Acharya Bhagwant Shrimad Surendrasurishwarji Maharaja

BIRTH :- KARTAK SUD 2, V.S. 1950, (1898 A.D.) AT KUVALA, BANASKATHA, GUJRAT.

DIKSHA:- POSH VAD 10, V.S. 1969, (1913 A.D.) AT PATAN, GUJRAT.

GANIPAD:- KARTAK VAD 6, V.S. 1999, (1943 A.D.) AT JUNAGADH, KATHIYAVAD.

PANYAAS PAD:- KARTAK VAD 6, V.S. 1999, (1943 A.D.) AT JUNAGADH, KATHIYAVAD.

ACHARYA PAD:- KARTAK VAD 6, V.S. 1999, (1943 A.D.) AT JUNAGADH, KATHIYAVAD.

KALDHARMA (SWARGAVAS):- KARTAK VAD 5, V.S. 2006 (1950 A.D.) AT AHMEDABAD.

     Acharya Bhagwant Shrimad Surendrasurishwarji Maharaj Saheb was a very influencive Jain Acharya. He was given titles like"PRATAH SMARNIYA, PRASHANT MURTI, ADHYATMAMURTI AND GEETARTH MURDHANYA" which described him as a great person with extraordinary qualities. He was born in the small village of Kuvala, Banaskatha. His parents Dalibai and Savjibhai named him Sirchand. Being born in a religious family, the seeds of Jainism were implanted in him very naturally. When he was fully mature "ANUYOGACHARYA, AAGAMVID, JYOTISHACHARYA PUJYA PANYAAS SHRI DHARMVIJAYJI MAHARAJ SAHEB (DELHAWALA)" was there at Banaskatha and he came into his touch. Pujya Panyasji Maharaj Saheb's eloquent speeches strengthened the feeling of renouncing the world within him. Being young he joined his father's business but his mind was in constant hope of renouncing the world. At the end he revealed his feelings of renouncing the world to his parents and they did not stop him from doing so. With his parents' permission Sirchand took Diksha at a grand ceremony which was held at Patanvav, Gujrat and since then he came to be known as MUNI SURENDRA VIJAY. He became a disciple of PUJYA PANYAAS DHARMAVIJAYJI MAHARAJ SAHEB and continuously prospered in the spiritual field. He served his guru, obeyed him and never disappointed him all these qualities brought him closer to his guru and he became subject to extra care from him.

     PUJYA SURENDRAVJAYJI was very strict towards CHARITRA. He dedicated his life to the cause of uniting the Chaturvidh Sangh. He had an inspiring personality. He could influence anyone without uttering even a word. A total of 17 villages of Banaskatha like Kuvala, Bhabhar, Diyodar, Tervada, Raiyya, Ravel, Isarva and others were unified under his leadership. At that time the society was ceased by many evils, mainly female trafficking. Moreover even various types of addictions had trapped men. Due to all this the society was in a pathetic condition. At this time he made constant efforts to improve the condition of these 17 villages of Banaskatha and succeeded too. It was due to his efforts that gambling and the business of female trafficking came to an end in these villages.

     In short staying within the limits of a sadhu he made constant efforts to bring the society up to a respectable level and inspire them to follow religion in a better and a more extensive manner.

     Not only did he himself renounce the world but also inspired five of his relatives to do so by his eloquent speeches. The relatives whom he inspired were: RUPCHAND JAGJIVAN TILCHAND VAADILAL, AND DAHYALAL

     All of them renounced the world and were named Pujya Panyas Ravivijayji, Pujya Muniraj Shri Jinendravijayji, Pujya Muniraj Mahodayvijayji, Pujya Muniraj Vishalvijayji and Pujya Muniraj Hemendravijayji. All of them were his disciples.

     Moreover Pujya Panyas Surendravijayji's every step was fully supported by the Kuvala Sangh and around 16 men and 50 women renounced the world following his footsteps.

     It was the result the efforts directed by him in the direction of the betterment of the Jain society that the Jain society had the great oppurtunity to be in touch with some of his extraordinary disciples like ACHARYA VIJAY RAMSURISWARJI, ACHARYA VIJAY ASHOKCHANDRASURIJI, ACHARYA VIJAYRAJENDRASURIJI AND ACHARYA VIJAY YASHOBHADRASURIJI MAHARAJ SAHEB.

     At the end even in the pain of some very painful disease he died like a merry bird without craving for the comfort he had left years ago or anything else. He died on Kartak vad 5 at Ahmedabad.

