"Highly Self Realized And Enlightened..."

Fortunately, in every recorded history of different religions, great seers and saints take birth at a time when there is too much doubt and confusion about the teaching of Lord. 

In Jain religion, we have been most obliged to such a great seer born in our modern times. 


A highly self realized and enlightened seer was born about 130 years ago in a small town in Saurashtra called Vavania who is known to Jains of all faiths today as Shrimad Rajchandraji.


Shrimad Rajchandraji attained Jatismaran (knowledge of previous births) at age of seven and was able to clearly see and describe His past life. 


In later stage of His life, when Shrimadji was visiting mount Idar, He told the king of Idar that on this mountain, He could see and recall clearly the instances where Lord Mahavira and other Tirthankaras were present here. 


He further stated: Gautam Swami and other disciples of Lord Mahavira attained Moksha at that time, and one of Lord's disciple has taken birth in this time as Shrimad Rajchandra. 


Shrimadji had studied all the Jain and Hindu scriptures before age thirteen and composed His first text, Mokshmala in 3 days, which can be used a text to study Jainism at any level. 


He attained Samyakdarsan at age 23. 


We find numerous examples of His writing that remind us of the original Agam Sutras. 


Shrimadji was able to recall the teachings of Lord Mahavira that He had heard from the Lord and was able to write them in the original words of Lord Mahavira in a very authentic way similar to the one found in the Agam Sutras.

" A Sheltering Tree To Which Many Come In Their Hour Of Need..."

The end of Shrimadji’s earthly life came in April 1901. 


The doctors had not diagnosed any specific illness. 


The only symptom of the approaching end, in clinical terms, was extreme weakness. 


It was about a year ago,  while Shrimadji was in Dharampur, that His health had started deteriorating. 


These phases of comforts (shaata) and discomforts (ashaata) arise in obedience to a certain law as Shrimadji himself mentions that all mortals are subject to them according to their respective ‘karma’s’. 


He saw life as a consuming flame, burning us up from within and outside. 


He called this state as ‘inner burning’ (antar-daya). Shrimadji, having once felt the burst of this all-consuming, would search the right path, so that in the end He would be able to disengage himself completely from all negative states and attain that ultimate omniscience which is the true state of the soul.


In the final days of Shrimadji’s life one found him moving towards His goal and attaining it almost before one’s very eyes. 


The only difference that His illness made to His routine was that His correspondence grew thinner.


Shrimadji passed away on Tuesday, 9 April 1901; He was in Rajkot during His last illness. 


The stream of visitors had continued unabated almost all the time, and Shrimadji had not slacked in His effort at responding with the same degree of warmth to all those who came, which was much against the advice of His doctors. 


The letters written during the last days were addressed to Ambalalbhai, to Tribhovandasbhai, and to Laghuraj swami.


Revashankarbhai and Mansukhbhai, Shrimadji’s younger brother, were with Him when the end came. 


On the evening of the day previous to the last, He appeared to give an indication of the approaching end to Mansukhbhai. 


The time was now past when He could impart to others some of that immortal lore which it was His mission to communicate. 


Yet there was no need for His intimates to be in any perturbed. They should feel themselves fortified in the knowledge that His, "Shrimadji’s soul was for sure to gain, on His death, the direction that was proper to it, i.e. the attachment of salvation. 


On the eve of His death, Shrimadji enjoined those near Him to be steadfast in their spiritual efforts. 


And so this rare soul departed from this, His earthly stay . . . "There was no trace of anguish, and none of those physical symptoms, which mark the termination of life. 


His face was lit up by strange effulgence as He lay on the couch to which He was shifted a few hours before the end came. 


He lay there in the posture of one who had risen above the material plane, and who was now completely restored to that principle of consciousness which will remain its true state forever.


In one of the age-old metaphors in the Indian tradition, the body is described as an outer garment, which the soul wears for a time, only to lay it aside when the moment comest. 


In Shrimadji's life we find the truth of this metaphor illustrated.


