Jainacharya Vallabh Suri

February 21, 2009

Jainacharya Vallabh Suri

A commemorative postage stamp on ‘Punjab Kesari‘ Acharya Vijay Vallabhsuri, a Jain monk :

Issued by India

Issued on Feb 21, 2009

Issued for : India Post is happy to issue commemorative postage stamp on Jainacharya Vallabh Suri.

Credits :
STAMP & FDC : Sankha Samanta
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 1.0 Million

Printing Process : Wet–Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Jain Acharya Vijay Vallabh Suri

Born on Oct 26, 1870 at Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Died on Sep 22, 1954 at Byculla, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

About :

Jainacharya Vallabh Suri Ji Maharaj is an example par excellence of humanism and spiritualism. Chhagan (childhood name) was born at Vadodara in November 1870 AD to worthy parents Deepchand and Icchabai. In search of peace he studied under his holiness Jain Acharya Shree Vijayanand Suriji Maharaj (popularly known as Guru Atmaramji), the then highly venerated Saint and a profound scholar of Jainism. Chhagan entered monkhood (sadhu) renouncing worldly life in AD 1887 at Radhanpur (Gujarat) at the tender age of 17 years. He was christened Muni Vallabh Vijay.
Guru Atmaramji taught Muni Vallabh the Jaina philosophy propounded by Lord Mahavir viz Ahimsa (non-violence), Anekant (non-absolutism), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Vallabha also mastered study of contemporary religions. Unfortunately, the illustrious Guru did not live long but he surely advised Muni Vallabh to set up, not only places of worship, but also educational institutions and service centres which would help both men and women to understand religion in its true perspective.
True to his master, Muni Vallabh worked for the welfare of the society irrespective of caste, class and creed. He initiated various programmes to eradicate Ignorance, Superstition and Illiteracy. His human approach, scientific outlook and practical life endeared him to the masses. He was bestowed with Acharyaship in 1924 at Lahore (now in Pakistan).
He placed before the mankind, both by precept and practice, the highest moral and spiritual values of life. He widely traveled barefooted as in enjoined on Jain Monks, many times all-over Maharashtra, Gujarat, Saurashtra, Rajasthan, U.P., M.P., Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir to spread this message.
This visionary Saint, realizing the prime needs of the society emphasized on giving moral and righteous education, to improve standard of life. He laid social emphasis on the education of women. He motivated the society to establish a large number of schools, colleges, gurukuls, libraries and centres of craft and learning in many parts of the country. Opening of Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalay at Mumbai as far back as 1915 and its subsequent branches, Shri Atmanand Jain Gurukul at Gujranwala and Shri Atmanand Jain college at Ambala are just but a few of the glorious examples. Some people were, however, skeptical than modern education would spoil culture. To dispel their doubts and apprehensions he gave a beautiful example by saying “In this developing age, if one wants to light the room or move the fan or start a machine, use of electricity is essential. And God forbid if electricity burns someone, the fault lies with the user and not with electricity.”
Acharyashree was an exponent of research work. He became instrumental in collecting and preserving thousands of volumes of priceless handwritten manuscripts and published works on Indology at Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya, Mumbai and Jain Gurukul Gujranwala and other libraries as valuable storehouse of knowledge and cultural heritage. He advised to marshal the existing data within the framework of modern research.
Acharyashree aroused people from slumber wherever he went during the freedom movement. Identifying himself with freedom struggle, Acharyashree wore khadi throughout his life. He was a patriot to the core. Swadeshi found an echo in his speeches.
Acharyashree strongly deprecated display of wealth and extravagance on social occasions, dowry and such other evils. Though born in Gujarat, he always promoted Hindi as national language. He was a renowned orator, author and poet. In addition to several works in prose, he wrote about 1600 poems, songs and hymns in Hindi, rich both in language and content.
Acharyashree came into contact with great patriots of the nation like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Motilal Nehru, Shri Morarji Desai and other stalwarts of the freedom movement and luminaries of pre and post independence era. He supported Satyagraha and non-cooperation as potent yet non-violent tools to achieve independence. His 14 point formula for worked peace, highly appreciated by Shri Morarji Desai and the then Prime Minister Shri Jawahar Lal Nehru became the base for Panchsheel doctrine.
For the all-round development of the society, Acharyashree had, in fact, made shiksha (education), seva (service), sangathan (unity), sahitya (literature) and swavlamban (self-reliance) as his creed and mission of life.
Text : Material provided by the proponent.