Shantisagar
Acharya Shri Shantisagar Ji was an Indian Acharya of the Digambara monk faith. Shanti Sagar ji revived the teaching and practice of traditional Digambara practices in North India. He was lustrated as a kshullaka into the Sangha by Devappa Swami Ji. He took his ailaka deeksha by Acharya Shri 108 Aadisagar ji, who was the first acharya of 20th century, after visiting Shri Girnar Ji Siddhkshetra. In about 1920, Shantisagar Ji became a Digambara muni. In 1922, at Yarnal village, Belgaum district, Karnataka, he was given the name "Shanti Sagar Ji".
Early life
Shantisagar ji was born in 1872 near Bhoj village in what is now Belgavi district in Karnataka, India. His father either worked as a farmer or was employed in the clothing business. At age eighteen, having read religious texts and undergone several pilgrimages, Shantisagar Ji decided to dedicate his life to a religious order.Shantisagar Ji's parents died in 1912. He then traveled to the Jain holy place, Shravanabelagola, a town in Hassan district, Karnataka, India. In 1918, whilst in Shravanabelagola, Shantisagar Ji was initiated as a kshullaka into the Sangha by Devappa Swami Ji. He took his ailaka deeksha by Acharya Shri 108 Aadisagar ji, who was the first acharya of 20th century, after visiting Shri Girnar Ji Siddhkshetra In about 1920, Shantisagar became a muni of the Digambara sect. In 1922, at Yarnal village, Belgaum district, Karnataka, he was given the name "Shanti Sagar".
He preached the principles of digamber religion in various parts of India and became an Acharya. His disciples also called him "Charitra Chakravarti". He has also been called "muniraj", and "silasindhi".
He began a hunger strike to oppose restrictions imposed on Digambar monks by the British Raj.
His Vihar throughout India
He was the first Digambar Jain monk in the 20th Century to wander throughout India. The wandering of a digamber monk is termed "Vihara" an old sramanic term. Padmanabh Jaini writes:Acharya Shantisagar Ji took last breath on 18 September 1955 at 6:50 am at Kunthalgiri, Osmanabad district, Maharashtra, India.
Based on the accounts given by Sumeruchandra Diwakar and Dharmachanda Shastri, Shantisagar was born in 1872 to Bhimagauda Patil and Satyavati at Bhoj Village in Belgavi dist., Karnataka, India. His birth name was Satgauda. He was married at the age of nine. His wife died six months after the marriage. In 1905, he made a pilgrimage to Digambar Teerth Sammed Shikharji accompanied by his sister.
In 1925, Shantisagar Ji was present in Kumbhoj township. He attended the Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanbelgola, Karnataka. In 1926, he visited Nanded city, Maharashtra. In 1927, he visited Bahubali, Maharashtra and then Nagpur which was then the capital of the Central provinces. Shantisagar then travelled in east India.He also travelled to tirth Champapur and Pavapur.
In 1928, Shantisagar ji visited central India. He visited towns including Katni in Madhya Pradesh state, Jabalpur, Sleemanabad, Nohta, Kundalpur and Sagar. In Dronagir, Shantisagar encountered a tiger. By 1929, Shantisagar Ji was in Lalitpur. In Sonagir, four ailaks. By 1929, Shantisagar Ji was visiting Gwalior and Murena.
Shantisagar Ji travelled to north India. In Rajakheda, Uttar Pradesh, Shantisagar was attacked by a violent crowd. Shantisagar Ji visited Agra, Hastinapur and Firozabad. In 1930, Shantisagar Ji visited Mathura and received a blessing. Shantisagarji's presence in Delhi in 1931 is marked by a memorial at Lal Mandir.
In the 1930s, Shantisagar Ji travelled through Western India. He visited the Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Shri Mahaveer Ji temple, a pilgrimage site. ShantisagarJi visited Jaipur in 1932, Byavur in 1933, Udaipur in 1934, Goral in Gujarat in 1935, Pratapgarh in 1936 and Gajpantha in Maharashtra in 1937. Around this time, Shri Shantisagar Charitr was written by Muni Kunthusagar in Sanskrit and in Gajpantha, Shantisagarji was given the title, "Charitra Chakravarti". In 1938, Shantisagarji visited Baramati, Indore city in Madhya Pradesh. In 1939, he visited Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh.
In the 1940s, Shantisagar Ji travelled through Maharashtra state. He visited Goral in 1940, Akluj in 1941, Korochi in 1942, Digraj in 1943, Kunthalgiri in 1944, temple Phaltan in 1945, and Kavalana in 1946. Then in 1947, at the time of Partition, Shantisagarji was in Sholapur. In a miracle, in Shantisagarji's presence, a mute young man began to speak. In 1948, Shantisagarji was in Phaltan. He was in Kavlana in 1949.
In the 1950s, Shantisagarji continued to travel in Maharashtra state. He was in Gajpantha in 1950, Baramati in 1951, Lonand in 1952, and Kunthalgiri in 1953. In 1953, Sumeruchandra Diwakar's book, Charitra Chakravarti was published. In 1954, there was preservation of the Dhavala books.
Sallekhana Or Samadhi
In 1955, Shantisagarji arrived in Kunthalgiri town. On 18 September 1955, he completed the practice of samadhi, a gradual reducing of intake of fluid and food leading to death. Sumeruchandra Diwakar, Bhattarakas Lakshmisen and Jinasen arrived in the town. Acharya Shantisagar Ji attained utkrushta samadhimaran after the 35th / 36th day of fasting. The title of Acharya pada was awarded to Muni Virasagar Ji.Padmanabh Jaini writes about his Sallekhana:
His lineage (parampara)
He had handed over the leadership to Acharya Virasagar Ji. He was followed by, in sequence, Acharya Shivsagar Ji, Acharya Dharmasagar Ji, Acharya Ajitasagar Ji and then Acharya Vardhamansagar Ji who currently leads his sangha. There are numerous Digambar monks who belong to this tradition.Acharya Aadisagar Ankalikar Ji (1809–1887)
He was the first acharya of the 20th Century and he took munidiksha at Kunthalgiri siddhkshetra all alone by himself and became the first acharya in the year 1915 at Kadgemela, Jaisinghpur, Maharashtra. He revived digambar Jain ascetic tradition. He used to have only one food item that too in 8 days. Acharya shri Mahavirkirtji, Acharya Vimalsagar Ji belonged to his lineage followed by Tapasvi samrat Acharya shri 108 Sanmati sagar ji maharaj, who did the most amount of tapasya after Tirthankar Mahavir, followed by Acharya shri 108 Sunil sagarji maharaj, who is the current leader of the ascetic lineage.Acharya Shantisagarji Chhani
Acharya Shantisagar Ji is sometimes termed Acharya Shantisagar Ji to contrast him with Acharya Shantisagar Ji "Chhani" .Chhani is a district in Udaipur. They were thus contemporary. Sarakoddharak Acharya Gyansagar Ji was initially initiated by Acharya Vidyasagar Ji as a Brahmachari, later he was initiated as a Digambar Muni by Acharya Sumatisagar Ji belonging to the lineage of Acharya Shantisagar Ji Chhani.