JAINA VOICE
A publication of www.jainheritagecentres.com

Editor-in-Chief: Dr. H.A.Parshwanath

Vol.2      Issue 4

AUGUST 2003

   

Editorial

MANASTAMBHA

   Manastmabha is a symbol of reverence of Jaina heritage and culture. It has occupied a unique status in the consecration of the religion. The ancient Jaina agamas reveal that mamastmabha was installed in front of each of the entrance to samavasarana of Tirthankaras. Indrabuthi was subdued at the behest of manasthambha and relinquished all his adotious state of mind. The description of mamasthambha is equivalent to that of propagation of dharma. It teaches purity of mind and action. It errodes the trivial feelings in people. Manasthambha is constructed and erected not just merely as a place of worship but as part of Samavasarana. It entails samyatkwa feelings in the minds of devotees. A Jain temple is representative of samavasarana. It is a sacred act of emphasizing the importance of dharma. It brings together the brotherliness and creates interest in jinadarshana amongst the people of other religions. They express deep seated reverence to Arihantha. Manasthambha is unique to Jainism and not found in either vedic religion or Buddhism. Usually the height of the mamasthambha is about 12 times that of main deity in garbhagriha. There are seen three steps in mamasthambha denoting samyak darshana, samyak gnana and samyak charithra. These steps will be in either square or octagonal in shape. The symbols such as om, swastik, sixteen dreams and pratiharyas are carved. A beautiful map will be carved over the mamasthambha. An idol of Tirthankara will be usually placed at the top of the manasthambha.

   In the early period mamasthambha was carved out of black stone. But now a days it is designed from read or white stone. The central pertion of mamasthambha is usually a monolith as seen in Tamil Nadu. There is a mamasthambha seen in the Sri Lakshmisena Jain muth of Kolhapur measuring 41 feet with many philigry work. The loftiest mamasthambha is found at Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. Further more chaturmukha idol is installed in mamasthambha. One can have darshana of Tirthankara even at a distance from mamasthambha. The Jaina ascetics are rendering their guidance for a long time regarding the installation of mamasthambhas.

The inscriptions on the mamasthambhas tells the reign of kings of the period. It emphasises on the liberation of athma and attainment of moksha and thus freeing from all the bondages of life. The mamasthambha seen in front of Parshwanatha shrine in Chandragiri hill of Shravanabelagola and Shantinatha temple in Halebidu is worth mentioning.                  

Thanking you,

-Dr. H.A.Parshwanath

ACHARYA VIDYANANDAJI CALLS FOR CELEBRATION OF SAMYAM YEAR

New Delhi, June 22: Elacharya 108 Sri Vidyanandaji Maharaj has called for the Jain Samaj to celebrate the period from July 19th, 2003 to July 8th, 2004 as the samyam year in memory of the 131st birth anniversary of Charithrachakrvarthi Acharya Sri Shanthisagarmuni Maharaj. He was speaking on the occasion of the annual meeting of the member sof the Delhi Jain samaj held at the green park Jain temple. Sri Sahu Rameshchandra Jain president of Digambara Jain Mahasabha and Sri Nirmal Kumar Sethi president of Sri Mahaveerji trust spoke on the life of Shanthisagarji Maharaj. - Jain Heritage Centres News Service      

NEW JAIN TEMPLE CONSECRATED AT MANCHESTER

AROUND 700 people from across Britain flocked to the opening of a magnificent white marble temple in Manchester. Specialist craftsmen and engravers were flown in from India and spent 10 days completing the £100,000 temple in Longsight. Barefooted onlookers gazed in awe and admiration as the temple doors were opened to reveal the seven "Tirthankaras" - or statues - of different Gods surrounding each wall. The temple forms the centre piece of the Jain Community Centre, which opened last year. It is hoped the temple will serve as a base for community cohesion and help bring together dozens of different faiths from across the city. Kiran Mehta, spokesman for the Jain Community Centre, said: "There really is nothing like this anywhere else in the country. The temple breathes purity and is a stunning addition to Manchester's architectural and cultural heritage."  As well as the temple, the

Community Centre has a sports facility, a stage with a 600-seater auditorium and several meeting rooms and halls. The temple was paid for by a wealthy religious leader from India, while the £1.2m centre was funded by money raised by the Jain community and National Lottery funding. Jainism is one of the oldest religions. Jains believe in many Gods, but not God as creator, survivor and destroyer of the universe. There are around 500 Jains in Manchester. - News Courtesy: www.manchesteronline.co.uk