That seed of soul-knowledge (atma-jnana), with which He was born, went on growing until that moment arrived when Shrimadji thought it proper to divest himself of that outer shell (body), and with it the whole web of circumstances one binds around oneself because of the body.


Shrimadji’s one aim throughout his life was the attainment of the state of complete detachment. 


One of His associates is reported to have observed when Shrimadji told him of this, that the infinite compassion which moves the truly righteous would bring him too out of his seclusion, at least for the sake of others. 


Shrimadji, in reply, said that even this tie has ultimately to be discarded.


Shrimadji allowed the seed of spiritual knowledge to grow in Him until it became a tree, and it is in the same terms that one of His associates, Ambalalbhai, speaks of his sense of loss. 

He said " Shrimadji’s presence was like a sheltering tree to which many come in their hour of need. 

To be deprived of His presence was like having the tree suddenly consumed in flames to the utter bewilderment of all the birds nesting in it . . .  "

"I Could Recollect My Previous Lives."

Shrimad Rajchandraji possessed the knowledge of His previous births. 


It is called Jati Smarana Gnan.

In reply to a question from Padamshibhai, His friend in Bombay, as to, whether Shrimadji possessed the mysterious knowledge of His past lives, He replied: "Yes" and then He explained as to when and how He obtained it. It is a picturesque description. 


Shrimadji said: "When I was seven years old, an elderly man named Amichand, well-built, stout and sturdy, a neighbor in my village, suddenly expired of a serpent bite.

I did not know what was death. I asked my grandfather as to what was the meaning of death. He tried to evade the reply and advised me to finish my meals. I insisted on a reply. At last he said: "To die" means the separation of the soul from the body. A dead body has no movement, it contaminates and decays. Such a dead body will be burnt to ashes near a river-bank as it has ceased to function.

Thereupon I went stealthily to the cremation ground and climbing a Babul tree I saw the whole process of burning of the dead man's body and I felt that those who burnt him were cruel.

A train of thoughts started on the nature of the death and as a result I could recollect my previous lives."

Such knowledge of one's previous lives is called Jati Smarana Gnan.

It is but natural that death and disease are the great humanizing forces in individual and social life of thinking men. It is by being conscious of them that we develop modesty and humility in our behavior and we reduce our attachment to worldly life.

By meditation on death we realize the supreme and sole importance of knowing and experiencing the Atma. Therefore Jati Smarana Gnan is very helpful in developing detachment from the world, and a spiritual affection for eternal imperishable ever-living soul.

Shrimadji obtained this exceptional knowledge of His previous lives at very young age of seven, a rare phenomenon. 

In 1897 A. D. at the age of 30 years, He wrote His famous poem in which He thanked the day when He realized unique peace. He has described in the poem the order of His spiritual development as under:

"In 1874 A. D. I obtained the Jati Smarana Gnan. In 1875 A. D. I began to advance on the spiritual path from the point I had already reached in my previous life. In 1886 A. D. I developed a spirit of complete resignation and detachment to the mortal body and the rest of the world."

In 1889 A. D. at the age of 22 years, He wrote in a poem that the only friend of unqualified happiness is lonely indifference which in turn is the mother of spirituality.

He also says therein: "In my very young age I knew the nature of the final reality and this suggested to me that henceforth I had no future birth nor will I have to fall back from what I had already gained in spiritual life. 

I easily reached the state of the soul which would require long study and spiritual practice for others."

In a letter He says: "I realized that when in infinite stretch of time in the series of my past lives I felt that I could not live without my dearest and nearest; but I could live without them in those lives too. This proves that my affections and attachments were based on ignorance." 

He pithily declares that without the right insight, the scriptures are of no help; that without the true spiritual contact, even meditation degenerates into wild imagination; without the active guidance of a Self-realized Guru, the final truth cannot be realized; that by following the normal path of the worldly people, one cannot be their leader and savior; that without resigning the world and its myopic calculations, a life of extreme non-attachment is very difficult to be obtained.

He salutes the great Tirthankara who realized His soul and described it for the benefit of the world. 

