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DEEKSHA AT SHRAVANABELAGOLA
Shravanabelagola, Mar 9:
With two Digambar Jain Brahmacharis all set to be initiated (deeksha) as
kshullak and kshullika respectively on Friday, the atmosphere at the Sri Mutt is
surcharged with dharmic fervour.
Venerated Jain monk Acharya 108
Vardhamana Sagar Munimaharaj, and other Acharyas and Aryikas, today imparted the
Prathyakyana Vidhi to Brahmachari Mahendra Shah and Brahmacharini Roopavathi
Chougle, the duo who are due to be initiated on Friday as Kshullak and Kshullika
respectively. HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji
graced the ceremony.
The Prathyakyana Vidhi involved
the Acharya and the other monks and nuns guiding the duo to ways in which they
would partake food once they are initiated; and committed them to a whole day's
fast till the initiation process ended, complete with Kleshalonchana, the
ceremonial plucking of hair on the head and face. The duo were committed to
abstaining from anna (rice), pana (liquids), lehya (pastes) and khadya
(substances that need to be broken and chewed). Later, the duo performed pooja
to the idol of Ganadhara Parameshti.
27-year old Brahmachari Mahendra
Shah, a M.A (Hindi) post graduate, hails from Bholi, Sawai Madhavpur near the
Jain holy shrine Mahaveerji kshtra in Rajasthan. Acharya Vardhamana Sagar
initiated Shah as a Brahmachari 1 years ago.
71-year old Brahmacharini
Roopavathi Chougle hails from Bhose Village in Sangli, Maharasthra and has been
a Brahmacharini for eleven years now. She has visited the Jain holy place of
Shikarji in Jharkhand five times and had arrived at Shravanabelagola for the
Mahamasthakabhisheka from Belgaum by walk with Acharya Vardhaman Sagar's team.
Wife of late Devappa Annappa Chougle, Brahmacharini Roopavathi Chougle's mother
was also a nun, late Aarika Sri Parswamathi Mataji. Munishri Approvasagar had
initiated Roopavathi Chougle as a Brahmacharini.
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