आचार्यश्री डालगणी : निर्बाध गति; लक्ष्य स्पष्ट

Summary

The text focuses on Acharya Shri Dalgani, the seventh Acharya of the Terapanth sect, highlighting his leadership, discipline, and unique personality. It describes him as a brilliant and powerful leader who commanded respect and maintained strict discipline within the sect. His adherence to rules was uncompromising, and he often compared the sect's discipline to a snake, warning that one must be careful not to step on its tail. He referred to the code of conduct as a "seven-hand-long stick," meaning those who follow the rules have a secure place in the sect. The text details his exceptional oratory skills, noting that his discourses were powerful and influential, attracting people from other sects as well. Even in his old age, when his health was failing, he remained passionate about giving discourses. A specific incident is recounted where he gave a discourse for over seven hours while being supported by two saints. His strict discipline is illustrated through an incident in Gudha. After the death of a prominent lay follower, the local community became lax in attending discourses, leading to only two discourses during the entire four-month rainy season retreat. As a result, Acharya Dalgani refused to grant them another retreat for eight years, despite their annual pleas, until they proved their commitment. The text also describes his unique and sometimes unpredictable working style. For example, during a festival, he delayed announcing the rainy season retreats for all monks and nuns, only to announce them all at once later. Another incident highlights his quick thinking when falsely accused of spilling water; he calmly showed his dry pot and cloth to refute the accusation. His influence was so great that even a Muslim man named Gulab Khan was saved from a snakebite by a thread blessed with Acharya Dalgani's name.