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Jain sage Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj: Jain sage Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj has passed away as a Brahmin. This morning, Jain monk Acharya Vidyasagar Ji Maharaj passed away at the age of 77 at Chandragiri Tirtha in Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a post on 'X', 'My condolences are with the devotees of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyasagar Maharaj. The coming generations will remember him for his contribution to the society.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the famous pilgrimage site Dongargarh located in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh in the year 2023. There he met Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj. During this, the Chief Minister touched the feet of Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj and took blessings. While sharing the pictures on 'X', Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote, 'Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj did many important works in the field of spirituality, poverty, health and education and worked to make people aware.'
He became a monk at the age of 22
Jain monk Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj was born on 10 October 1946 in a Kannada speaking Jain family in Belgaum district of Karnataka. The house where he was born is now a temple and museum. His childhood name was Vidyasagar. Jain monk Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj initiated as a Digambara monk in the year 1968 at the age of 22. His younger brothers Yogasagar Maharaj and Samaysagar Maharaj took the vow of celibacy and later became monks.
Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj received the title of Acharya in the year 1972. Acharya did not consume foods such as potatoes, onions and garlic that were traditionally prohibited in Jainism. They ate only one meal at a time and slept on the floor or wooden planks without mattresses or pillows. It is noteworthy that in the year 1999, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also met Vidyasagar Ji Maharaj in Gomatgiri during his stay in Indore.
Preached in Madhya Pradesh Assembly
On 28 July 2016, after receiving a special invitation from the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj preached in the Legislative Assembly. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath also met him. It is noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced to give him state guest honour. A protocol was also announced by the Uttar Pradesh government in this regard.