Acharya Bhagwant Shrimad Vijay Ramsuriswarji Maharaja

BIRTH :- MAHA SUD 5, VASANT PANCHMI, V.S. 1973, (1917 A.D.) AT AHMEDABAD, GUJRAT.

DIKSHA:- VAISHAKH VAD 10, V.S.1986, (1930 A.D.) AT HARIPURA, GUJRAT.

GANIPAD:- AASO VAD 3, V.S.1999, (1943 A.D.) AT JAMNAGAR, GUJARAT.

PANYAAS PAD:- VAISHAK SUD 3, V.S. 2007, (1951 A.D.) AT PATAN, GUJARAT.

ACHARYA PAD:- VAISHAK SUD 3, V.S. 2007, (1951 A.D.) AT PATAN, GUJARAT.

KALDHARMA (SWARGAVAS):- FAGAN VAD 9, V.S. 2061,(2005 A.D.) AT KAILASHNAGAR, SURAT

     Acharya Bhagwant Shrimad Vijay Ramsuriswarji Maharaja was a great personality of the 20th century. Even in the 5th aara (1 part of the kalchakra) he lived according to the norms laid down by Tirthankar Mahavir and tried to live a sinless and a virtuous life to the extent possible.

     He was born at the Shahpur Kuvavali Pol, Ahmedabad on Maha Sud 5, V.S. 1973, (1917 A.D.). His parents were Gangaba and Bhalabhai and he was named Raman. His parents had sown the seeds of religion and culture in him since childhood. He studied at a Jain School in Mansukhbhai's Pol.

     His aunt had renounced the world and was named Champashriji. When he was in the 6th standard she attracted his attention to Jainism by giving him a kite. After that she introduced him to Guru Bhagwant Shri Muni Surendravijay (who later on became Acharya Bhagwant Surendrasuri Maharaja). In his touch the feeling of renouncing the world grew deeper and stronger within him. At the tender age of 13 years on Vaishakh Vad 10, V.S. 1986, (1930 A.D.) he renounced the world and was initiated at the Asarva - Haripura Jinmandir despite his elder brother being dejected with it. After taking Diksha he came to be known as Pujya Muni Ramvijayji and became a disciple of Pujya Muni Surendravijayji.

     Soon the news of such a young boy renouncing the world spread in all directions like fire and he was praised everywhere. The lamp that was lit at the adolescent age of 13 years grew bigger and brighter till the ripe age of 89 years. During his youth at the age of 26 he attained the designation of a Gani and at the age of 34 he solicited the designations of a Panyaas and an Acharya at the Delha's Pat. He was trapped with an addiction for knowledge. After renouncing the world he was so deeply engrossed in sucking knowledge out of books and scripts that in a very short span of time he mastered subjects like Jaindarshan, Shatdarshan, Nyay(Justice), Vyakran(Grammar), Tark(Debating), Sahitya(Literature), and Jyotish(Astrology). Not only did he himself become wise but also made constant efforts to make the Chaturvidh Sangh( An association of Shravakas, Shravikas, Sadhus and Sadhvis) more knowledgeable.

     Today Shri Chaturvidh Sangha is experiencing a lack of knowledge and this fact was continuously eating him up. To get rid of this problem he thought if Sadhvijis were learned they would impart their knowledge to Shravikas and then it would flow to the Shravakas resulting in a flow of knowledge in the Chaturvidh Sangh.To give a concrete support to his thought and help it come true he established the Acharya SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAJNAN SHALA and displayed the gratitude he owed to his Guru. This institution provided facilities to pandits to reside there, gain knowledge and impart it to Sadhviji Bhagwants and Shravikas. Today the institution is fully functional and is running a total of 6 branches, 2 at Surat and 4 at Ahmedabad and thousands of Sadhvijis are gaining knowledge and imparting it to others.

     Discipline formed an integral part of his life. He did not even allow a minute mistake in the carrying out of norms laid down by Tirthankar Mahavir. He was very alert regarding his work and always finished it on time. He was punctual, disciplined and his only aim was to break free from the vicious circle of life and death. It was because of the presence of these qualities in him that he became the leader of The Chaturvidh Sangh in V.S. 2044, 1988 A.D.). After becoming the leader he solved many burning and unsolved questions regarding Jainism, Some of them are the protection of the environment in and around the Shatrunjay Tirth, Questions regarding God, Guru and Tithi (Dates according to the Jain Calendar).

