जयाचार्य निर्वाणोत्सव पर विशेष घटनाओं की अप्रतिम आभा

Summary

The text details the life and events of Acharya Jitmalji, also known as Jayacharya, who lived from Samvat 1908 to 1938. He is described as a multifaceted leader whose reign marked the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century of the Terapanth sect. His contributions to the sect's reformation are considered comparable to those of Swami Bhikhanji. Several key incidents from his life are recounted. One story highlights his devotion to his guru, Acharya Raychandraji. While traveling through a dense forest in Jhabua, a bear appeared on the path. Young Muni Jit, later Jayacharya, rushed ahead of his guru to face the animal, which then retreated into the bushes, demonstrating his courage and devotion. Another incident involves his scholarly work. He began writing a commentary on the Chandraprajnapti and Suryaprajnapti sutras, which deal with astronomy and mathematics. However, an elderly monk advised him that ancient acharyas had refrained from writing extensively on these texts for a specific reason. Accepting this counsel, Jayacharya stopped the work, and the portion he had completed remains in the sect's library. A third story describes a palmist in Delhi who, upon seeing the lines on Muni Jitmal's feet, was initially confused to find such auspicious marks on a wandering monk. He eventually predicted that Jitmal would become an emperor of the ascetic order. The text also recounts a debate with a Brahmin scholar who tried to trap Jayacharya by asking if he considered a fellow monk a true sadhu. Jayacharya skillfully avoided the trap by distinguishing between the ultimate reality known only to the omniscient and the conventional designation used in practice. In another debate about the number of Agamas, he answered that the sect accepts three: Sutragama, Arthagama, and Tadubhayagama, a response that left his questioners without a counter-argument. The text also describes his interactions with