Acharya Vimal Sagar

December 14, 2016

A commemorative postage stamp on Jain Muni Aacharya Shri 108 Vimalsagar Ji Maharaj, an Indian monk from Digambara Sampradaya, a major school of Jainism :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 14, 2016

Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to release a commemorative postage stamp on Acharya Vimal Sagar.

Credits :
Stamp / FDC / Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.403 million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Acharya Vimal Sagar

Born on Sep 18, 1916 at Kosma, Etah district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died on Dec 29, 1994 at Girdih, Jharkhand, India

About :

Acharya Vimal Sagar was born on 18^th of September 1916 at Kosma, a small village in the district Etah of Uttar Pradesh. His father Shri Biharilal Ji and mother Smt. Katori Devi were religious persons. The new-born in the family was given an affectionate name in the honoured remembrance of the Teerthankar Neminath and the family fondly called him “Nemichandra”. Nemichandra got his early schooling in the famous Morena Sanskrit Vidyalaya in U.P., where a very good number of traditional Jain scholars were trained. He also developed a good knowledge of the Indian Traditional Medicine System and was respectfully known in adjoining areas for his abilities as a healer. He had no interest in worldly affairs and had a keen desire for renunciation and moving on the spiritual path. He came in contact of the First Digamber Jain Acharya of the 20^th century; Acharya Shree 108 Shantisagar Jee Muniraj and his Yagyopweet Sanskar was performed in Firozabad by the great Acharya Shree. The ascetic Nemichandra continued to move steadily on the path of penance and took the Pratima-vrata from Acharya Shree 108 Veersagar Jee Muniraj.
Soon after, young Nemichandra was transformed in the new form of Kshullak 105 Shree Vrishabhsagar Muniraj in the holy teerth of Badwani (M.P.) by his Guru Acharya Shree 108 Mahaveerkeerti Jee Muniraj in the year 1950. Kshullak’s status paved the way for his moving towards practice of penance and his Guru transformed him from Ksullak to Ailakat Dharmapuri and finally as Digamber Muni, who came to be recognized as Shree 108 Vimalsagar Jee Muniraj, in the Siddhkshetra Sonagir on 26^th Feb, 1953. The position of Acharya was bestowed upon him in Tundla on 5^th November, 1960.
Jain Monks and nuns remain under a vow of moving on foot all their life. In his lifetime Acharya Vimal Sagar Jee covered more than 50,000 km across the country – preaching Ahimsa, Aparigrah and Anekant – the only ways to world peace, he had worked for all his life. He was full of compassion towards all mankind. He had risen above the human desires. He fasted on 3,266 days during his ascetic life and never took cereals, ghee, curd, oil and salt throughout his life. He performed more than hundred Deekshas; which include 40 muni-deekshas and deekshas of 29 Aryikamata, 01 ailak, 21 Kshullakas and 17 Kshullikas. His last deekshit disciple is Upadhyaya Shri 108 Urjayantsagar Jee Muniraj.
Acharya Vimal Sagar authored many books. His Siddhchakara Vidhan in Sanskrit, Jinsahasrnam Stotra, and other works are treasures for common men and women.
Acharya Vimal Sagar also motivated people to preserve and conserve the Jain culture, and under his influence, many old temples and teerthkshetras were got renovated and some new temples were built; among which, Samavsharan Temple of Shikhar Jee and Saraswati Temple of Rajgrih are the most significant.
Acharya Shree 108 Vimal Sagar Jee was very well respected by the entire Jain Samaj. The Samaj very respectfully and affectionately conferred upon him so many decorations (upadhi’s); namely Charitrya Chakravartee (1962 – Barabanki), Nimitt Gyanbhushan (1973 – Shikhar Ji), Sanmarg Diwakar (1979 – Sonagir), Karunanidhi (1983 – Aurangabad), Vatsalyamurti-Atishay Yogi (1985 – Lohariya), Kalikalsarvagya (1990 – Sonagir), Vatsalya Ratnakar (1993 – Sonagir) etc.
Acharya Shree Vimal Sagar Jee attained his Samadhi on 29^th December, 1994 at Teerthadiraj Sammedshikar Jee, Dist – Girdih in Jharkhand.
Text : Based on the material received from proponent.