It is only by the teachings of the Tirthankaras that one can easily know his soul. 

Shrimadji's Last Spiritual Stature...

 In Vikram Samvat 1957, Shrimad Rajchandraji with His Mother & Wife stayed at Agakhan's Bungalow in Ahmedabad. 


One day Shri Devkaranji Muni asked the reason for reduction of His body to which He replied: "I am on a war with my body as it took unwholesome food during my stay in Dharampur.

One day prior to going to Wadhwan Camp He called Shri Lalluji & Shri Devkaranji to His residence in Agakhan's Bungalow at Ahmedabad & advised them to see no difference in Him & in Shri Mahavirswami.

On the day prior to His death at Rajkot, Shrimadji said to Shri Mansukhbhai, Shri Revashankarbhai, Shri Narbherambhai & others around Him: "Be sure this soul is eternal, it is reaching increasingly higher stages, it has a very bright future. You remain quiet & behave with calmness & peace. I may not in future tell you with my tongue nor there is now the time for it. I only advise you to continue your efforts towards Self-realization.

At 8:45 a. m. on Chaitra Vad 5th Vikram Samvat 1957 He said to Shri Mansukhbhai: "Mansukh, do not be afflicted, take care of mother, I retire to my soul's true nature." From 8:45 a.m. to 2:00 p. m. He lay on his death bed quiet as a machine, in deep meditation, and He left His body for ever.

Shri Lalluji Maharaj  heard in Kavitha the sad news of his Guru's expiry and he retired to the fields in solitude & passed His day in dedication to the departed Guru. 

According to English calendar Shrimadji left HIS body for good on 9th April 1901 at Rajkot after a little over one year's sickness.

In brief, Shrimadji lived & died as a Self-Realized Soul, though in body, completely independent of it.

He had in His mind an aspiration to re-establish the pure religion of Shri Mahavirswami which had been distorted in the institutional sectarianism which cut at the very root of Jainism. To some extent this purpose has been fulfilled by His great disciples in recent years.

Shrimad Rajchandraji was a universal man practicing the universal religion of Atma, the only reality & He defined a person as Jain if he followed an enlightened Guru's advice & practiced the religion of Atma.

Infinite salutations to the Great Shrimadji Rajchandraji.

                                                (From Jain Data Base)

"Raichandbhai Was Heading Towards Liberation With a Tremendous Speed..."

& Gandhiji Said...

"Shrimadji's living was simple. 


He was satisfied with whatever food was offered to Him. 


He put on simple but clean clothes. He used to wear Dhoti, Peharan, Khesa and a turban. 


He used to sit on a Gaadi on the floor in His shop or at home.

Shrimadji was slow in His walk and He used to think while walking. 


There was a spark in His eyes, they were full of luster and steadiness. They declared the single-mindedness of His purpose. 


His face was round, His lips thin, nose not pointed nor flat, body single, height average, colour darkish white and general appearance that of an Idol In Peace. 


His tone was so sweet that one would love to hear Him more and more. 


His face was smiling and in full bloom and joy. It clearly declared the internal joy and peace. 


His language was so effective and measured that He was never found to be searching for words. Language was His maidservant. He was described by some as an incarnation of the Goddess of Learning, Saraswati. He never changed a word while writing a letter. He expressed His thoughts and meditations in fine and appropriate language.

This description befits only a self-controlled person. By renunciation the external forms one cannot be self-controlled. The real self-control is not an imposition, it is an inspiration and an internal illumination.

Complete non-attachment and renunciation is the gift of the soul. It should be spontaneous and from within and not sporadic or externally imposed. Very rare souls by virtue of their high spiritual attainments in their previous births possess these qualities in them. Only those , who actively try to keep away from all attachments from them, know how difficult it is to attain. 

Such a difficult achievement was easily found in Shri Raichandbhai. 

The first step to Self-realization is a cultivation of a spirit of complete non-attachment and it was natural in Raichandbhai.

