Memoirs:

English adaptation by Sunita and Duli chandra Jain of the article 'SMARANAADHYAAYA', from the book JAIN JAAGGARAN KE AGRADOOT, edited by Ayodhya Prasad Goyaliya, published by Bharatiya Jnaanapith, Kashi, 1952.

Distant Appreciation:

Remembrances of Premiji constitute a chapter in my book of memories. It is not too long, but in view of my whole life, it is positively very important and gratifying. The essence of the entire chapter consists of three elements, that I observed in my long association with Premiji and that made a profound impact on my mental faculty. These are:

(1) Steadfast scholarly pursuit

(2) Forthrightness or simplicity

(3) Totally liberal and non-sectarian stance coupled with a wholehearted quest for truth.

My first introduction with Premiji was through his writings in the periodical JAIN HITAISHI. I was living in Agra with my friends and students, where the following poem by Premiji had appealed to all of us. It was recited daily during the morning and evening prayers.

O Propitious One, may I embrace such mental faculty;

may I inculcate the feelings for the uplift of the entire world,

and may such feelings blossom day after day;

may I consider others' happiness as my own,

and may I strive for such happiness;

may I patiently endure my own sufferings, but be moved by others' pains;

may my heart be like a devine stream for the uplift of persons who are

evildoer, ignorant, untouchable, irreligious, afflicted, or desolate;

may I devote my entire self in exemplifying the righteous path to

those who are bemused and derelict on account of delusion;

may I follow the true religion, may I indulge in truthful activities;

may my goal be veritable and auspicious;

may I, Premi, expend my entire life in the quest of truth.

Premiji's articles captivated me so much that wherever I went, I arranged to get the periodical JAIN HITAISHI there. I also promoted the periodical. Premiji's writings had a definite role regarding my views on the historical aspects of Jainism. The title of Pandit was associated with Premiji's name. He was considered to be a pandit - a scholar of Jain tradition. To me it was a surprise! How could his writings be so impartial and audacious? I had come in contact with many Jain friends and scholars, but until then, excepting a few, I had not come across any scholar who was as non-sectarian or fearless as Premiji. So I had developed the perception that it was impossible to find a Jain scholar who was non-sectarian as well as fearless. Premiji's writings gradually made me realize that I had the wrong notion. This was the foremost reason for me to be attracted toward him.

The First Meeting:

In 1918 when I was in Pune, Premiji came to the residence of Muni Jin Vijayji with his family. I had no intimation of his visit. I welcomed Premiji by reciting the last line of the above poem. He had no idea that his poem was being used as part of a prayer. This incident turned our remote introduction into an intimate relationship. His writings had immensely impressed me with his extensive scholarship and non-sectarian impartiality. This face to face encounter attracted me towards his natural simplicity and forthrightness. Later on I met Premiji in Mumbai. He used to live in a single room at Chandawadi. We were so absorbed in discussion on various topics that there was no time for me to return to my camp for evening meal. So I informed Premiji that my friend and I would like to eat with him. Premiji treated us with extreme simplicity and unassuming mannerism that reinforced our bond. Since then, whenever I went to Mumbai, I made it a point to meet with Premiji and gain some new insight.

My close friend Seth Hargovinddas Ramji lived in Mumbai. He too became an intimate friend of Premiji. They lived close to each other in suburbs like Ghatkopar and Mulund. Thus I got the good opportunity of knowing Premiji more closely. I became a part of his family. I earned the complete trust of Premiji's wife, Ramabahin, and his only son, Hem Chandra, who was a dear and precious child. Premiji's family used to accompany me on my walks through the hills and valleys of Ghatkopar. My experiments on diet influenced Premiji's family, and, at times, I followed young Hem Chandra's experiments. ... Sometimes, when I used to walk from Ghatkopar to Santa Cruz Juhu beach with my friends, Hem Chandra and his wife Champa accompanied us. They seemed so innocent and openhearted that I could not believe that they were husband and wife.

Whenever Premiji happened to participate in our conferences, I would always side with Hem Chandra. In matters of religion, society, literature, etc., Premiji (who did not attend any school or college) never accepted the orthodox viewpoints. Hem Chandra also had endeavored to develop similar tendencies. Whenever I came to Mumbai from Agra, Ahmedabad or Varanasi, I enjoyed exchange of ideas with Premiji about history, literature, etc. Premiji had seen my works in Hindi published from Agra. When he saw the edition of SANMATI TARK, published from Ahmedabad, he persuaded me to prepare a similar edition of NYAAYA KUMUD CHANDRA. When I expressed that I needed a scholar to help me with the editorial work, he suggested that I should employ a Digambar pandit and train him to edit Digambar literature. This led to correspondence with Pandit Darbari Lal Satyabhakt, who was in Indore at that time. Premiji was busy in editing Manikchand Jain Granth Mala, and he needed some scholar to edit NYAAYA KUMUD CHANDRA along the lines of SANMATI TARK. He had this intense longing but time was not opportune. Years passed but our intimacy was enduring. We had an excellent understanding of traditions of one another but we had no sectarian complicities.

