Celebrating Acharya Vidyasagar Ji's legacy of love, wisdom, and devotion.

Delhi 17 October ( VNI)Today, both in the country and abroad, the Avtaran Divas of the great saint, ascetic, and philosopher Acharya Vidyasagar, along with the Samadhi and life philosophy of Vidya Shiromani 108 Shri Samayasagar Ji, was celebrated with deep devotion. This marks the first celebration of Acharya Shri Vidyasagar's Avtaran Divas after his Samadhi. On this occasion, worship and religious rituals were conducted in temples, and numerous programs, including community feasts and public welfare activities, were organized.

Jain Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj took Samadhi on February 18, 2024, at 2:35 pm in Chandragiri, Dongargarh, in the Rajnandgaon district. Today, saints and devotees paid emotional tributes to him in homage to his memory.

Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj, the Acharyashree of the Digambar Muni tradition, was born on October 10, 1946, in Sadalga village, Belgaum district, Karnataka. That day was Sharad Purnima. He received monk initiation from his Guru, Acharya Shri Gyan Sagar Ji Maharaj, on June 30, 1968, in Ajmer, Rajasthan. Impressed by his rigorous penance, Acharya Shri Gyan Sagar Ji Maharaj conferred upon him the title of Acharya.

At the age of 22, he renounced his home and family to take initiation. Even before this, he was known as Vidyasagar. He established strict rules for his life of renunciation. In the sweltering heat, Acharya Shri refrained from using clothes, blankets, mats, quilts, fans, coolers, heaters, or air conditioning and adhered to a limited diet. He would sit on a wooden plank from morning until evening and take short naps of three to four hours, spending the remainder of his time in deep meditation.

Acharya Shri would consume food standing once every 24 hours, abstaining from salt, jaggery, fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, and milk. His diet consisted solely of dal, roti, rice, and water. Following the Digambar Jain tradition, he traveled hundreds of thousands of kilometers on foot across the country.

Acharya Vidyasagar was proficient in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Marathi, and Kannada. He authored many books in Hindi and Sanskrit. Over 100 researchers have studied his life for their master's and doctoral degrees. His notable works include "Niranjana Shatak," "Bhavana Shatak," "Parishah Jaya Shatak," "Suniti Shatak," and "Sharamana Shatak." He also composed the epic poem "Mook Maati," which is included in the Hindi curriculum of several universities.

Acharya Vidyasagar's disciple, Muni Kshamasagar, wrote a biography titled "Atmanveshi," which has been translated into English and published by Bharatiya Jnanpith. Additionally, Muni Pranamyasagar penned a poem about his life called "Anasakt Mahayogi."