17.06.2017 ►JAINA ►Newsletter

Jai Jinendra!

We bring you life story of our beloved Gurudev Chitrabhanuji - Co-Founder of JAINA and an enlightened soul who has uniquely helped spread the principles of Jainism. The biggest contribution to all of us is his vision which today ties all Jain's of North America in one mala known as JAINA.

JAINA is organizing Girnar Yatra from January 20-30, 2018. Details are below.

JAINA Convention is now only two weeks away. It is a splendid opportunity for life time memories, Religious learning and meeting Global Jains. Register at www.jaina.org. Thanks to Gunvantbhai Shah and Convention team for their untiring efforts over last one year to give you an amazing experience. I look forward to greeting you at JAINA Convention.

Sincerely,

Ashok Domadia
JAINA President & Chairman
San Francisco

One who meditates on the soul, attains the supreme samadhi.

- (Niyamasara, 129)

This July, we will be celebrating 95th Birthday of Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji who is in a remarkably high spirit and good health. To understand his amazing life story, let’s look at his unique life of struggles and achievements.

He was born on July 26, 1922, as Rup-Rajendra into a devout Jain family in a small town of Takhatgadh, Rajasthan. His parents were overjoyed to have been blessed with a healthy and happy child since their two earlier offspring, a boy and a girl, had not survived past their 1st birthday.

Rup Rajendra grew up in a town called Tumkur near Bengaluru where his father had a small clothing store. When he was three years old, he gained a little sister named Magi. A year later, mother Chunibai passed away. Tragedy struck again when Rup was only eleven and he lost his beloved sister to an illness.

This is a shrine with an idol of Ambikadevi. The story goes like this:There was a demon named Hingul, who harassed all the devotees climbing this hill. Ambika Devi, a protector deity and a devotee of Neminath, defeated Hingul. As his dying wish, he wanted his name to be remembered. Ambika Devi granted this wish by changing her name to Hinglaj Devi and is worshiped under that name here even today.

It is believed that if you pay respect here, your pilgrimage will be completed successfully.Rest on the stone benches here. The next half of the climb gets easier, I promise.

Click to read the story & listen to an amazing audio clip in or

Source:

Your first time at Jain Milan? Maybe you've been there, done that and think you know everything Jain Milan has to offer? Check out the following true story.

Editor's note: For the sake of anonymity, the interviewee has an alias name of Puja Jain. If you are interested in talking with Puja Jain or hearing more about her experience, please feel free to reach out to one of the Jain Milan coordinators and they will get you in touch with her.

Before the Convention

Q: What were your thoughts about marriage before the convention?
Puja: I was born and raised in the US. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, there wasn't a large number of Indian Americans in media or the public eye. Basically, all Indians were "doctors and engineers". I knew my parents had an arranged marriage but I didn't think I would have one because I'm not living in India.

Watch this interesting video about how Anekantvada (many-sidedness) - ideology given by Jain religion about 2600 years ago, has been mentioned in history among various religions around the World, in international movies and science.

1) Mohaniya or Deluding Karma

The operation of this Karma deludes the soul by causing wrong perception. On account of this Karma, soul fails to perceive the realities and tends to identify itself with the ephemeral body, its worldly connections, acquisitions etc. Thereby, the soul happens to perceive the comforts or discomforts of the body and its environments as its own happiness or misery. One feels pleased when such situations are comfortable and strives to maintain them as such. If the situations are not comfortable, (s)he strives hard to change them to his/her liking and indulges in different types of defilements, when something does not happen to his/her liking. This arises from our basic ignorance on account of which our Self is smeared with defilements and we indulge in craving and aversion.

This Karma is divided into two parts viz. Darshan Mohaniya and Charitra Mohaniya. The former arises on account of ignorance and the latter from indulgence in defilements. There are 28 subdivisions of this Karma.

2) Antaraya or obstructing Karma

By the operation of this Karma, we experience obstacles or obstructions in our efforts for Self realization or in our intention to do something good. For instance, there may be a lecture of some enlightened person and we might be intending to attend it. But all of a sudden we may be overcome by some bodily pain, or some of our family members gets sick, or the car gets stuck or any such eventuality may arise preventing us from going to the lecture. It would be possible to conceive of such obstructions arising when we get ready for undertaking some good or desirable activity like charity, extending help to others, enjoying any situation etc. Five subdivisions of this Karma are:
Danantaraya, Labhantaraya, Bhogantaraya, Upabhogantaraya and Viryantaraya.

Teams from across the country submitted bids to bring the 2018 YJA Convention to their city. After careful review of the applications, the YJA Board voted to choose a location where we hope to have our best convention yet. YJA is so excited to announce that #YJA18 will be held in Chicago, IL! Relive the excitement of the convention city release with the

The planning begins now - mark your calendars for the We’ll see you there!

15 Colocasia / Taro root leaves, rinsed and dried

For the Paste:

• 2 cups Gram flour (besan)
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (haldi)
• 2 tablespoon powdered Jaggery or as required
• 1 teaspoon thick Tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
• Salt, to taste