Shantisagar

Shantisagar ji was born in 1872{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=55}} near Bhoj village in what is now Belgavi district in Karnataka, India.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=185}} His father either worked as a farmer{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=56}} or was employed in the clothing business.{{sfn|Desjarlais|Eisenberg|1996|p=82}} At age eighteen, having read religious texts and undergone several pilgrimages,{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=185}} Shantisagar Ji decided to dedicate his life to a religious order.

Shantisagar Ji's parents died in 1912. He then traveled to the Jain holy place, Shravanabelagola, a town in Hassan district, Karnataka, India. In 1918, whilst in Shravanabelagola, Shantisagar Ji was initiated as a kshullaka into the Sangha (holy order) by Devappa (Devendrakirti) Swami Ji.{{sfn|Desjarlais|Eisenberg|1996|p=82}}[https://jainqq.org/explore/012022/162?highlight=%22devappa%20svami%22 Acharyashi, ek yugapurusha, A.N. Upadhye, Acharya Shantisagar Janma Shatabdi Mahotsav Smruti Granth. 1973, p. 133] He took his ailaka (religious vows) before an image of the Tirthankara Neminatha. In about 1920, Shantisagar became a muni (monk) of the Digambara sect.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=56}} In 1922, at Yarnal village, Belgaum district, Karnataka, he was given the name "Shanti Sagar" .{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=185}}{{sfn|Desjarlais|Eisenberg|1996|p=82}}

He preached the principles of digamber religion in various parts of India and became an Acharya.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=185}} His disciples also called him "Charitra Chakravarti" ("Emperor of good character").{{sfn|Desjarlais|Eisenberg|1996|p=82}} He has also been called "muniraj" ("King among Ascetics"), and "silasindhi" ("Ocean of Observances").{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=56}}

He began a hunger strike to oppose restrictions imposed on Digambar monks by the British Raj.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=56}}

File:Jain Acharya Parampara.jpg]]

He was the first Digambar Jain monk in the 20th Century to wander throughout India. The wandering of a digamber monk is termed "Vihara" an old sramanic term.[The Digambar Path of Purification, Padmanabh S. Jaini, Motilal Banarsidass Publisher, 1998 p. 1] Padmanabh Jaini writes:

{{blockquote| Shantisagara has owned nothing, not even a loincloth, since 1920. He has wandered on foot over the length and breadth of India, receiving food offerings but once a day, and then with only his bare hands for a bowl; he has spoken little during daylight hours and not at all after sunset.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|p=1}}|Padmanabh S. Jaini}}

Acharya Shantisagar Ji took last breath on 18 September 1955 at 6:50 am at Kunthalgiri, Osmanabad district, Maharashtra, India.{{sfn|Desjarlais|Eisenberg|1996|p=82}}{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=55-56}}

Based on the accounts given by Sumeruchandra Diwakar and Dharmachanda Shastri,Br. Dharmachanda Shastri, Ed., Charitra Chakravarti, 1989 Shantisagar was born in 1872 to Bhimagauda Patil and Satyavati at Bhoj Village in Belgavi dist., Karnataka, India.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=185}} His birth name was Satgauda. He was married at the age of nine. His wife died six months after the marriage. In 1905, he made a pilgrimage to Digambar Teerth Sammed Shikharji accompanied by his sister.

In 1925, Shantisagar Ji was present in Kumbhoj township. He attended the Mahamastakabhisheka (grand consecration) at Shravanbelgola, Karnataka. In 1926, he visited Nanded city, Maharashtra. In 1927, he visited Bahubali, Maharashtra and then Nagpur which was then the capital of the Central provinces. Shantisagar then travelled in east India.He also travelled to tirth Champapur and Pavapur.

In 1928, Shantisagar ji visited central India. He visited towns including Katni in Madhya Pradesh state, Jabalpur, Sleemanabad, Nohta, Kundalpur and Sagar. In Dronagir, Shantisagar encountered a tiger. By 1929, Shantisagar Ji was in Lalitpur. In Sonagir, four ailaks (researchers). By 1929, Shantisagar Ji was visiting Gwalior and Murena.

