Joint In Spirit

Up to three weeks ago, we supposed to be the only western Jains in Berlin. But then some technical problem came up and one laptop had to be brought to a service station. It was a rainy day and therefore it seemed advisable to use the computer bag for transport. Inside the bag a booklet was found, accurately stored there 6 months ago, and then forgotten. When scrolling the pages, a hitherto unknown lady's address in Berlin attracted attention.

Shree Chitrabhanu had given it to editor Karuna Jain when they met at Pratishta Mahotsav at the Potters Bar Oshwal Centre in Herts. It was the address of his Berlin based student Trupti Traudel Pandya, who is a follower of Jain Dharma as we are.

The first day, when editor Karuna Jain was at the Potters Bar Oshwal Centre with Samanis Pratibha & Punya Pragya, was the first encounter with Chitrabhanu as well.

From left to right: Samanis Pratibha& Punya Pragya and Shree Chitrabhanu

He was walking in one row with the Samanis, when Karuna reached them. She had stayed a little behind for taking photographs and talking to some persons of her acquaintance. He very friendly and openly welcomed her, she replied happily, but did not know who he was. There were drums and music, and by chance, she walked next to Chitrabhanu, but too much afar from the Samanijis for proper introduction. She was not aware of the fact that Chitrabhanu to whom she was talking was the one the Oshwal Association in London had invited to perform the opening and spirit inputting ceremonies. In distance, it was a short, but remarkable walk to the flower garlanded columns at the east side of the temple Chitrabhanu was going to open.

Shree Chitrabhanu opening the flower garlanded column at the east side of the temple

Chitrabhanu told her that there are many ways to approach and realise the self, but to his view, meditation is the most powerful. Karuna as a regular practitioner of Preksha Meditation felt very close to this view. Chitrabhanu continued that meditation is a universal way to contact the self and to find the truth oneself, Lord Mahavira had enunciated. Further, he said that western or any other than India based or originated people might easily get into contact with their inner self through meditation. As meditation is not much favoured by the customs of the industrialised countries, but people suffer from the exclusively outwards oriented outlook of western culture, meditation might act as a bridge in both directions of reality, the inner and the outer, the material and the spiritual.

Shree Chitrabhanu and editor Karuna Jain

After hearing that Karuna and her husband are followers of Jain Dharma, Chitrabhanu wanted to know how many members the Berlin Jain community has. Karuna replied that they did not know any active follower of Jain Dharma in Berlin except themselves. She then explained that she felt belonging to the JVB London family, as everybody always had accepted her with full heart. She was even invited to stay under the same roof as the Samanijis. Chitrabhanu stated that it surely would be nice to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti together in Berlin and gave the address of his student. Karuna copied it meticulously in the booklet mentioned below, and that is how the address got out of sight for six months…

Shree Chitrabhanu (left) and Samanis Pratibha & Punya Pragya (right)

The sequel of the story is published in HereNow4U … How? Easy to proof, as there immediately was such a good understanding and communication between the three of us, that Trupti Traudel handed over for publication her translation of Shree Chitrabhanu's Philosophy Of Matter and Soul and HereNow4U proudly presents the first translation into German language of the same . Jai Jinendra!

Shree Chitrabhanu in front of the doors of the temple