Common Bonds:

Once Premiji said, "There are numerous pandits in the Digambar tradition, and some of them are good scholars. I wish some of them would give up sectarian views." I remarked that I would like the same for Shwetambar monks as well. Premiji had intimate relations with another great Digambar writer and historian, Shri Jugal Kishore Mukhtar. He wanted to expose Shri Mukhtar to the field of history and research in Shwetambar tradition as well. Expressing his desire, he sent Shri Mukhtar to Ahmedabad. He stayed with me and thus began a new acquaintance. Shri Mukhtar was greatly impressed by the scholars and researchers of Gujarat Vidyapith, especially of its archaeological institute. I expressed my feelings about Shri Mukhtar to Premiji. I felt grateful to Premiji for introducing me to scholars like Shri Mukhtar. Many writers of Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati, and distinguished scholars visited Premiji's home and his business. This afforded an excellent opportunity for meeting them. My acquaintance with Pandit Darbari Lal Satyabhakt, which came about in this manner, is one such exceptionally welcome incident. However, I could never maintain a lasting relationship with sectarian and orthodox individuals.

During the rainy season of 1931, at the time of the PARYUSHAN Lecture Series, I invited Pandit Darbari Lal Satyabhakt and Premiji with his family to Ahmedabad. They enjoyed scholarly non-sectarian lectures of various scholars on a number of topics. They also gave lectures. Then they expressed the desire to organize a similar lecture series in Mumbai. The following year, the young people arranged a similar lecture series in Mumbai with the cooperation of Premiji. I had read the articles by Babu Surajbhan Vakil, who was a scholar and an experienced reformer. So I had a strong desire to meet with him. Premiji invited Babu Surajbhan Vakil as well. I was delighted to meet with him and listen to his lecture - a lifelong dream realized.

Premiji - The Man, Scholar And Reformer:

Hem Chandra was a scholar of many fields - a promising young man, interested in experimenting on different things but somewhat estranged from the real world. So naturally, Premiji was concerned about his future and the future of his sizable publishing business. However, I was confident that Hem Chandra was exceptionally competent and that he would measure up to the challenge in due course.

Premiji was born into a modest family in an interior village of the Central Province. During his formative years, he had been exposed to narrow traditional culture traits. Nevertheless, his social convictions had become extremely progressive, similar to his religious convictions. Thus, in his household, there was never the confining custom of women covering their faces. Hem Chandra's wife Champa, who was quite young and pretty, had as much freedom to conduct herself in the presence of all as did Ramabahin, or Hem Chandra, or Premiji himself. Premiji was a reformer in the true sense. He had his own brother married the second time to a widow, without any concern about the wrath of the orthodox traditionalist. Observing the conduct of Champa with Premiji, a stranger could not tell that she was his daughter-in-law. He/she would think that Champa was his only daughter - close to his heart. It was an atmosphere of complete freedom around Premiji. Orthodox and reformers, both will agree wholeheartedly that Premiji personified Ajatashatru - a personality in Buddhist literature who embodied freedom, open-mindedness and generosity, who was appreciated by all.

Coming from a modest background and starting with an ordinary service, Premiji had risen to such a grandiose position. The entire Hindi world respected him for his accomplishments. The key to his success was his truthfulness, dedication to literary pursuits and expansive knowledge. Although Premiji was deeply grieved by the passing away of his only son Hem Chandra, who was young and truly pure at heart, I noticed that he found solace solely through extensive study and diligent work. No matter how serious his illness and how much the physicians, doctors and friends advised him to take rest, I used to find a variety of new reading material on his bedside. All, common people as well as eminent scholars, liked and respected Premiji. A large group of his well-wishers was seen around him at Harkishandas Hospital when he was there.

Premiji believed in simple living and was frugal in spending, but he was extremely generous with his guests and friends. So individuals had no hesitation in visiting him.

Aspirations of A Visionary:

Premiji had at least three aspirations.

First, he wished that the caliber of scholarship of pandits of the Jain tradition should be raised so that they could match the excellence of other scholars and earn the respect and recognition of all.

Second, he wanted the archives of Jain scriptures (BHANDAARs), especially of the Digambar tradition, to be restored and preserved according to modern advances. Scholars and rich individuals should take the lead in this respect.

Third, the divisions among Jains should be eliminated. He wanted for Jain society to reject and shed communalism and narrow-minded traditions regarding food. The position of women, especially of widows, should be improved.

In my estimation, Premiji had personally endeavored to promote these ideas and had persuaded others to accept and advance them. At present, the modern tendencies that are observed in the Digambar tradition indeed exhibit the mark of Premiji's influence or are the result of his efforts. Even those traditionalists who did not agree with Premiji's ideas admired his good qualities. This is a unique feature of Premiji's life.

A Bold Step:

Had Premiji not possessed a non-sectarian approach toward unveiling the truth, he would not have gained such a highly respected position among Jains as well as non-Jains. When I presented the results of my researches about TATTVAARTH SUTRA and Acharya Umaswati, Premiji supported my views with fearless viewpoint of a researcher and without any concern about the sectarian opposition.

Further, Premiji helped me in advancing my researches and wrote an extensive article in the BHARATEEYA VIDYA section of SINGHI SMRITI GRANTH. Premiji also encouraged me to write an extensive research article on historical investigation and evaluation of Jain scriptural literature and its place in Indian culture and ancient literature. He used to say that it is imperative to dispel the misunderstandings and inaccurate assumptions of inadequately educated and sectarian individuals.

Premiji never missed any opportunity to gain the benefit of a well-informed scholar of history. For instance, he had a long association with Acharya Jin Vijayji, and he used every opportunity to discuss various historical aspects with him.

In the end, I would like to emphasize that Premiji has been at least partly successful in subduing many undesirable sectarian tendencies through his utopian attitudes.

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