People normally believe that truth-telling and successful business never go together. Shri Raichandbhai on the other hand firmly believed and advised that truth and honesty were not only useful but essential to all good business. Morality is not packed within a prayer book, it is to be practiced and lived in all stations of life. Religion and morality sustain both good life and good business. 

Though Raichandbhai never played tricks with others, He used to find them out quite easily when they were played by others, and He used to snub the persons using the tricks and force them to leave them.

While we are worldly souls, Shrimadji was quite other worldly or liberated from the worldly life. 

While we may have to take many further births, for Raichandbhai His present life may be the last. 

While we perhaps are running away from liberation, Raichandbhai was heading towards liberation with a tremendous speed. 

This speaks volume of Raichandbhai's self-effort.

Whoever will read his teachings and follow them may speed up his march to Self-liberation. 

From this is evident that Raichandbhai has written for the advanced and the initiate in religion and not for all and sundry.

While many Christian Missionary friends considered their religious duty to convert me to Christianity on the ground of its wonderful vows of charity, chastity, faith and hope, I made up my mind that I should first find out whether the religion of my birth namely Hinduism, gave me the message that I needed,

and I asked a few fundamental questions on Hinduism to Shri Raichandbhai by post and His replies were so logical, so appealing and convincing that I regained my faith in Hinduism and I was saved from conversion of religion. 


From that moment onwards, my respect and admiration for Raichandbhai increased with leaps & bounds and I considered Him to be my religious guide till he lived." 

An Introduction to the Life and Works of Shrimad Rajchandraji

"Only for my own welfare I beg forgiveness..."

Prayer For Forgiveness

O God! I blundered a lot. I paid no heed to your invaluable words. I did not think over incomparable Tattva(Divine Truth) as told by you. I did not respect the adorable best conduct as preached by you. I did not recognize the worth of mercy, peace, forgiveness and piousness advocated by you.

I blundered, wandered, roamed and have fallen into a ditch of miseries of this endless Samsar (cycle of births and deaths). I am sinful. I am puffed up with great pride and am impure, being wrapped in with particles of Karmas.

Oh Paramatma! (The Great God) There is no deliverance for me without (worshipping) the Tattva shown by your good grace. I am constantly engrossed in the intricacies of the world. I have become blind with ignorance; I am bereft of discriminating power; and I am indiscriminate, supportless and helpless.

O, Attachment-free Paramatma! Now I accept your shelter and the shelter of your Dharma and your Muni(Saint). It is my sincere wish that my guilts getting destroyed, I be free from all sins. I repent now for sins committed before. The more I move inside with deep subtle thinking, the more my indentity is enlightended by the astonishing qualities of your Tattva.

O, God! you are un-attached, un-emotional, the emodiment fo Sat, Chit, and Anand (ever-existence, knowledge and bliss), with innate joy, limitless knowledge and limitless perception. Truly you are the illuminator of three worlds.

Only for my own welfare I beg forgiveness, you as witness. Let it ever be my yearning and desire that never for a moment I be put into a doubt about the Tattva told by you and day and night I remain on the path shown by your grace.

O, Omniscient God! What more shall I say? There is nothing unknown to you. Only by repentance I pray for forgiveness of Karma-generated sins.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace. 
(Mokshamala: Lesson No. 56)

"Precious Diamond of India..."

 In about Vikram Samvat 1940 Shrimadji came from Vavania to Morbi. 


In Morbi, Shastri Shankarlal M. Bhatt was performing the feat of attending to eight objects or eight activities at a time. 


At the same time in Bombay, Gattulalji Maharaj was performing similar feats. 


These were the only two well-known persons for their exceptional memory and attention feats. 


Shrimadji saw the performance of these feats in Morbi and quickly picked them up.

Within two days after He saw the memory feats, He started performing similar feats before His friends and then for the open public. 


He was already known as a learned man but when He performed a memory feat of attending to twelve activities at a time before a public of 2,000 persons He became famous as a prodigy with exceptional powers. 


Some admirers used to address Him as the Precious Diamond Of India.

