Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj passes away, PM Modi says "Irreparable Loss"
New Delhi : Jain seer Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj passed away on Sunday at Chandragiri Teerth in Dongargarh in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district after undertaking 'sallekhna'.
Sallekhna is a Jain religious practice in which a person takes up voluntary fast unto death for spiritual purification. According to a statement by Teerth, "Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj attained Samadhi through 'Sallekhna' at Chandragiri teerth at 2:35 am."
"Maharaj was staying on the teerth in Dongargarh for the last six months and was unwell from the last few days. For the last three days, he was observing sallekhna, a religious practice of voluntarily fasting to death, and had quit intake of food and liquids. According to Jainism, it is a vow taken for spiritual purification," the statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj and called it an "irreparable loss" for the nation.
"The passing away of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyasagar Ji Maharaj is an irreparable loss for the country. His valuable efforts for spiritual awakening among the people will always be remembered. He remained engaged in poverty alleviation as well as promoting health and education in the society throughout his life. It is my privilege that I kept receiving his blessings. My meeting with him last year at Chandragiri Jain Temple in Chhattisgarh will be unforgettable for me. Then I received a lot of love and blessings from Acharya Ji. His unparalleled contribution to the society will continue to inspire every generation of the country," PM Modi wrote on Twitter in Hindi.
