SHRAVANABELAGOLA: A Jain monk from Madhya Pradesh, who had vowed to take ‘samadhi’ a week ago, breathed his last in the temple town of Shravanabelagola on Thursday. Jain monks and nuns sat around the ailing monk, who had stopped consuming food and water a week ago, chanting religious scripts.
Hundreds of Jain monks and nuns joined devotees in conducting the last rites of monk Shreyasagar. Since last week, other monks and nuns would sit around him and chant hymns every day. Hailing from Panna district in Madhya Pradesh, Shreyasagar was a disciple of Muni Vasupujyasagar, his older brother.
Another brother from the family, Arjavsagar Maharaj, had also taken a vow of Samadhi and passed away few years ago. Interestingly, the mother of the three brothers, Shrenimati Mataji, too had taken a vow of monkhood and later attained ‘samadhi’. Since the 5th century, Shravanabelagola is known as a place for ‘samadhi’ for Jain monks. King Chandragupta Mourya followed his spiritual Guru Bhadrabahu to the South and settled in Shravanabelagola. The Chikka Betta or Chandragiri was then known as Samadhi Betta as hundreds of Jain monks attained Samadhi on this hill. It was only in the late 9th century, after the carving of monolith of Lord Bahubali, the Vindhyagiri located opposite Chandragiri attained fame.
Jain monks believe that it’s an honour attain ‘samadhi’ in Shravanabelagola. Samarpan Sagar Maharaj, who has come down from Uttarakhand, said that monkhood preaches about knowing the reality of life and ‘sallekana’ or ‘samadhi’ vow is taken voluntarily. “There are two types of samadhis — Niyama Sallekana, which is observed for 12 years and Yama Sallekana which is observed at the end of one’s life. Jain monks prepare themselves to leave the external body by observing the ritual. Since ages, kings and munis have vowed to living in the forests (vanaprasta) and Jain monkhood is continuing the ritual,” he said.