In an exhibition at Wadhwan He performed His memory feat of attending to sixteen activities at a time before an audience of rulers and highly educated public, and all were extremely pleased. 


The dailies published articles in His praise.

In Botad, before His millionaire friend Sheth Harilal Shaivalal, He performed the memory feat of attending to 52 activities at a time. They included:

* Playing Chopat with three players; 

* Playing cards with three others & at the end to call out all thirteen cards He had;

* At the same time playing chess & at the end of the memory feat to declare all the pieces which were discarded from the chess board;

* To count grains which were dropped on His back while He was engaged in the memory feat;

* To perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and  memorize the results and declare them at the end of the memory feat;

* To tell... how many beads, a man sitting opposite Him, had turned from a garland till the time he stopped turning them;

* To hear words of 16 sentences in 16 different languages in a random way and later on to speak out all the 16 sentences in the 16 languages;

* To give individual letters in a random way in a chart to be completed and at the end to compose a verse;

* To prepare problem poems;

* To compose complete verses on being supplied only with one line or half lines, 

* To compose 16 poems in 16 different poetical forms starting with one line of each of the recollected complete poems at the end. 

Later on Shrimadji easily performed memory feats of attending to 100 things and activities at a time. 

Even than he used to say that His powers were merely a drop in the ocean, that the powers of the Self were infinite.

Shri Chatrabhujbhai, the brother-in-law of Shrimadji, said that Shrimadji used to tell whether a person uses his right hand or left hand to fix a Paghadi (a head dress - turban) just by looking at the shape of the Paghadi on the wearer's head. 

In Vikram Samvat 1943 or 1887 A. D. Shrimadji went to Bombay and there, in Faramji Kavasji Institute and at other places He performed various memory feats and all the newspapers in Bombay gave wide publicity and praise to these performances. 

He was awarded gold medals by the public and institutions, for His excellent, unheard of and amazing memory feats.

In one of the memory feats He was shown twelve books of different sizes and told their names too. Then He was blind-folded and He used to touch a book He had seen before and immediately call out its name. 

Dr. Peterson who presided over the performance had nothing but admiration and praise for this outstanding feat.

On another occasion He was shown different food dishes and just by looking at them He told in which there was less salt, without touching the dishes or tasting the food in them.

Some of His admirers suggested Shrimadji to tour the foreign countries and show His ability and powers to the outside world. 

But He refused the suggestion on the ground that He could not observe religious discipline in foreign countries.

Shrimadji thought the wide publicity of His exceptional powers may hinder His march towards the Self-realization and so before He reached twenty He gradually discouraged it and after twenty we hear next to nothing about his performances of memory feats..

Mahatma Gandhi, had a Jain 'spiritual mentor',

 It is little known that the apostle of nonviolence, Mahatma Gandhi, had a Jain 'spiritual mentor', a young diamond merchant, Shrimad Rajchandraji.

Once, in despair, Gandhiji wrote to Shrimad Rajchandraji that he wanted to change his religion. Rajchandraji, a householder-ascetic, asked him to look within himself first. This changed Gandhiji's life.

Thereafter, he would often say that he had learned most of his lessons of self-improvement, truth & nonviolence from Rajchandraji's Jain views.

In fact, Rajchandraji, who died young at the age of 33, is one of the three whom Gandhiji considered as having been instrumental in molding his ideas, the other two being the writings of Leo Tolstoy & Ruskin's poem 'Unto this last'. 

Some Anecdotes OF Shrimadji's Life ..

 1. Once Shrimadji had gone out with a friend for a walk in Bombay and on His way He came near a cemetery. He asked His friend as to what was the place they came by. His friend replied: "Cemetery". Shrimadji said that He viewed the whole Bombay city as a cemetery.

2. Once Shrimadji's neighbour knowing His superhuman powers told Him that He must be knowing the market rates of all commodities and such knowledge could be used to His financial benefit in His dealings in shares. To this Shrimadji replied that He was not a fool to use His spiritual powers for such petty selfish benefits.

