23.Affection of a Hindu Devotee

Chapter -23

Affection of a Hindu Devotee
The incident is of June 16, 1928. The congregation of Achharya Shri Shanti Sagar Ji Maharaj reached Maihar in the province of Rewa on its way to the pilgrimage of Sammed Shikhar Ji. It halted for rest at Palaswara village, a bit ahead of Maihar.

An ignorant Hindu devotee, on seeing Achharya Shri, thought that this ascetic seer must be similar to his Naga-Babas, who smoke cannabis, chillum and tobacco.

It is true that in this era of “Kaliyug ”, the sun of the truth (i.e. reality) has been clouded by moha (worldly attachments) and mithyatva (false-beliefs, delusions). Today the promoters of pas­sions are regarded as well-wishers. That man had seen ascetics marked with tilak, coated with cow-dung ashes, and smoking can­nabis. So, he made up his mind to offer chillum and cannabis to appease this ascetic seer. The Hindu devotee came to Achharya Shri and being preoccupied with his old-impression, said inno­cently, “Swami Ji! May I express a request?” Casually Maharaj Shri said, “Yes! Tell, what do you wish to say?” The devotee said “O Lord! May I send for a little cannabis to make you feel re­laxed?” Maharaj Shri perceived that the man neither had the knowledge about the way of living of Jain ascetics and their vow of abstinence nor had he ever seen any Jain Saint. He is saying so out of affection and ignorance. So, Maharaj Shri explained qui­etly, “Our minds always remain sound. We ascetics do not smoke cannabis.” The devotee said astonishingly, “Maharaj! All ascet­ics smoke. Why do you not smoke?” Achharya Shri further ex­plained, “These all are called intoxicants. By consuming them, our sensible feelings and dispositions get polluted and great sins are adjoined with them. What to say of true ascetics, even com-It is a fact that these intoxicants badly damage heart, nervous system, chest, the pancreas, mind and the stomach. The cannabis, hemp leaves, opium, charas (a resinous preparation of hemp), wine etc., are all members of the same family.

The devotee understood by persuasion of Achharya Shri that these ascetics were different from those whom he had seen and known till then. These are some great and distinctive ascetics engaged in pen­ances. The devotion of the man further deepened. Very affectionately he said, “Maharaj Shri! May I bring some sweet? Kindly oblige me by accepting it.”

Achharya Shri explained again, “Devotee! There are very strict regulations prescribed for us ascetics about taking our food. We do not accept food which one wishes to offer at his own accord.” Maharaj Shri perceived, by the honest devotion of the devotee, that he was a “Bhavya-Jeeva So, he began to preach him in a very simple way. The wife of the devotee was also present there. Both of them were very impressed by the pious speech of Achharya Shri. His wife left/ relinquished unfiltered water forever, while the man took a vow of abstaining from any woman other than his wife.