aradhna of Gyan Panchmi would cure her. 

Now the king also asked about his son.

The Guru replied: "In Shripur, there was a man named Vasudev with two sons. Both of them were riding horses in a jungle when they saw a monk and paid their respects. The monk taught them about death and mortality of human life. The sons were so touched by his teachings that they took diksha. The younger brother happened to be smarter and thus became an Acharya with 500 disciples.

Once he was sleeping and many sadhus came to ask him their doubts. He started answering but in his heart he wanted to go back to sleep. He looked at his elder brother sleeping peacefully and envied him. At this moment he decided never to learn anything new nor teach anyone anything so that he could live and sleep peacefully. He took the vow of silence (Maun) for 12 years.  After his death, he was reborn as the King’s son."

The prince too recalled his past birth, and affirmed the sequence of events and asked for a cure. The guru advised that doing penance on Gyan Panchami would have the desired effect.

Gyan Panchmi is the day people undertake different penances (tap) to gain gyan, crush gyanavarniya karma and respect gnan to get all the five types of gyan. 

Following the guru’s advice both the girl and the prince overcame their problems, took diksha and were reborn as celestial beings (in Devlok), eventually finding their way to moksh. This story shows us the importance of Gyan Panchami.

What is Gyan?

True knowledge or the knowledge of one’s self is Gyan. When the mind becomes still, while meditating the body recedes from importance and only the pure soul gains sole, supreme significance. Remaining in this state is true knowledge. Any knowledge that doesn't help us reach self-realization is not true knowledge.

Vikrambhai ended his discourse with the profound verse:

જો હોય પૂર્વ ભણેલ નવ પણ, જીવને જાણ્યો નહિ;
તોહ સર્વ તેહ અજ્ઞાન ભાખીયું, સખશી છે અગમ અહીં;
એ પૂર્વ સર્વ કાહિયા વિશેષ, જીવ કરવા નિર્મળો;
જિનવર કહે છે જ્ઞાન તેને, સર્વ ભાવ્યો સાંભળો।

These lines highlight what Jain scriptures say - that even if we are educated with worldly knowledge but know not our soul, we do not have Gnan. Only that which teaches us about our soul and makes us peaceful is true knowledge. 

Shree Bhaktamar Stotra Mahapujan

Shree Bhaktamar Stotra Mahapujan

28th October 2016

The ashram was resplendent as ever, its magical aura enhanced by the tasteful decoration of lights and diyas all round for Diwali. On Dhanteras, a Mahapoojan (ceremonial veneration) of the holy Shree Bhaktamar Stotra was held at the new swadhyay hall. Two mumukshus, Rupaben and Himanshubhai Jain, sponsored it in the memory of Himanshubhai’s father, Late Shri Madhukantbhai Jain.

The arrangements were meticulous – each family had a dedicated ornate stool and a Bhaktamar Yantra to themselves, along with a bowl of vaskep (powder made of sandalwood, saffron and camphor). At the end of the recital of each gatha (verse of four lines) of Shree Bhaktamar Stotra, one was to sprinkle vaskep on a square on the Yantra as a symbol of offering and devotion. Three types of pujan – coconut, fruit and lamp - were offered by three persons for each gatha.

Thanks to the splendid arrangements, each one of us could participate fully in this empowering ceremony. The vidhikaar Panditji Hiteshbha, who had arrived from Baroda especially for the Mahapujan, conducted it with a great deal of precision. He explained the meaning and significance of every word before reciting the gatha, and enjoined us to say “Swaha” aloud each time as ‘swaha’ implies an earnest offering from our heart.

After every four verses (gathas), Brahmanisht Vikrambhai and Yashika would render a stirng bhakti song in the praise of our rthankars. We were asked to chant “Om Hrim Shree Adinathay Namah” in our minds throughout.

Shree Bhaktamara Stotra is composed by Acharya Mantung Maharaj Saheb. It is said that when he was shackled by the king, he composed the Stotra, and as he recited every verse of the Stotra, each chain broke open. When an unconvinced king tested the power of the Stotra by imprisoning another devotee of the Stotra, Hemraj Sheth, the power of the Stotra was proved by Sheth in the same manner.

