Pilgrimage and Abstention
Chapter- 45
Virtuous are those whose pilgrimage turns into an adoration of the Self and who return from pilgrimage with some special gift.
The “Bhavaya” souls develop such magnificent base for the welfare of their Self by going to pilgrimage of ‘Nirvan Kshetrci that incarnates their dormant inert potentials.
Achharya Shri, at the age of 32 years in his “Grihasthashram” (house-holder status), renounced ghee and oil for the whole of his life so as to make the memory of the pilgrimage of Shri Sammed Shikharji long-lasting. On returning home, this future muni vowed to take meals just once in a day.
While paying homage at the feet of Bhagwan Neminath on the Gimar mountain as a ‘Kshullak’ (a junior monk, observer of eleven ‘pratima’), he renounced his “Dupatta” to become “Eilak”, making this pilgrimage a memorable one.
On returning from Girnar-mountain he also gave up the use of any vehicle for the whole of his life and took the vow to walk on foot. On the way back from Girnar mountain, the evening was about to fall. He came out for taking food. After “Padgahan” (prostration and request by shravak to take food), when he was just about to start taking food, he noticed the time.
It was winter season and the sun was soon about to set. He began to think that if 1 start taking food then it will be taken as a fault of taking food at night. There was still some sunlight. Despite the fatigue of the journey and the intense hunger, Achharya Shri came out without taking food.
People asked the reason, “Maharaj! Has any carelessness happened?” He replied calmly, “There was no fault in the “Bhojan-Vidhi” (food-rites), but I gave up food because of the possibility of causing the fault in the observation of the vow by taking food so late.”
The saint should abstain from taking food seventy two minutes before sun set.
