Thread by @arpitjain__

🙏🏼 'KSHULLAK' GANESHPRASAD VARNI

Ganesh Prasad ji Varni (1874–1961) was one of the foundational figures of the modern Indian Digambara intellectual tradition during the early 20th century.
Read the thread to know how much he has done for jains.
#jainGem #Jainism #threadstory

He was the founder of several schools and institutions of advanced learning. He was born in Lalitpur (UP), who belonged to the Asati community(mostly Vaishnava), his father had a deep faith in the Namokar Mantra. He used to live in a Jain neighbourhood and visit the Jain temple

near his house in Mandawara. Influenced by lectures there, at the age of ten, he took a vow to take meals before sunset throughout his life. During his yajnopavita ceremony, he had an argument with the priest & his mother, and declared that he will be a Jain henceforth.

Education:
At that time there were no advanced scholars in the Bundelkhand region. He studied at Jaipur, Khurja, Bombay, Mathura, Varanasi and other places with great difficulty. Because of his lack of funds, he occasionally had to starve accept humiliations.

he studied with Pt. Panna Lal Backliwal and Baba Gurdayal at Bombay to pass Ratnakarand Shravakachar and Katantra-panchsanndhiki examinations. There he also met Pt. Gopaldas Baraiya, with whom he studied Nyayadipika and Sarvarthsidhi.

💎Based on his experience of encountering the difficulties in obtaining advanced Jain education, he strongly felt the need for establishing Jain educational institution at Varanasi. He received a donation of one rupee from someone. He used it to by sixty-four postcards,

and sent them to some potential Jain donors & Jain philanthropists like Babu Devkumar of Arrah,Seth Manek Chand, J.P. of Bombay etc, he established the famous Syadwad Mahavidyalaya at Varanasi in 1905
A number of influential Jain scholars have been a product of this institution

With the help of Pt. Motilal Nehru, he was able to get Jain studies introduced at Banaras Hindu University.

Later with encouragement of Balchand Savalnavis, and the support of Kandya, other families he helped establish the Satark-Sudhataringini Jain Pathshala which is now

the well known Ganesh Digamber Jain Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Sagar.

He also helped in establishing various institutions. After inspiring and helping establish these institutions, he left the administration to local volunteers, without bothering to remain in control, and moved on.

Some of these institutions are:

Swadvada Mahavidyalaya Banares.
Sri Kund Kund Jain (P-G) College, Khatauli
Jain Higher Secondary School Sagar.
Mahavira Jain Sanskrit Uchchatar Madhamik Vidyalaya, Lalitpur,
Varni Jain Inter College, Lalitpur.
Shri GPVarni Snatak Mahavidyalaya

Varni Jain Gurukul, Jabalpur.
Shri Parshwanath Brahmacharya Ashram Jain Gurukul, Khurai, 1944.
Pathshalas at Baruasagar, Dronagiri.
Digambar Jain mahila Ashram, Sagar.
Digambar Jain Udasin Ashram, Isri

Many of the Jain scholars today are products of the institutions found by

Shri Ganeshprasad Varni
Sahajananda Varni was one of his disciples.
While Jinendra Varni never heard him speaking, he was deeply influenced by him and had compiled a volume 'Varni Darshan' to commemorate Ganeshprasad Varni's birth 1975

He led a simple & aesthetic life and dedicated himself to the study and teaching of Jain philosophy. He gradually adopted a life of renunciation. At Kundalpur, he took the brahmacharya vrata (celibacy), ie 7th pratima from Baba Gokuldas and thus came to be called a 'Varni'.

He took 10th pratima in 1944, and became a kshullak in 1947
He travelled extensively in India. He donated his only wearing ,the Chadar, at a public meeting held in with Azad Hind Army at Jabalpur in 1945. It was auctioned for Rs. 3000/- for raising the funds for the army.

At the age of 87, sensing his impending end, he retired to Isri Udasin Ashram, near Sammet Shikhar which he had himself helped establish. He took the vows of a Jain Muni with the name Muni 108 Ganeshkirti. He died in his final meditation (Samadhi-maran) on 5 December 1961

Vinoba Bhave had much regard and admiration for him.  Saint Mother Anandmayi at Bengal paid him a visit at Varanasi and expressed profound respect for him as a spiritual and ethical saint.
Late President Dr.  Rajendra Prasad  had also met him  and expressed respect for him

Coming from non jain background , he became a staunch jain follower and did so much jains in those early days hardly anybody cud think of.
This proves to become a jain u don't need any qualification or birth in jain family.
Ur intentions and following of jain principals are

Enough to know if u jain or not.
Such are our great forefathers which hardly new generation remembers ,
One can get so much inspired from them.
The real Jain gem of jains.

Info credits :- jainismRevival (Facebook)