Bhaktamar literally means that which makes the disciple immortal. These verses describe the fine qualities of Jineshwar Bhagwan. When recited with commitment, sincerity and devotion, this magnificent composition has the latent power to lighten our karmic load and connect us with the Jineshwar Bhagwan or the divinity within.

Verses 1 to 9 depict the poet’s humility in his endeavour to describe the grandeur of Jineshwar Bhagwan – a task that can be accomplished not through the use of one’s intelligence or ability but by sheer devotion.

Verses 10 to 33 sing the glory of Jineshwar Bhagwan, whose one darshan changes you so much that you cannot ever be satisfied with anything worldly again. No sansaric thought or flaw ever remotely comes near Him, centred as He remains in His state of bliss. Anyone who worships this transcendental state of being with all his heart is released from the ills of worldly life and achieves identical equanimity.

Verses 34 to 44 relate to the spiritual and worldly benefits of Paramatma bhakti. Reciting Verse 41, for instance, has the potential to cure an ailing person, or give him peace. The Panditiji mentioned that using the water used for abhishek of the Bhaktamar Yantra along with the recital of this verse can work wonders for the ill. Verse 43 and 44 tell us how, like beads on a necklace, each verse in the glory of Jineshwar Bhagwan is entwined around His divine attributes. 

The dogmatic richness of Shree Bhaktamar Stotra is sufficient to transport you to the world ofthe holy; when coupled with a flawless rendition of each gatha,  with attentive participation of each and every mumukshu under the guidance and ever-flowing grace of P.P. Bhaishree, it acquired a life all its own. The gathas reverberated in the atmosphere, touched each one of us vibrantly and left each one of us aglow with an inner radiance we did not know we had.

We felt cleansed and ready to soak in the spiritual fest that awaited us.

IVY Swadhyay - October 2016

Happiness = Love = Self-realised Soul

The quest for Happiness is inherent in every living being – whether a newborn baby, or a person on his death bed – each one is forever seeking happiness.

Evaluating the pattern of our ‘happiness-seeking’ behavior – like receiving a gift makes us happy, new clothes brings joy, winning a lottery would make us ecstatic, receiving an appraisal can bring pleasure, a new friend can be amusing.  However, this is not true happiness.  We mistake comforts for eternal happiness.  The happiness that is dependent on external objects, people or situations is not true happiness.  Happiness is an eternal joy, coming from within. It is not dependent on people, objects or situations. We are consumed by the overwhelming need for gratification and feeling of pleasure, we thus overlook the ephemeral nature of conditional comfort and we mistake comfort for happiness.

     ‘Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey’.

Young mumukshus have heard these words of wisdom many a times. Pujya Vikrambhai adds that ‘everlasting happiness’ should be our ultimate destination. To reach the desired stage, we must set immediate goals that will lead us to our final destination. Presence of an enlightened Guru in our lives has given us an assurance that there is ‘Happy Forever’ goal for all of us as well. ‘True happiness’ is not only realistic but also achievable. We are blessed to have all the rightful ways and means to be happy in spite any negative karmas coming our way.

The question is ‘are we going to make the best of what we have got?’ or ‘are we going to be ungrateful and lose on the most wonderful opportunity?’

If we choose to make the best of the opportunity we have got, all we have to do is whole-heartedly follow the road our Guru has followed and compassionately shown us as well.

So what are these cardinal rules of happiness that makes our Guru unperturbed in difficult times and happy each waking moment?

1. Set ‘True Happiness’ as your ultimate and immediate goal. True happiness comes and never leaves, but multiplies every single day and is not followed by any discontent.
2. Offer unconditional surrender at enlightened Guru’s lotus feet. Divine fruits can be gained only by increasing devotion towards him.
3. Be optimistic. Optimism is a happiness magnet. Staying positive draws good results.
4. Minimalism is the way! The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t want.
5.  Stay contented. Happiness isn’t getting all you want. It’s enjoying all you have.
6. Be relaxed and enjoy doing even the things that you dislike. This is the cornerstone to the art of being happy.
7. Be in the ‘Now’. Remembering the past brings tears and anticipating the future brings fears.
8. Appreciate and admire the other person’s beauty and virtues, avoid comparison, be grateful and importantly accept yourself.
9. Rejoice in giving to others. Sharing is caring.
10. Free yourself from I, me and mine.

