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Birth & Childhood: In these days, the Jain mendicant Shri Nanchandraji who had adopted the thinking of Mahatma Gandhi happened to be at Mumbai. His lectures were directed to consolidate the thinking of Lord Mahavir & Mahatma Gandhi in doing religious activities. Hearing these lectures, Shivlal was moved to adopt Dixa. He thought to adopt Dixa after the death of his mother with the consent of his sister and other relatives. There was prohibitive act on granting of Dixa by Jain mendicants but the king of Morbi was present to hear the preachings of Shri Nanchandraji and being deeply affected by the words of Shri Nanchandraji, he lifted this ban and then Shivlal was granted Dixa in 1929 in the presence of thousands of Jains and non-Jains. Shivlal was now Muni Shri Saubhagya Chandra. He became an ardent disciple of Shri Nanchandraji Maharaj. He later became famous as Santbal. Study of scriptures: Because of his ability to remember many things at a time, he studied and thought on serious issues of Jain scriptures and gave vast literature to Gujarati Samaj within the years 1933 to 1938. He converted the four scriptures-Uttaradhyayan, Dashvaishalik, Acharang and Avashyak into simple and effective Gujarati language and published them through the Mahavir Prakashan Mandir-a publication house. He presented the first two scriptures in the form of poetry under the title Sadhak Sahachari. In his last years, he translated Tattvarth Sootra in Gujarati poetic form and tried to place the original scripture in the hands of Gujarati Samaj. He, thus, followed a welcome practice. In this achievement he proved himself to be a highly learned personality as also hi skill of composing poetry. Loneliness and separation from religious trend: Experiments in social service: He started co-operative and drew them for self-honor and pride learning, encouraged Khadi and cottage industries, adopted improved agriculturing, led them to maintain cows, activised village panchayats, started the system of arbitration for village quarrels, pressed for Lok Adalats for dealing with some more serious disputes, committees to absolve discarded persons, mother-communities, clinics, experimental unions, farmers unions, cowherd's unions, self-labor, village industries, laborers union and several other institutions. Muni Shri Santbalji inspired & encouraged people to keep themselves together and work with co-operation. Villages were dependent upon others and Muni Shri Santbalji gave them the programme for earning bread, housing, clothing, education, health, justice & security so that they might be self-supporting. He made all possible efforts to secure democratic administrative system, non-violent and religious minded society, clean and honest dealing and hard-working attitude in the people. He created hopes and faith in these people by his own virtues, restraint and the power of penance. He took the people to stand up with faith that they could do something for others. He told them that they had to swim by their own boat. He brought then out from the beliefs of destiny. He continued to inspire these people continuously for 45 yeas and ordinary people did extra-ordinary works under the guidance and inspiration of Muni Shri Santbalji. He poured new light in villages and the meek villagers came out with the force of their own. Muni Shri did not confine himself within the limitations of practical behavior in society, he did not consider immediate profit or loss like a trader but thought with long terms good of the people. He was for the change of prevailing circumstances, change of cornerised thinking and also the change of heart and he fought to achieve this till the end of his life. His vow of not to beg for anything, his life and his prestige were all at stake and yet he spent the whole of his life to preserve the social values. There was not a single corner of the society in which his ideals and his thoughts had not touched. He wanted to build the society on the basis of single religion of equality, sympathy and honor for all. He made new in-roads in economic, social, educational, cultural, political, spiritual, moral and religious fields. He opposed injustice by non-violent methods and made all out efforts to establish truth & justice. He made penance a way for social good. Individual activities of Jainism were converted into social activities. He, thus, gave an entirely new outlook for the good of self as well as of society. He used to say that all the Sadhus or mendicants should discard discriminating caste, creed, community, region and religion and work for world-peace. After moving all over the country, Muni Shri Santbalji came to Chinchan village of Thana District in Maharashtra as per his last wishes. He wanted to create International Centre named Mahavirnagar here and hence he stayed here on permanent basis until he breathed his last on Friday, on march 26, 1982. He was honored by every home in Maharashtra but he died on the auspicious day of Gudi Padvo. Following the traditions of some saints of middle-age culture, Muni Shri became younger brother Santbal of other saints, and told the stories of Ramayan, Mahabharat, Bhagwat, Geeta and the preachings of Lord Mahavir to the common people making it to suit to the prevailing circumstances in the society. He inspired and encouraged everyone to start working for the good of the society. He was an activist from his birth and even though he accepted renunciation on one side turned to look for others following the ideal thinking of Mahatma Gandhi. He said: Service to society is service to God and advised everyone not to forget this principle ever in his or her life. We shall also follow his words and pay him highest tribute only with our works.
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