ANTIQUES WORTH RS 100 CRORES UNEARTHED IN RAJASTHAN
Jaipur (Rajasthan), July 28: In a sequel of raids, Rajasthan police have unearthed 41 more antiques worth Rs 100 crore, in the infamous VN Ghiya smuggling case, from Jhalawar, a senior police official claimed in Jaipur on Monday. An idol of Lord Mahaveer, weighing 15 quintals and said to be about 1500 years old, was seized along with many ancient idols of various deities made up of red, black and grey sand stones during the raids on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Anand Srivastava said. Three persons - Daya Chand Jain, Roshan Gurjar and Munna - who had hidden these antiques in their farms and houses were also arrested, he said. So far, the police have recovered 205 antiques worth crores of rupees, and arrested 20 persons linked to the international smuggling gang operating from Jaipur, Srivastava said. On July 25, the police had recovered 73 antiques estimated to be worth more than Rs 100 crore. - News Courtesy : PTI

PRATISHTA MAHOTSAV OF BHAGAWAN MAHAVIR JAIN TEMPLE AT TORONTO

Toronto (Canada), July 2: The Pratishta mahotsav of Bhagawan Mahavir Jain temple at Toronto was performed from 27th June to 2nd July 2003 under the guidance of Sri Devendrakeerti Bhattarakha Maharaj of the Huncha Jain muth by Pratishthacharya Bramhmchari Sri Dharamchandji Shastri. A twenty seven inch tall idol of Bh. Mahavira was installed at the temple. On this occasion Jain flag hoisting and panchkalyanak puja were performed by Mr. Naresh Manju Jain and Sh. Omprakash Trishla Jain. In various ceremonies and puja Ms. Usha Jain, Dr. Mahendra Jain, Mr. Ramesh Abha Jain and Mr. Anand Jain also actively participated. Lunch and dinner arrangements for all the six days of puja were sponsored by Sh. Omprakash Trishla Jain. The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks by the president of the temple Ms. Amita Seth.

BHAJAN ALBUM OF 7 YEAR OLD JAIN GIRL RELEASED

Viloma Jhaveri, a seven-year old singer has recorded and released an album of Gujarati Jain stavans (bhajans) titled Prabhu Sameepe. The release function of this album was held on July 26, in Mumbai. Noted Gujarati composer and singer Purshottam Upadhyay released the album. The stavans are written and composed by late Shantilal Shah. Music has been arranged by Bharat Shah.

Viloma is learning light vocal music from Rajendra Jhaveri and classical music from Rajesh Singh. She has learnt Jain Aagams Panch Pratikraman Sutras, Navsmaran and other Jain mantras. - News Courtesy: screenindia.com

JAIN CHATURMAS DIRECTORY 2003

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500 YEARS OLD IDOL OF BHAGAWAN MAHAVEERA SEIZED

Chattisgarh, July 5: The police have been successful in seizing a 500 year old idol of Bhagawan Mahavira made of panchaloha (five metals). The police were able to track this idol at Udhamsinghnagar. It is said that This 50 lakhs worth idol was sold in the Nepal market. The origin of the idol is not known. - Jain Heritage Centres News Service                

ADVANI FLAGS OFF PARASNATH EXPRESS
Ahmedabad, July 27: Deputy Prime Minister of India L K Advani flagged off the Ahmedabad-Dhanbad Express, a new weekly train, here on Sunday morning. The train has been named as Parasnath Express as it is touching the famous Jain pilgrimage centre. Addressing a function at the Ahmedabad railway station to mark the event, Advani said that it was significant that the new train provided a link between Akshardham and Parasnath. He said Indian nationalism was not just a geographical or political nationalism but also a cultural nationalism which was best symbolised by huge traffic of pilgrims from one corner of the country to the other. He said pilgrim centres in the country were a great unifying force and railways were not just facilitating passengers but linking the various parts of country with one another. - News Courtesy Express India 

IT'S A JAIN STATUE CLARIFIES U.K.