3. Once Padamshibhai, a resident of Kutch, sought from Him the remedy for removing his fear of death. Shrimadji advised that till life is fully led according to fixed destiny there is no death. Why then should we not live well until death visits us ? By the fear of death one cannot be free from death. Be fearless, lead a chaste life & embrace death when it comes.

4. Shrimadji's servant Lallu, a resident of Morbi, who had stayed with His family for a number of years caught a deadly disease in Bombay. He used to daily nurse him personally till Lallu breathed his last.

5. Once Shrimadji went to see Tokarshibhai, who had Pneumonia & whose sickness was growing fatal. In Shrimadji's presence Tokarshibhai became quiet & experienced peace & joy. After some time Shrimadji receded from him and said to other relatives of Tokarshibhai that the latter was gradually sinking. When Shrimadji was asked as to how did he know it and as to what did He do by which Tokarshibhai got a relief from his pain & enjoyed peace, Shrimadji replied that He could see Tokarshibhai's death and He therefore tried to change his mind & last desires so as to improve his spiritual prospects for the future birth.

6. Once Shrimadji asked His three years old daughter her name, to which she replied that her name was Kashi. Shrimadji lovingly said: "No you are the Self." But Kashiben refused to agree to it. Shrimadji laughed at the child's ignorance. 

"Spiritual Aspirations While Being Involved In Business..."

 Shrimad Rajchandra, the self-realised soul (who was also a guide, helper & best friend to Mahatma Gandhi), was also a householder like you & I, & was involved in business dealings.  In HIS journal, HE wrote about how to behave & deal with business partners.

What He has written shows how it is possible to be plunged in business dealings while at the same time keep the aim of completely retired (detached) life.

This is an extract from “Shreemad Rajchandra Jeevankala” by Shri Brahmachariji, translated by Dinubhai Patel, p117-118.

“One with whom you have joined to work in worldly life, you declare to him your decision to work in your behaviour with him in a certain way. 


If he accepts it you carry on as per your decision. 


If he does not accept your decision, try to follow his way but at the same time you tell him that whatever work he entrusts you in business you will perform it with due care not to harm him or the business even though you would keep faith in your way of work.

You tell him that he should not think of you any time with a fear that you may bring him to any loss or disrespect. 


Regarding business life, you would never wish to go against him as your partner in business. 


Not only that but in case he finds your behaviour by thought, word or deed goes against his interest you express him sorrow & feel repentance for it & say that you will take care in advance not to repeat it, & that you will remain non-egoistic while carrying out his work entrusted to you. 


Say to him that you will gladly accept any harsh words for your mistaken behaviour from his point of view. 


So long as you can, you will not even in dream think of doing any harm to him, nor would you ever imagine any way of harming him.

In case he has anytime any adverse doubts about your thinking or behaviour, he should immediately tell you about it and for doing so you will feel always obliged to him, & that you will explain to him as to why did you behave that way. 


In case you have no explanation, you shall keep quiet but you will never tell a lie.

Please tell him that what you expect of him is only that keeping you as an instrument he should never start any harmful act; he is free to behave as he wishes & in so doing you have nothing more to say. 


Say to him that he should allow you to behave in your way of non-attachment & he should not restrict his heart in so doing, & in case he desires to stop you from behaving as a non-attached soul then he should forewarn you so that you can decide what to do in such a situation.

So long as it is in your power you would never trouble him in any way but in case he dislikes your behaviour as a non-attached soul, tell him that you will clear out of the joint business very carefully, quietly, informing him in advance & bringing him much profit in business & with no intention of doing any harm during the time you are in business with him or even for a long time after you clear out of it.”

What from here can you take & apply in your own everyday business dealings?

"You the great soul of infinite peace & calmness..."

  

 On Kartik Sud 14th, Samvat 1947, Shrimadji writes in a letter as follows: 


"That my soul has attained complete knowledge of its nature is an indubitable fact, that my knots of the heart & head have been removed, is a truth of all times & all Self-realized souls will easily recognize & endorse my experience."