     Under his leadership all groups under Tapagachh were invited for a meeting to unite these groups under one banner. This meeting was successful and all groups were united under one banner.

     After renouncing the world he had to face a lot of difficulties in life which lasted till his death at the age of 89 years. Still one could not even find a trace of melancholy on his face. He fought all illness like a brave soldier and at the end he fell to cancer but still he was not sad for it. If one saw him for the first time unknown of the fact that he was fighting cancer he could never make it out. When he died peacefully like a merry bird it seemed that even death was ashamed to fall upon him.

     However ill he might be he would cure it in the Upashraya, (The place where Sadhus dwell) and the cure had to be Ayurvedic in nature. By doing this he set an example to his disciples, followers and other Sadhus.

     He had a transparent, frank and fearless character. He never feared advising even the best of Acharyas on matters related to CHARITRA. After V.S. 2044 , (1988 A.D.)also he organised a meeting of all Acharyas under his leadership in the year V.S. 2056 - 57, (2000 - 01 A.D.) to solve some questions regarding Shri Chaturvidh Sangh and Jainism.

     All this is just a glimpse of what he was. An ordinary person cannot even dream of describing him properly as words prove to fall short in describing his greatness. He was like one of those loftiest hills that uncrowns his greatness to the stars. He possessed an extra-ordinary aura circle. He could influence people by not even uttering a single word and the one who came into his touch was sure to see progress in his life.

About Our Pathshala

     In the beginning of V.S.2007 (1951 A.D.) at a small village, Chanas with the help and coordination of the Chaturvidh Sangh he displayed the gratitude he owed to "Acharya Shrimad Vijay Surendrasurishwarji Maharaja" at the "KHADTARNI KHADKI UPASHRAYA" and established the "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" . The seed that was planted with benevolent feelings and hopes and aspirations of spreading knowledge soon grew to be a big tree. When it proved to be very useful in imparting knowledge Shravakas from all over India came and provided help in the form of water and sunlight with the help of which the planted seed became a giant, strong and a sturdy tree.

     ESTABLISHMENT OF OTHER BRANCHES OF "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA"

>> MAIN BRANCH:- JHAVERIVAD, KHADKI OF PATAN, Established in V.S. 2009, (1953 A.D.)

>> JHAVERI PARK:- Established in V.S. 2041, (1985 A.D.)

>> SABARMATI:- Established in V.S. 2053, (1997 A.D.)

     In this manner four branches of the ever prospering " ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" were established in Ahmedabad and during the last Chaturmas (4 Month Stay) ACHARYA BHAGWANT SHRIMAD VIJAY RAMSURISHWARJI MAHARAJA established two branches of this institution at Surat too. The first one was named "PANYAS RAVIVIJAYJI JAIN PATHSHALA " at Kailashnagar and the other shared its name with the institution itself at Gopipura. At present all branches of this institute are fully functinal and running smoothly where a total of 7 jain and other pandits, Shri Sadhviji Bhagvants and Shravikas are prospering and gaining knowledge.

     "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" exhibits a giant collection of 5,000 printed manuscripts and 50,000 books on various subjects like Darshan, Nyay (Justice), Vyakran (Grammer), Jyotish (Astrology), Sangeet (Music), Chitrakala (Drawing), Sahitya (Literature) etc. and all members of the Chaturvidh Sangh are taking due advantage of the presence of such a great institution.

     "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" is also directing efforts to add comfort to the sadhu - sadhviji mahrajs during their "VIHAR", (Journey on Foot).

     "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" also flaunts a huge collection of scripts and books on some rare subjects and the ones which have now become things of the past like "JAIN DARSHAN". This collection is exhibited for the public every year on the event of "GYAAN PANCHMI". The exhibition continues for 3 days and the dates are fixed according to the jain calendar. The dates are "KARTAK SUD 5, KARTAK SUD 6 AND KARTAK SUD 7" and a lot of people come to see the huge collection.

     "ACHARYA SURENDRASURI JAIN TATVAGYAN SHALA" also exhibits a collection of handwritten manuscripts and palm leaf manuscripts that are written in Odiya, Telugu, Kannada and some other languages. Researches are being conducted on these Manuscripts and a constant effort is being made to increase the knowledge that is available with the institution.

     The Institutuion expects that "SHRI CHATURVIDH SANGH" takes more advantage of this ever prospering instituion