Once we have programmed these rules in our system, we shall be more humble, enthusiastic, compassionate and fearless. We will be passionate, hard working, determined in devoting ourselves at His Lotus feet and be efficient practitioners of love, harmony and truth.

The quality of our thoughts will enhance, our thoughts will be channelized, our perspective will be goal-orientated, our actions righteousness, our attitude – positive.

TO HAPPY MEANINGFUL LIFE !!

Diwali 2016

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Diwali Celebrations

30th October 2016

Diwali is a important day in the Jain calendar – the day Bhagwan Mahavir attained Nirvana (freedom from the cycle of births and deaths). It is the day we re-align ourselves with the ultimate goal for this lifetime – self-realisation, which is a stepping stone to nirvana. Diwali is an opportunity to calibrate our thoughts, actions and deeds to see if we are on course and correct ourselves if we are not.

It is therefore crucial for us on this day to be with the one person who is showing us the way and leading by example. Thus, we descended in droves on Sayla ashram, our oasis of divine love. Spending the four days of the festival, from October 28-31, 2016, with Param Pujya Bhaishree in Sayla was like dancing in a blissful spiritual shower, with kindred angels smiling down on us.

On Diwali day, Bhagwan Mahavir gave his last deshna (sermon). The Samovarasan (the assembly of all manner of living beings including celestial beings who gather in peace and amity to listen to the sermon of a Tirthankar) was blessed to receive this divine knowledge. At the stroke of midnight, He attained nirvana. His emotionally overcome disciple, Gautam Swamy, could not bear the thought of separation from his Guru, attached as he was to His physical form. A highly evolved soul himself having ascended right up to the second-last stage of spiritual enlightenment, he soon freed himself from this sentimental bondage and attained Keval gyan (complete knowledge). That was at 5 am on New Year’s Day. 

At Sayla, we celebrated Diwali with three rounds of 108 chants each of the three mantras recited at these three times:
Om Hrim Shree Mahavir Swamy Sarvagney Namah
Om Hrim Shree Mahavir Swamy Paargataay Namah
Om Hrim Shri Gautam Swamy Sarvagney Namah

The chanting was initiated by Br. Minalben. The hall resonated with an other-worldly vigour, as hundreds of voices, steeped in bhakti, joined the chanting. A rarefied energy field was created in and around the Kalyan Hall, with Param Pujya Bhaishree as its centrifugal force. It was an indescribable moment that could only be felt, barely expressed.

The special Diwali swadhyays (discourses) spread over four days were aimed at getting our wandering thoughts back on the spiritual track with Bhagwan Mahavir’s visualisation of a future that will, to our regret and horror, see the abandonment of the path by most Jains. 

Param Pujya Bhaishree’s swadhyays on the significance of Diwali were based on the book, ‘Sor prahar diye deshna’, by Acharya Vijay Mahabodhsuriji Maharaj.  At the outset, Bhaishree reminded us of the importance of celebrating festivals within rather than without. External festivities lead to karma bandh (accumulation of karma); internal festivities lead to aatmakalyan and liberation. Tools such as tap (penance), tyaag (renunciation), jap (chants), dhyaan (meditation) help us in achieving this inner evolution through the process of karma nirjara (shedding of karma).

King Samprati and Acharya Suhastisuriji Maharaj

The book is a detailed narration of Acharya Suhastisuriji Maharaj’s explanation of the Diwali festival to his disciple, King Samprati, grandson of Emperor Ashok of the Maurya dynasty. The incident dates about 2200 years ago and about 200 years after Bhagwan Mahavir’s time on earth. Inspired by his guru to propagate Jainism, King Samprati is known for building 1.25 lakh Jinalays, among other things. On his query about the relevance of Diwali, Acharya Suhastisuriji Maharaj expounded Bhagwan Mahavir’s prophesies of a grim and bleak future in the Fifth Aara (a Jain division of time characterized by pain and sorrow), also known as Dukham kaal. The Fifth Aara began about 2,500 years ago and will last another 21,000 years.

