Acharya Mahaprajna
I am also dissatisfied on one count. Gurudeva used to admire as well as show dissatisfaction at our performance and I have also formed the same habit. Whenever we went to him to apprise him of the progress of a particular task assigned to us, he used to say, “You have done good work. I am satisfied but I still do not have full satisfaction”. Both Acharya Tulsi and his predecessor Acharya Kalugani strove hard to promote the study and learning of Sanskrit language among the monks and nuns of our Dharm Sangh. The progress made in this direction is astonishing. I can say that our Dharm Sangh is second to none in the country if our performance is evaluated. It is, in fact, not an egotistic assertion but a reality. If a comparative study is carried out, we are confident that our Dharm Sangh will get the first position. We are satisfied with this achievement but we have to go miles yet.
It is no mean achievement for the Dharma Sangha but we still remain worried as regards the young generation of our monks and nuns. We wish that they too develop this zeal and fascination for the learning of Sanskrit but sometimes we feel that we are not much successful. It is both a problem and a matter of concern for us and I do not hide my dissatisfaction.
We do not want to belittle the importance of the vidya (wisdom) that we have acquired by dint of hard work. I am of the view that those who do not know Sanskrit in its totality will not be able to know Indian culture too. In my discussion with many important people in Delhi I said, “You are not in touch with the soul of India. We are in touch with it. We have forged an intimate and direct relationship with the five thousand year old soul of India. But the sad situation that exists today is that those who talk no end of Indian culture send their children abroad to study but do not impart to them the knowledge of our ancient vidya (wisdom).
There is no doubt that the ancient vidya, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apbhransh etc. are responsible for the progress of our Dharma Sangha and I wish and hope that my monks, nuns, samans (semi-monks) and samanis (semi-nuns) will pay heed to the fact that the vidya that has come by is preserved. In this direction we have made some efforts this year and it is a matter of satisfaction that we have moved ahead to some extent but we have to bear in mind that our efforts do not slacken in the future and that this endeavour is sustained.
