29.Chaturmas of Achharya Shri at Lalitpur

Chapter- 29

Chaturmas of Achharya Shri at Lalitpur
In 1929, after Katni, the Chaturmas of Achharya Shri Shanti Sagar Ji was held at Lalitpur (Kshetrapal Ji). Achharya Shanti Sagar Ji had a unique personality. He was a great saint engaged in penance and a supreme ascetic who very sincerely followed the words of the “Agam ” (supreme religious texts) in his life.

On his arrival at Lalitpur, Achharya Shri performed the ‘Sinh-nihkridit Tapa ’, a very tough vow at that odd-age. The body of Achharya Shri became veiy feeble because of this arduous penance and he had a wrathful attack of high fever running around 104 C to 105 C. In this condition, it was almost beyond imagi­nation to observe fast for 15 days without taking a single drop of water and then repeat it again for another 15 days after accepting food for one day, and so on.

Achharya Shri had once quoted, “A Jeev, who by lack of knowledge bonds awesome sinister Karma, destroys them through penance just as the fire reduces fuels to ashes.”

No flaw or oversight could be observed in his religious routine while observing fast.

There is a reference in ‘Teloyapannati’, “In Bharat- Kshetra, the abstemious saints (Muniraj) having detachment from worldly desires for a very long period take birth as ‘LokantikDev’. Ascetics, adorned with samyaktava, who keep an equable tem­perament in slander and praise, pleasure and pain, and profit and loss, also become Lokantik Dev”.

Spiritual-sight of Achharya Shri had become so transpar­ent and pure that he had become completely impartial, unattached and indifferent towards his body and its sensual enjoyments. So, such ascetics take birth as Lokantik Dev. The learned scholar Pt.

longed fasts, and he just replied ‘Manglam Sharno Mahaviro’-1 take the holy refuge of Lord Mahaveera.

Pandit Ji asked, “What about your sleep during prolonged fasts?” Reply of Maharaj Shri was, “There is a nominal sleep*! contemplate about the soul at that time. The mind does not get attracted on its own accord towards worldly objects.”	i Only those who become indifferent towards the body are capable of observing long fasts. This was the reason that the face of Achharya Shri remained radiant with extraordinary gleam and splendour even during high fever. Conquerors of senses have wonderful spiritual power.

By abandoning the food, the mind does not get diverted towards worldly passions. It remains fully in self control giving immense supernatural pleasure during self-meditation. Great sins are reduced to ashes in the flames of fast.