New Delhi, June 14: Even as the BJP in Madhya Pradesh is talking about securing the return of the Saraswati statue — believed to have been housed in the controversial Bhojshala complex in Dhar — from the British Museum in London, the British High Commission has informed the Union Culture Ministry that the sculpture in question is a figure of the Jain goddess, Ambica. Reacting to newspaper reports that the Saraswati statue in Bhojshala had been removed to the British Museum prior to Independence, the acting British High Commissioner is said to have written to the Union Culture Minister, Jagmohan, that the "belief that the sculpture in London is the Saraswati of Bhojshala is a misunderstanding.'' Apparently, the High Commission made enquiries at the British Museum and traced the confusion about the statue in question to an article first published in a journal in the 1920s in which the author referred to it as Goddess Saraswati on the basis of an "incomplete reading'' of the inscription. The status of the statue was clarified in the 1980s when the whole inscription was read and published by Kirit Mankodi of Mumbai. "The full inscription records the making of a Saraswati, a triad, and a figure of Ambica. It is this Ambica which is in the British Museum. The goddess is shown accompanied by a child and a lion; both attributes of Ambica. There is, therefore, no doubt that the sculpture in the British Museum is of the Jain goddess, Ambica,'' the letter notes. In April this year, Mr. Jagmohan had urged his counterpart in the External Affairs Ministry to use diplomatic channels and international conventions to secure the return of the 11th century idol of Saraswati from the British Museum. Mr. Jagmohan's submission was that since India was a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on "Preventing the Illicit Imports, Exports and Transfer of ownership of Cultural Property," it "might be possible for us to negotiate the restitution of the image of Saraswati to its country of origin through appropriate measures.'' Though the idol was exported from India to the U.K. prior to the promulgation of the Antiquities (Export Control) Act, 1947 — later superseded by the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 — Mr. Jagmohan's contention was that the UNESCO Convention of 1970 "encourages mutual negotiations on such articles of national wealth/heritage for restitution to the country of origin.''  While the general notion is that this idol — dating back to the Parmara dynasty — had been housed in the Bhojshala, Mr. Jagmohan's letter made no mention of this possible connection; save place on record the fact that it belongs to the period of King Bhojadeva. - News Courtesy: The Hindu

JIVADAYA ABHIYAN CELEBRATED IN A UNIQUE WAY
Bangalore (Karnataka), July 10: As part of the five point programme of the All India Swethambar Sthankawasi Jain Conference's Jivadaya Abhiyan its Karnataka branch celebrated it in a unique way here at Bangalore. The Jivadaya Abhiyan was celebrated in the premises of the Padmavathi Pranidaya Trust, Vijayapura by setting free a huge mass of 485 pigeons. Sri Inderchandraji Bohra the national president of the conference led the programme. - Jain Heritage Centres News Service             

EYE CAMP AT CHENNAI
Chennai, Aug 15: Jain Kalyan Kendra Trust, Purasawalkam, organised a free eye camp at Jain Bhavan, Pulianthope, recently in which 1,100 people were screened. U N Singh, general manager, EFA Avadi, Ministry of Defence, inaugurated the camp to identify people who need cataract surgery. Nearly 125 people were operated for cataract from 9 to 11 August.  Around 240 people were identified for vision problems and would be provided with free spectacles on 14 September. S Hasthimull Chordia, managing trustee of the Trust, informed that they had been conducting free eye camp for the past six years in which over 800 cataract surgeries were performed and spectacles distributed. Lions Club, Fort St. George, president, Ln Divyesh R Patria coordinated the event. - News Courtesy : News Today

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AHIMSA YATRA AT BANGALORE

Bangalore (Karnataka), August 15: Sri Sthulibadhrasurishvarjiseva Sangh, Bangalore has organised a Ahimsa Yatra to propagate the principle of ahimsa and to awaken the people against the slaughter and ill treatment of animals. This yatra will begin at the Vijaynagar Jain Mandir and would be concluding at the office of the animal rights fund. - Jain Heritage Centres News Service      

SWARGAROHANA DAY OF JINADATTASURIJI MAHARAJ

Hyderabad, July 10: The 849th Swargarohana day of Yuga Pradhana Sri Jinadattasuriji M.S. was celebrated at Hyderabad in the presence of Mahasathi Sri Vinodsriji M.S., Sri Hemaprabhaji M.S., Sadhvu Sri Shraddhanjanaji  M.S. and others. Sri  Shraddhanjanaji spoke on the life of Jinadattasuriji and Sri Hemaprabhasriji spoke on the works of Jinadattasuriji. - Jain Heritage Centres News Service      

