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Shrimad
was born to Smt. Devba and Shri Ravjibhai on the auspicious
day of 9th November, 1867 (Kartik Purnima V.S.
1924), at Vavania (Gujarat, India). At the young age
of 7, on witnessing the burning pyre of an acquaintance,
He underwent unprecedented mental churning and attained
Jatismaran jnan (a recollection of several past
lives) at the cremation ground itself. This vivid recollection
of the past, established continuity with His previously
attained state of knowledge, meditation and penance.
As a result of this purification of His consciousness,
many unusual mnemonic and psychic powers manifested
in Him, but He chose to ignore them, focusing solely
on self-realization.
Though young in age, He was spiritually
mature, and remained in a state of heightened awareness.
Despite a powerful intrinsic attitude of detachment
and a burning desire for total renunciation, at the
age of 20, He had to tie the knot of marriage and engage
in business. Having spent nearly a decade of His life
as a householder, ably discharging the responsibilities
that had come His way, inwardly He remained completely
detached. Worldly pleasures failed to attract Him in
the least and He spent long hours in profound contemplation
and deep meditation.
Ceaselessly immersed in spiritual
pursuits, at the age of 23, He attained Shuddha
Samyakdarshan (right self-perception). After the
age of 28, His responsibilities decreased and He began
to spend 4 to 6 months of the year in seclusion at various
places in Gujarat, where He lived the life of an ascetic,
taking very little food only once a day.
At the age of 32, He was at the
threshold of complete renunciation when He contracted
an illness from which He never recovered. Inspite of
extreme physical discomfort, He always remained in a
blissful state. Despite comprehensive treatment by doctors
and meticulous care by devotees and relatives, all efforts
to save His holy body failed. On 9th April, 1901 (Chaitra
Vad Pancham V.S. 1957), at Rajkot, this enlightened
soul left His mortal body, in a state of complete awareness.
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