"I Have Not Found Any ‘Atmagyani Purush’ Like Shrimad Rajchandra"

"I have not found any ‘Atmagyani Purush’ like Shrimad Rajchandra. 


I have considered him to have been ‘Best Indian’ of his time.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Shrimad Rajchandraji was a great tatvagyani and saint. 


He had deeply studied each main shashtra of India. 


He respected all religions equally and absorbed the thoughts of them. 


Gandhiji had a long association with Shrimadji, starting from his arrival in India as a barrister from England until the last day of Shrimadji.

The association with Shrimadji both in person and by correspondence has been very useful and beneficial to Gandhiji in the religious and spiritual matters, particularly during the time of his stay in South Africa, when he was in great religious ferment and turpitude. 


The special thing about Gandhiji’s life is Aatmakhoj. 


When Gandhiji returned from Briton as barrister, he was proud of being a barrister in his mind, but when he met Shrimadji all his pride was futile.

When for the first time, Gandhiji met Shrimadji, he had the impression that Shrimadji was a great gyani and a good character person. 


Meeting of Shrimadji and Gandhiji is said to be the greatest spiritual event of 20th century.

Gandhiji’s religion curiosity was so strong at that time (in Africa) that had he not got spiritual guidance of Shrimadji, then Gandhiji would have become Michael or Mohammad, after returning to India from Africa, but he would not had been Mohandas!

Gandhiji was a well educated barrister. Shrimadji had studied up to only seventh standard and He had no knowledge of English, but Shrimadji had great memory. 


His mind was able to function in hundred directions at a time. 


He was therefore known as Shatavadhani. 


He had good control over words, both in speech and writing. 


He had always at his command the right word at the right place. 


Every word and every action of His had the mark of His greatness, poise, dignity, character, discipline, and earnest striving for liberation and perfection of soul.


Shrimadji was an Atma-Gnani, a knower of self, and HIS state of existence was without attachment for a position, wealth, fame and even the body, though in embodied condition.

Gandhiji was amazed by Shrimadji’s wide shastragyan, pure character and wish of self-realization. 


From Durban in South Africa, Gandhiji sent a long religious questionnaire (as many as twenty-seven questions) to Shrimadji to obtain spiritual guidance from Him, which He readily obliged with prompt and detailed reply. 


This letter by Shrimadji is very useful to all of us- mumukshus and novices – even today. Shrimadji had answered Gandhiji’s questions regarding soul, moksha and other crucial matters. 


Gandhiji had asked questions like 


*what is God? 


*Is He creator of the universe? 


*What is soul? 


*What is moksha? 


*What is Aaryadharma? 


*Who composed the Veda?

Gandhiji by these questions had put his doubts before Shrimadji. 


Shrimadji had advised Gandhiji first to go through Gita and study the Hindu religion thoroughly. 


Shrimadji had advised Gandhiji to read ‘Mokshmala’ and ‘Bodhamrut’. 


Gandhiji had noted that whatever doubts were there about Hindu religion in his mind were resolved with the help of Shrimadji who had written almost 200 letters to Gandhiji.

As per Gandhiji, we can learn four things from Shrimadji’s life:

*Involvement in eternal and real thing.

*Simplicity of life.

*Equal behavior with the whole world.

*Equality of all religions.

*Satya.&

*Life with Ahimsa.