JAINA AWARD TO DR VASTUPAL PARIKH
The Federation of Jain Societies of North America (JAINA) bestowed a special "Service to Jainism" award to Dr. Vastupal Parikh at its 12th Biennial Convention in Cincinnati, USA.  While announcing the award to a gethering of some 3,000 participants at the Convention, the chief guest Gurudev Chitrabhanu praised Dr. Parikh for his popular book "Jainism and the New Spirituality" and advised the gathering that every Jain should own a copy of this book.  Jainism and the New Spirituality is Published by Canada based Peace Publications and is also available in India from Peace Publications, 4, Chandanwadi, Shahibaug, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.  - Jain Heritage Centres News Service      

FOUNDATION STONE LAID FOR GODWALA BHAVAN

Bangalore, July 10: The foundation stone of the Godwala Bhavan. (to be spread over an area of 29,000 feet) was laid in the presence of Acharya Srimad Nityanandasurishwarji M.S.   - Jain Heritage Centres News Service     

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NEW PUBLICATIONS
Title - THE BASIC THOUGHT OF BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA: Language - English; Author - Dr. Jay Kumar Jalaj; English translation - G. F. Burhanpurkar; Edition - First, 2003; Pages -29; Paperback; Price - Rs. 15=00. Published by Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Parishad, Bhopal. A brief and comprehensive monograph on Bhagavan Mahavir's message to mankind.
ITIHASADA HADHIYALLI (The Historical Path): A book in Kannada written by Late Prof Vasanthakumari. Covers the research articles describing the development of Jainism in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 

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 POOJA MAHOTSAV

The main intension of this particular column is to provide a platform to the news of even the small villages spread all over India. We here by request our readers to kindly send the news of the pooja mahotsav's in the Jain temples taking place at the nooks and corners of the world.
Penukonda (Ananthapur District, Andhra Pradesh), August 4: The mukutasapthami pooja mahotsav of Bhagawan Parshwanatha was celebrated under the guidance of Sri Devendrakeerti Swamiji of the Huncha Jain Muth. Sri R.J.Anantharaj presided over the function and Sri Ajit Gunjal judge of the Karnataka high court was the chief guest of the function. 
Tovinakere (Tumkur District, ), August 1: The third annual pooja mahotsav of the Bhagawan Chandraprabha temple were held under the Sri Devendrakeerthi Bhattarakha Maharaj of the Huncha Jain muth.  - Jain Heritage Centres News Service      

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JAIN WEB WATCH

www.terapanthsurat.com - Launched on 10th August 2003 in the presence of Acharya Sri Mahapragyaji in Surat. Contains information about Surat Pravas of Acharya Mahapragya. The Terapanth Quiz is the main attraction of this website and give an opportunity to the people to learn more about terapanth.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday 19th August 2003 - Pattabhishekha Vardhyanthutsava of Kambadahalli  Bhattarakhaji.

Friday 22nd August 2003 - Garbhakalyana of Bhagawan Kunthunatha.

Friday 29th August 2003 - Pattabhishekha Vardhyanthutsava of Moodabidri Bhattarakhaji.

Monday 1st September 2003 - Sri dashalakshanaparva begins .

Tuesday 2nd September 2003 - Garbhakalyana of Bhagawan Suparshwanatha.

Thursday 4th September 2003 - Moksha Kalyana of Bhagawan Pushpadantha.

Tuesday 9th September 2003 - Moksha Kalyana of Bhagawan Vasupujya.

Wednesday 10th September 2003 - Shodashabhavana Vrata ends.

Wednesday 17th September 2003 - Garbhakalyana of Bhagawan Shanthinatha.

Thursday 25th September 2003 - Mahalayaamavasya.

Saturday 27th September 2003 - Navarathri begins, kevalagnana Kalyana of Bhagawan Neminatha.

Monday 29th September 2003 - Samadhi Day of A.N.Upadhyay , one of the greatest Jain scholar of all times

WEB POLL

JHC Web poll question for the month of August 2003
Who among the following is the last Shrutakevali:

  • a. Parshwanatha

  • b. Mahavira

  • c. Badrabahu

Click here to cast your vote.

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Additions as on 15th AUGUST 2003

JAIN CHATURMAS DIRECTORY 2003

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