Samadhimaran

The last phase (Shrimad Rajchandra's Dehotsarg Divas)

During late 1900 when Shrimad came to Ahmedabad with his mother and wife and stayed in Ägäkhän

building, the monks (Lallujiswämi and Devkaranji) had been there. Shrimad had the manuscript copies of

Digambar books 'Jnänärnav' and 'Swämi Kärtikeyänuprekshä'. They were offered to the monks at the

hands of his mother Devbä and wife Zabakbä. Meanwhile Dr. Pränjivandäs Mehtä came to see him. Shrimad

said to him, "These two monks, Lalluji and Devkaranji, are like those of the fourth era."

Shrimad said to Devkaranji, "I have publicly given up wife and wealth. It seems that the mother will give

permission for total renouncement." Devkaranji responded, "It should be the rise of our fortune that we

will get the benefit of your uninterrupted contact." The next day Shrimad sent for both the monks again

and while giving the final instructions he said, "Do not see any difference between us and the detached

Lords."

Thereafter Shrimad went to Surendranagar. There he said to Lallubhäi and Naginbhäi, "Whether we meet

again or not, whether there be contact or not, keep faith in us intact. There is no distinction between us

and Lord Mahävir; if there be any, that relates only to this shirt." From Surendranagar he went to Rajkot.

There his younger brother Mansukhbhäi, Rewäshankarbhäi, Dr. Pränjivandäs, Mansukhbhäi of Limdi and

others remained at his service till the end. Mansukhbhäi has narrated Shrimad's last condition as under.

"I feel unhappy that I could not remain vigilant till the end. That pious soul had indirectly suggested, but

I could not make it out by virtue of my attachment. Now I can recall that he had given several indications

to me. The ignorant, blinded and dumb as I was, I was not able to understand his words.

"On the eve of departure he had said, 'don't worry, this soul is eternal, it is surely going to attain the very

high state; stay at ease and unperturbed. This is not the time for the words of enlightenment, which were

to be presented through this body.' But… we did not become cautious. We remained under the impression

that he was suffering from weakness. At 2.30 A.M. while he was in the grip of acute cold, he said not to worry

and that he was to leave in quietude. The impact of cold was reduced by resorting to certain means.

"Next morning we gave some milk at 7.45 A.M. His mind, speech and body had remained in perfect order.

At 8.45 A.M. he said, `Mansukh, do not feel unhappy; take care of the mother; I am now getting absorbed

in the true nature.' So saying he asked me to move him to a coach from the bed that he had been in since

7.30 A.M. As he was very weak, I thought that I should not make that change. Thereupon he commanded

me to move him immediately.

"I therefore made necessary arrangements on the coach so that he could quietly lie upon it; that body and

the pious soul departed on that coach in total tranquility. There were no signs of soul having left the body.

The brightness on the face continued to increase as the vitality of life went down. The very state, in which

his pictures were taken at Surendranagar, continued to prevail for five hours on the coach. Nothing like

urination, excretion, deformities, tears, perspiration etc. occurred from 7.45 A.M. to 2.00 P.M. when the

soul left. Normally he had to go for toilet one hour after taking milk; that also did not happen. Everything

remained in control like a key-winded machine. The pious soul left the body in tranquility. "

Navalbhäi, who was present at the time of Shrimad's departure, has written in a letter to Ambälälbhäi, "The

image of Shrimad at the time of departure was unique, full of consciousness, peaceful, fascinating and

worth looking at continually. Not only did it seem so to us, who are the admirers of his attributes; but

others, who were present there, also felt it surprising, and it raised a sense of worshipfulness in their minds.

It is not possible to express the feeling which arose within by the wonderful scene of that time."

The soul of Shrimad Rajchandra left the mortal body as well as this world on April 9 1901 at 2.00 P.M. and

attained a high state. The people felt that loss in proportion to their acquaintance with him. His wife spent

her time in loneliness while chanting the Mantra given to her. She also left shortly afterwards. His mother

was delicate at heart. Tears used to flow from her eyes when someone talked to her about Shrimad. Similarly

his loss was unbearable to every spiritual aspirant. Ambälälbhäi has presented that as under:

"In a vast barren area there may be a single tree that might be providing shade and coolness. There the

birds may be playfully living in peace, pleasure and happiness. How much miserable would they feel, if that

tree is set ablaze? Can they have peace even for a moment? Alas! Even the great poets are unable to

describe that misery. Oh Lord! Where did you go leaving behind such a misery for the low-laid people in

this dense forest of worldly life? Oh sacred land of Bhärat, could you not bear the weight of the Lord, who,

while being embodied, was prevailing transcendentally? If you did not bear, you should have ridden the load

of this low-laid person, who has been rendered unnecessarily burdensome on the earth!