When King Punyapaal asked Bhagwan Mahavir the meaning of eight dreams that he had had, Bhagwan Mahavir interpreted each dream for him expansively in terms of their relevance today and for the future. Some of the key points in brief:

1.      Dream: Good, beautiful elephants in a derelict house that only a few wanted to get out of. Meaning: The house depicts our worldly trappings that we do not wish to leave. In the Fifth Aara, man’s looks and health will diminish; he will live a life of deceit and be in perpetual fear.

2.      Dream: A group of monkeys plastering faeces on their bodies, because they believe it to be sandalwood. Meaning: A similar deception will play in the minds of Jain monks in the Fifth Aara, sucking them into a vortex of sin. They will be hyperactive, restless, resist any pointers that they are straying from the path and drag their followers into it.

3.      Dream: A barbed wire fence around a milk-oozing tree, some lion cubs sitting in the shade, and some dogs clinging to the tree. Meaning: The tree depicts Jain followers, the lion cubs depict Jain monks. Both play their roles very well till the advent of the Fifth Aara which will make them fight among themselves, turn lazy, and lose the ability for self-realisation. The followers will believe they are smarter than the monks; just a few monks will survive the onslaught of the age and keep away, like the barbed wire, from the wrong doers.

4.      Dream: Crows perched on an almost parched pond instead of a vast lake nearby; chasing a mirage, they died thirsty. Meaning: the crows depict the Jain preachers and their followers. In the Fifth Aara, the monks will be lax, greedy, indisciplined and yet, will attract more followers than the few good ones. Like the crows, the followers will not be content with one dharmaguru and flit from one group to another.

5.      Dream: A dead lion whose decaying body emits an unbearable stench and is being eaten by worms. Meaning: Jainism is the lion in the metaphorical Indian jungle.  But in the Fifth Aara, there will be barely a few practising Jains. Like the worms, Jain monks and followers will ridicule Bhagwan Mahavir’s teachings and get drawn to flawed practitioners of religion. Special powers, or labdhis, will vanish.

6.      Dream: Unattractive lotuses without any fragrance amid rotting garbage. Meaning: A lotus spreads its fragrance and beauty all round the way true Jains would spread the fragrance of good conduct and thought. But in the Fifth Aara, pious souls will not be born in noble families. They will eat taboo food and call those practising dharma foolish. They will be rude to elders and banish them to old age homes.

7.      Dream: Sowing of seeds in infertile land. Meaning: In the Fifth Aara, this symbolizes the loss of the sense of discrimination (vivek) between right and wrong. Jain followers will be conceited and veer towards cultivating the deceptive monks instead of the few true monks. They will spoil them with comforts and luxuries,  and distract them from their path.

8.      Dream: Gold pots of two types – fragrant, festive ones on a pinnacle of a temple top and filthy, broken ones on the floor. Meaning: Jain monks will have impeccable character till the Fifth Aara when their resolve will slowly break. They will fall down the pinnacle of character and seep in an abyss of indiscipline and self-destruction.

Alarmed at the prospect of a future without religion, King Punyapaal and all others renounced the world, did penance and attained Keval gnan. Bhaishree said that a couple of thousand years later, some of the prophesies already seem to be ringing true in our time.  He said we were fortunate to have this path. All we need to do is be determined not to relent till our work is accomplished. A steely resolve can drive a seeker far and fast right up to his goal of samyag darshan.

By the end of the Diwali swadhyays, Bhaishree’s message had gone home: eshew the degenerative fibre of the Fifth Aara like the plague and plunge into the oasis of calm and soothing spirituality right in front of you. If the horrific depravity of the Fifth Aara is to be avoided, there is just one way – and the good news is that we have access to the path as well as to a leader shining a light on it.

The silver lining in each of the eight dreams was the presence of a few good souls in the form of Jain followers or monks who refused to get waylaid by their times and remained true to their path. May we be them.