Shantisagar Ji travelled to north India. In Rajakheda, Uttar Pradesh, Shantisagar was attacked by a violent crowd. Shantisagar Ji visited Agra, Hastinapur and Firozabad. In 1930, Shantisagar Ji visited Mathura and received a blessing. Shantisagarji's presence in Delhi in 1931 is marked by a memorial at Lal Mandir.

In the 1930s, Shantisagar Ji travelled through Western India. He visited the Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Shri Mahaveer Ji temple, a pilgrimage site. ShantisagarJi visited Jaipur in 1932, Byavur in 1933, Udaipur in 1934, Goral in Gujarat in 1935, Pratapgarh in 1936 and Gajpantha in Maharashtra in 1937. Around this time, Shri Shantisagar Charitr was written by Muni Kunthusagar in Sanskrit and in Gajpantha, Shantisagarji was given the title, "Charitra Chakravarti". In 1938, Shantisagarji visited Baramati, Indore city in Madhya Pradesh. In 1939, he visited Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh.

In the 1940s, Shantisagar Ji travelled through Maharashtra state. He visited Goral in 1940, Akluj in 1941, Korochi in 1942, Digraj in 1943, Kunthalgiri in 1944, temple Phaltan in 1945, and Kavalana in 1946. Then in 1947, at the time of Partition, Shantisagarji was in Sholapur. In a miracle, in Shantisagarji's presence, a mute young man began to speak. In 1948, Shantisagarji was in Phaltan. He was in Kavlana in 1949.

In the 1950s, Shantisagarji continued to travel in Maharashtra state. He was in Gajpantha in 1950, Baramati in 1951, Lonand in 1952, and Kunthalgiri in 1953. In 1953, Sumeruchandra Diwakar's book, Charitra Chakravarti was published. In 1954, there was preservation of the Dhavala books.{{clarify|date=June 2017}}

File:Shantisagar Memorial Temple Madhuban.jpg

In 1955, Shantisagarji arrived in Kunthalgiri town. On 18 September 1955, he completed the practice of samadhi, a gradual reducing of intake of fluid and food leading to death. Sumeruchandra Diwakar, Bhattarakas Lakshmisen and Jinasen arrived in the town. Acharya Shantisagar Ji attained utkrushta samadhimaran after the 35th / 36th day of fasting. The title of Acharya pada (teacher of philosophy) was awarded to Muni Virasagar Ji.

Padmanabh Jaini writes about his Sallekhana:

{{blockquote|It is 23 August 1955. On the holy mount of Kunthalagiri, in the state of Maharashtra in India, a man of great soul called Shantisagara (Ocean of peace) is ritually fasting to death. He is the Acharya (spiritual leader) of the Digambara community; now, after thirty-five years as a mendicant, he is attaining his mortal end in the holy manner prescribed by the great Mahavira almost 2,500 years earlier. From August 14 until September 7 he takes only water; then, unable to drink without help, he ceases even that. At last, fully conscious and chanting the digamber a litany, he dies in the early morning of September 18. The holiness and propriety of his life and of the manner of his death are widely known and admired by digambras throughout India.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|p=1}}|Padmanabh S. Jaini|source=}}

He had handed over the leadership to Acharya Virasagar Ji (1856–1957). He was followed by, in sequence, Acharya Shivsagar Ji (1888–1969), Acharya Dharmasagar Ji (1914–1987), Acharya Ajitasagar Ji (1987–1990) and then Acharya Vardhamansagar Ji (since 1990) who currently leads his sangha. There are numerous Digambar monks who belong to this tradition.Fluegel, Peter [ed.]. Studies in Jaina History and Culture: Disputes and Dialogues. London: Routledge, 2006, pp. 312–398

Acharya Gyansagar Ji, the guru of Acharya Vidyasagar Ji, was also initiated by Acharya Shivsagar Ji.[https://www.patrika.com/bhopal-news/know-how-vidyasagarji-s-childhood-was-spent-7131640/ एक करवट सोते हैं आचार्य, पीते हैं अंजुली भर जल, Patrika Bhopal, Oct 20, 2021]