At other place He writes: "O you Self-knowledge, the source of all heights of joy & bliss, to you I bow down with all devotion and humility. Innumerable souls without you suffer from ignorance. It is solely by your grace that I could know you and I could reach the goal of my soul's pilgrimage. As a result, I enjoyed unprecedented peace. I felt freedom from all worries and burdens, mental and physical."

"In Vikram Samvat 1947 I could realize the full stature of my spiritual being, & from then onwards I am enjoying increasing peace and bliss."

"In a wink the knowledge which drew me to the worldly life, changed its course & has led me to my proper goal i. e. Self-realization.

In a couplet He says: "One gets a spiritual insight by his spiritual eye & without it he cannot obtain soul-saving knowledge at all. This is not a matter of physical perception and it is foolish to try that way. 


Only by unqualified, concentrated devotion to a Spiritual Guru or guide, one can obtain the soul-saving knowledge. Only a Guru can give this spiritual eye to see the spiritual reality.

In Vikram Samvat 1948, in the month of Magh, Shrimadji writes: "The system which contains a clear description of the right positions of bondage & freedom is the only guide to Self-liberation & such a system is that of the great MAHAVIR - the Jain system. 


If in my humble opinion, there is any living man available, in whom the heart of the great Tirthankara is residing, he is no other than the author of these lines. 


The result of the soul-saving knowledge is the experience of complete renunciation from all worldly considerations & this is what I experience in my own being. 


Hence, I consider myself to be the perfect disciple of the great Tirthankara." 

"One who gains the soul's knowledge in accordance with the enlightened GURU's opinion, has obtained correct insight & experience, & none else. When the goal & the path are clearly seen there is no difficulty for a sincere disciple to follow the path & reach the goal."

In HIS talks with Muni Mohanlalji, Shrimadji said: "I do not forget the Self even for a second." 

Once Shrimadji said to Shri Devkaranji Muni, an associate of Shri Lalluji Maharaj, that He lived in his body as a separate pulp would be felt in a dried coconut shell.

At Kheda one day Shrimadji in a soliloquy says: "In Samvat 1948, You the great soul of infinite peace & calmness visited Ralaj, in these days You visited Vaso & there You were a great Yogi absorbed in deep meditation & now You are the same Yogindra enjoying bliss & peace here at Kheda.

" This is Shrimadji's description of Himself as a disembodied soul.

In a letter Shrimadji writes: "I think in my mind that I have all qualifications to re-establish and   propagate the Vedic religion, but in order to settle and propagate the Jain religion I do require some more qualifications than I actually possess." 

"I have drunk to my heart's content the nectar of religion..."

 

Gandhiji regarded Shrimadji as his friend, philosopher and guide. 


He acknowledges the debt he owes to SHRIMADJI in his recollections of his friendship with Shrimadji. From 1891 to 1901 A. D. for a period of ten years they were best friends.

Gandhiji says that most of his lessons for self-improvement and on truth and non-violence, he has learnt from Shri Raichandbhai. 


Raichandbhai is one of the three personalities that have much impressed his mind, the other two being the writings of Tolstoy and Ruskin's `Unto this last'.

To love the murderer is one of the maxims of non-violence and Gandhiji had well learnt it from Shrimadji, who was full of sympathy, forgiveness and piety for all living beings.

Gandhiji says: "I have drunk to my heart's content the nectar of religion that was offered to me by Shri Raichandbhai. 


Raichandbhai hated the spread of irreligion in the name of religion and He condemned lies, hypocrisy and such other vices which were getting a free hand in his time. 


He considered the whole world as his relative and his sympathy extended to all living beings of all ages.

Shrimadji was an embodiment of non-attachment and renunciation. 


He has written only that which he has experienced. 


He has never allowed his poetic imagination to get ahead of truth and experience. 


There is therefore no artificiality in His writings. 


They come from the heart and appeal to the very heart of the reader. 


He used to keep diary and a pen with him in all his daily routine and He immediately wrote down important thoughts that occurred to Him. 


I never remember any occasion when Shri Raichandbhai got lost or infatuated in any worldly matter."