Acharya Vidyasagar Age, Death, Family, Biography & More
Acharya Vidyasagar Age, Death, Family, Biography & More
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Quick Infoâ
Age: 77 Years
Death Cause: Sallekhana
Death Date: 18/02/2024
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Other name | Vidyadhar check sources Vidyasagar |
| Nickname(s) | Sukumal, Peelu, Gini (Tota), and Mari check sources Vidyasagar |
| Profession | Digambar Jain Monk |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Gray (semi-bald) |
| Religious Career | |
| Diksha (Initiation) | 30 June 1968 |
| Teacher | Acharya Gyansagar |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 10 October 1946 (Thursday) |
| Birthplace | Sadalga, Belgaum district, Karnataka, India |
| Date of Death | 18 February 2024 |
| Place of Death | Chandragiri, Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, India |
| Age (at the time of death) | 77 Years |
| Death Cause | Sallekhna check sources The Times of India |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Sadalga, Belgaum district, Karnataka |
| School | He studied till 9th class in a Kannada medium school. check sources Vidyasagar |
| Food Habit | Vegetarian check sources Dainik Bhaskar |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status (at the time of death) | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | N/A |
| Parents | Father- Mallappa Jain Mother- Shrimanti  |
| Siblings | Brother-3 ⢠Mahaveer (elder) ⢠Anantanath (younger) ⢠Shantinath (younger) Sister- 2 ⢠Shanta (younger) ⢠Suvarna (younger) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Acharya Vidyasagar
Acharya Vidyasagar was famous for his scholarship and spending a long time in meditation.
Vidyadhar liked going to temples and teaching his younger siblings about religion. In his leisure time, he enjoyed painting.
When he was young, he loved eating fresh butter, which was later turned into clarified butter called ghee.
In 1968, at 22 years old, he became a Digambara monk under Acharya Gyansagar in Ajmer. Acharya Gyansagar was part of the lineage of Acharya Shantisagar.
In 1972, Vidyasagar became an Acharya. He is seen as a role model for establishing institutions that help people in different places.
As a traditional Digambara Jain monk, Acharya Vidyasagar avoided staying in one place for too long, except during the four rainy months (Chaturmas). He kept his next destination secret, even though people tried to guess where he would go next. check sources Patrika check sources Dainik Bhaskar
Acharya Vidyasagar leading his sangha during his vihara
More than two hundred monks (munis) and nuns (Äryikas) were initiated and guided by him, including 117 Digambar Munis and 172 Äryikas. They live in over 60 places across India during Chaturmas, from Gujarat to Jharkhand and from Haryana to Karnataka.
He was the only Acharya in India who had given 505 initiations, including Muni, Äryika, Ailak, and Kshulak initiations, before his demise. check sources Dainik Bhaskar
Acharya Vidyasagar followed strict rules in his ascetic life. He didnât eat milk, yoghurt, green veggies, or dry fruits. He only drank water once a day, measuring it with his finger. His diet was mainly plain lentils and bread in small amounts. He travelled a lot around the country by walking. check sources Dainik Bhaskar
Though born in Karnataka and undertaking spiritual discipline in Rajasthan, he mostly spent his time in the Bundelkhand region. Here, he is recognized for revitalizing educational and religious activities. check sources India Today
In 2006, his follower Muni Kshamasagar wrote a biography about Acharya Vidyasagar called âÄtmÄnveĹhÄŤ,â which was later translated into English as âIn Quest of the Self.â
Cover of the book âIn Quest of the Selfâ
Some of Acharya Vidyasagarâs followers have become well-known scholars themselves. By 2001, about 21% of all Digambar monks were following his teachings. Among his disciples are Muni Sudhasagar and Muni Pramansagar. One of his most famous followers, Muni Kshamasagar, passed away in 2015.
In 2016, Acharya Vidyasagar spent his Chaturmas in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, accompanied by 38 monks. During this period, he was invited by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to deliver a reading (Pravachana) in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly on 28th July 2016.
In 2018, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath honoured Vidyasagar with the State Guest Honor. Later, the UP Government issued a protocol recognizing this honour.
In July 2018, the fiftieth anniversary of his diksha was celebrated in many cities across India with parades and festivities. To mark this important event, commemorative columns called Swarna Kirti Stambha were erected in Ajmer, Rewa, Sravanbelgola, and other places.
Acharya Vidyasagar was skilled in Sanskrit and Prakrit, along with other languages like Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, and English.
He wrote a lot in languages like Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Hindi, creating important works such as Niranjana Shataka, Bhavana Shataka, Parishah Jaya Shataka, Suniti Shataka, and Shramana Shataka. He had composed nearly 700 haiku poems, though they havenât been published. check sources Vidyasagar
In November 2018, a documentary film called âVidyodayâ about Acharya Vidyasagarâs life was released. The film had its first international screening at the Harrow Safari Cinema in London.
Poster of the 2018 documentary film âVidyodayâ
One of his notable contributions is the Hindi epic poem âMukamati,â which is part of the syllabus for Hindi MA programs in different institutions. This poem has also been translated into English by Lal Chandra Jain and presented to Pratibha Patil, the President of India. Many researchers have studied his works for their masterâs and doctoral theses.
His favourite game was chess.
The house in which he was born was later turned into a temple and a museum. check sources Dainik Bhaskar
The Acharya renounced his Acharyahood and began Sallekhna on 14 February 2024, at Chandragiri Tirth in Dongargarh. He passed on the Acharya title to Niryapak Muni Samaysagar Maharaj on 6 February 2024. check sources Dainik Bhaskar
Acharya Vidyasagar after obtaining samadhi
After the passing of Acharya Vidyasagar on 18 February 2024, the governments of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh declared a half-day state mourning. check sources Telangana Today The Governor and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh also offered their condolences on his death. check sources The Week
In 2024, at the BJPâs National Convention in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, and other BJP leaders observed a one-minute silence to honour the Acharyaâs passing and express their condolences. check sources The Times of India
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