"Oh highly terrible Time, did you not have any trace of mercy! You have taken the toll of millions during

the famine of 1900 and still you are not satisfied! If you are not yet satiated, you should have first taken

the prey of this body. Why did you cause the lasting separation from the calm and tranquil Lord? You could

have used your mercilessness and harshness towards me! Why are you laughing at me!

"Oh goddess in charge of the religious order, how did your strength evaporate in face of the Time? The

graceful Guru was a leader in serving the cause of religious order. You were offering obeisance to him with

mind, words and body, and were remaining at his service. What type of happiness were you involved in

so that you could not think of what this wicked Time was up to?

"Lord, where can we now lodge our complaints in your absence? Who else is going to be compassionate

to us? Lord, how much do I remember your attributes of supreme grace, infinite compassion, delicate

heart, capability to win over the hearts of others, acute detachment, unique enlightenment, illustrious right

knowledge, right perception and right conduct, benevolent approach, unfathomable peace, innate

compassion, selfless teaching, unprecedented communion etc.? The learned poets and mighty kings are

unable to appropriately adore your virtues. Recalling your superb attributes, I bow at your feet with body,

mind and spirit. Let your vigor, your words and your instructions protect me forever. Your separation has

left me with chanting of your memory, which I am never going to forsake. Sadness, Sadness, Sadness!

Nothing else occurs to me. I have been spending day and night while crying; I do not make out anything."

Below are the extracts from a life sketch of Shrimad published by the reputed paper 'Pioneer' of Allähäbäd.

"After spending 10 years in the business Shrimad felt that the purpose for which he had started the business

has been fulfilled. Hence he expressed his desire to retire from the same. After getting knowledge, wealth,

status and family (He had left behind father, mother, wife, one brother, four sisters, one son and two

daughters.) he was preparing to renounce the worldly life and adopt the life of a monk. But at the age of

32 his health took an adverse turn. He was kept under the treatment of expert physicians and it once

seemed that he would recover. But the disease relapsed and in spite of the expert treatment and care of

his admirers he stayed bedridden for a year and left peacefully on April 9 1901 at Rajkot in Sauräshtra.

"During his long illness he has never sighed or shown the anxiety. Even when those by his bedside were

feeling sad, he remained cheerful.

"The above life sketch is enough to show that Shrimad was a man of noteworthy characteristics in every

respect. His mental capabilities were amazingly miraculous and the progress in his moral character was

surprising. His regard for truth, minutely following the moral principles in business, determination to resort

to what he considered right in face of the opposition and high level of idealism inspired those, who came

in his contact and led them to a higher level. His outward appearance was not awe-inspiring, but his

tranquility and serenity were unique. By virtue of his wide and accurate knowledge of religion and

philosophy, his amazing explaining capacity and extraordinary way of teaching, he was listened to very

attentively. Even in face of excitement his self-control was so high, his impartial presentation powers so

great, and his presence so inspiring that those, who came to discuss with him in a defiant and combative

frame of mind, returned quite humiliated and full of admiration.

"Shrimad Rajchandra deplored the present condition of India, and was always solicitous for its amelioration.

His views on the social and political questions of the day were liberal... Among all the agencies for reform,

he assigned the highest place to the religious reformer working with the purest of motives and without

ostentation. ... In his later years it was clear that he was preparing to fulfill his life mission in that capacity.

But unfortunately death intervened and that mission remained unfulfilled. Shrimad had, however, succeeded

in creating a new spirit among the Jains in the Bombay Presidency.

"It is generally believed that had he lived long, he would have revolutionized the whole system of the present

Jain religion, and would have taught the people what the Great Mahavir had naturally taught. He wanted

to do away with the numerous sects of Jain religion in order to establish one common religion founded by

Mahavir. That such an eventful life should have been cut short at his premature age was a distinct loss to

the country."