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Diwali Swadhyays

29 - 31th Oct 2016

Sor Praher Diye Deshna explained by Param Pujya Bhaishree

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 1

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 2

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 3

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 4

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 5

Sor Praher Diye Deshna - part 6

IVY Swadhyay - Sept 2016

IVY Swadhyay

September 2016

‘To Worship is to perceive God in everything’

IVY swadhayas empower young mumukshus to have a spiritual outlook and positive approach in challenging times. A guru teaches everyone to have that kind of perception by being an efficient role model themselves.

The IVY swadhyay for September started with a short and beautiful poem on the 4 seasons. Though the poem was written in accordance to the weather cycle in the USA, Brahmnisht Minalben creatively amalgamated with it the 4 ‘Bhavanas’ and explained how our Guru has made these Bhavanas a part of their innate nature and how we must also do the same. The derived essence of the poem preaches the supreme importance of Friendship, Compassion, Appreciation and Equanimity in our lives.

• A Guru is like spring. He nurtures our soul, encourages us and fills our life with colours of amity. (Maitri bhavna).
• A Guru is like summer; he fills our life with light and brightens our day. His presence spreads happiness and contentment like the rays of the sun. The Sun and our Guru teach us to be compassionate. (Karuna bhavna).
• A Guru teaches us to appreciate the bright colours of the fallen leaves in autumn. He reminds us to focus only on the good qualities in others and the positive side of any challenging situation. (Pramod bhavna).
• Winter reminds us that no matter how hard it snows outside; we can always keep ourselves warm inside. Similarly, a Guru teaches us the art of equanimity; a method which can safeguard our soul from any harm. (Madhyastha bhavna).
• The poem ended with a line of gratitude to our Guru for his divine presence in our lives.

Minalben went on to explain letter number 143 in which Shrimadji, at the age of 23, enumerated 5 philosophies for every mumukshu to follow unconditionally:

1. By every possible means, one must get rid themselves of the 4 negative qualities: anger, ego, deceit and greed. The thoughts and deeds from previous births have formed binding karmas, which have come to fruition. Only when we cultivate a glad acceptance of every situation and person we come in contact with, will our karmas dissolve.

2. We must not succumb to material desires because the ‘so-called happiness’ they give us is temporary and they will eventually lead us to gloom over loss or damage. Eternal happiness can only be found within our soul.

3. We have been in the grip of an unending cycle births and deaths since time immemorial, and will continue to do so until we resolve to act and free our souls from all karmas.

4. It is important to recognize that joy cannot be derived from the transient world but cab be found in the infinite qualities of the Atma within us.

5. We must seek shelter of an enlightened soul and have unflinching faith in every word he says.

The point number 5 is the most important say Shrimadji.

Continuing her discourse further, Minalben shared a short story to explain better:

Once there were 2 princely brothers, who were best of friends and followed Jainism. Once, one of them developed a severe blister on his tongue. Doctors and experts from across four corners of the world tried to treat him, but to no avail.

As the blister aggravated, it started emanating a foul smell and no one could stand his presence. However, his loyal brother ignoring the putrid breath remained at his bedside. One day he put his finger in a glass of water and recited the holy Navakar Mantra. On sprinkling this water on his brother’s tongue, the wound started to heal, miraculously.

This incident fortified their faith in Jainism and the Navakar Mantra.

Once when the great Avdhi Gyani Acharya, Bhadra Bahu Swami passed by their city, the brothers questioned the saint about the reasons for the prince’s suffering?

The great Acharya replied: “In your previous birth, both of you were brothers and had witnessed a monk being bitten by a snake. This incident made this prince resolve to kill the snake. Your brother warned you about the bad karma you would accumulate due to such ill feelings towards another living being, but you were adamant. The painful blister was the fruit of this bad karma from your previous birth. Also, the karma-span was about to end, and this coincided with the chanting of the Navakar Mantra. Thus this chanting acted as a catalyst.”

The lesson that every mumukshu needs to take from this moral story was bad karmas from our previous births will certainly bear fruit and one must sincerely repent and seek forgiveness for all our sins – committed in thought, word or deed.