Acharya Shantisagar Ji is sometimes termed Acharya Shantisagar Ji (Dakshin) to contrast him with Acharya Shantisagar Ji "Chhani" (North) (1888–1944).[https://books.google.com/books?id=NY7XAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B0++%E0%A4%9B%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%80 Praśamamūrti Ācārya Śāntisāgara Chāṇī smr̥ti grantha, Kastoor Chand Kasliwal, Ācārya Śāntisāgara Chāṇī Granthamālā, 1998]

Chhani is a district in Udaipur. They were thus contemporary.[https://vidyasagar.guru/pravachan/sankalan/guruon-ke-guru-acharya-shantisaagar/ चारित्र चक्रवतीं आचार्य श्री १०८ शान्तिसागर जी महाराज की ८२ वीं पुण्य तिथि पर परम पूज्य आचार्य प्रवर श्री विद्यासागरजी महाराज का उपदेश, 17 November 2017] Sarakoddharak Acharya Gyansagar Ji (born 1957) was initially initiated by Acharya Vidyasagar Ji as a Brahmachari, later he was initiated as a Digambar Muni by Acharya Sumatisagar Ji (1917–1994) belonging to the lineage of Acharya Shantisagar Ji Chhani.[http://www.jinaagamsaar.com/path/granth/digambar_jain_sadhu_parichaya.pdf दिगंबर साधु परिचय, Dharmachandra Shastri, Acharya Dharmashurta Granthmala, 1985]

Contemporary to both of them, there was a third digambar Acharya Aadisagar Ankalikar Ji (1809–1887). Acharya Vimalsagar Ji (1915–1994) belonged to his lineage.[http://www.jinaagamsaar.com/aacharya/vimalsagar.php आचार्य श्री १०८ विमल सागर जी महाराज][https://www.academia.edu/6655691/Demographic_Trends_in_Jaina_Monasticism Flügel, Peter, (ed.), Studies in digamber History and Culture: Disputes and Dialogues. London and New York: Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), 2006, pp. 312–398. (Routledge Advances in digambara Studies)]

• Bhadrabahu ji
• Kundakunda ji

{{reflist|

{{citation |last=Diwakar |first=Sumaruchandra |title=Charitra Chakravarti |date=2006 |publisher=Shri Bharatvarshiye Digambar Jain Mahasabha |edition=8th |editor=Hemant Kala }}

}}

• {{citation |last1=Desjarlais |first1=Robert R. |author-link=Robert R. Desjarlais |last2=Eisenberg |first2=Leon |author-link2=Leon Eisenberg |title=World Mental Health: Problems and Priorities in Low-income Countries |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6AkE52aoFvoC |date=1996 |orig-year=1995 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-977219-3 }}
• {{citation |last=Dundas |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Dundas |title=The Jains |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X8iAAgAAQBAJ |edition=Second |date=2002 |orig-year=1992 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-26605-X }}
• {{citation |last=Jaini |first=Padmanabh S. |author-link=Padmanabh Jaini |title=The Digambar Path of Purification |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wE6v6ahxHi8C |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |date=1998 |orig-year=1978 |isbn=81-208-1578-5}}
• {{citation |last=Shah |first=Natubhai |author-link=Natubhai Shah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLNQKGcDIhsC |title=Jainism: The World of Conquerors |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |date=2004 |orig-year=1998 |volume=I |isbn=81-208-1938-1 |ref={{sfnref|Natubhai Shah|2004}} }}
• {{citation |last=पाटोदी |first=श्री राम |author-link=श्री राम पाटोदी |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLNQKGcDIhsC |title=Digamber: The tradition of Naga |publisher=समाज प्रकाशन |date=2003 |orig-year=1998 |volume=I |isbn=81-208-1938-1 |ref={{sfnref|Patu Ram|2003}}}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Jain Gurus}}

{{Jainism topics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shantisagar}}

Category:Digambara Acharyas

Category:1872 births

Category:1955 deaths

Category:Indian Jain monks

Category:20th-century Indian Jains

Category:20th-century Jain monks

Category:20th-century Indian monks

Category:1955 suicides

Category:Suicides by starvation

Category:Suicides in India