The Jain religion is known for its principles of truth, non-violence and moksha, meaning freedom from the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth. A lot of people from the Jain community renounce worldly desires by attaining diksha in order to attain moksha and live their life as a monk for spiritual and religious betterment of the society.
While a lot of people attain diksha in an old age or in their fifties or forties, the recent trend shows that more youngsters are inclining towards attaining diksha. In the last few years, a lot of youngsters and children have reportedly attained diksha after deciding at a very tender age that they will live the rest of their lives as a monk or a nun.
In April, a Jain businessman Bhavesh Bhandari and his wife from Gujarat’s Sabarkantha donated their wealth of Rs 200 crores and took diksha after their 19-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son took diksha in 2022. In Mumbai, during the same time of Bhandari’s diksha, nine-year-old Saiyam Shah and his parents, Jigar and Kiran, in Dombivali took diksha renouncing the world.
Young Diksharthis Embrace Jainism, Influenced By Spiritual Leaders And Mass Diksha Events
Earlier in January, a 30-year-old woman and her 11-year-old son from Karnataka took diksha in Gujarat’s Surat and started the new chapter of their lives with their new names- Bhavshudhi Rekhashriji and Hitashay Ratanvijayji respectively. In March, 19-year-old Krisha Bhandari became the first person from Navi Mumbai to take diksha. Krisha’s brother had told The Free Press Journal that she was influenced by a sadhvi guru’s shibir at the age of 15, and later solidified her commitment.
The Free Press Journal contacted Bipin Doshi, resource person for Jain studies at the University of Mumbai who stated that there has been a constant increase in the number of young diksharthis in the last ten years. He said children and youngsters are heavily influenced by Jain saints’ oratory skills and their preachings.
“There is a great influence of asceticism on children and youngsters. There is a sense of submission towards the guru, who guides them towards giving away their life for religion and spirituality. The new trend of mass diksha easily influences children and youngsters.These days we can see instances of 35 diksha happening together and 10 among them will be young diksharthis,” Doshi said.
4 Young Jain Girls Embrace Diksha
In the last week of April, four young Jain girls attained diksha on the same day in two different ceremonies organised in Juhu and Bhiwandi. The youngest among these was Nishtha Kumari, who was just 12-years-old and the eldest was Yashvi Nandu, who took diksha at the age of 21. Yashvi, a mechanical engineering student, had got influenced by the preachings of revered Jain saint Namramuni Maharaj Saheb and dropped out of her studies and chose the path of renunciation.
“During her Girnar pilgrimage three years ago, she attended maharaj saheb’s shivir and instantly felt connected to his teachings. Since then, she became his saadhak, got trained for the spiritual and religious way of life, and finally attained diksha on Sunday,” a member of the Vile Parle Vardhaman Sthanakvasi Jain Shravak Sangh, which had organised the diksha mahotsav, had told the Free Press Journal.
Diksha Trends, Practices And Youthful Engagement
According to Global Digambar Jain Mahasabha, the Shwetambar sect of the Jain community has around 15,000 monks whereas the Digambar sect has only 1,500 monks due to the rigorous practices followed by the sub-community. Monks in the Digambar community do not wear clothes and have to bear the heat and cold of the weather along with strict dietary rules.
Jamnalal Hapawat, president of Global Digambar Jain Mahasabha, said, “The world is filled with pain and diksha is a way to leave this painful world for moksha. Even if the rest of the world does not change for the good, we will do it for ourselves through diksha. The youth in the Jain community have an obsession and perseverance towards this great religion.”
The Vishwa Jain Sangathan, a Delhi-based organisation working for the welfare of Jainism, said that the trend of youngsters attaining diksha is mostly seen in the Shwetambar community in the western states of the country, predominantly in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Impact On Young Monks' Lifestyle And Outreach Methods
Sanjay Kumar Jain, president of Vishwa Jain Sangathan, said, “There are not many dikshas happening in the northern part of the country. In the western part and in Mumbai, there have been some instances of young people taking diksha but this is not an unexpected change. In the last few years, the youth has connected itself with the religion and it is now enlightened about the religion’s heritage.”
The instances of bal diksha (children taking diksha) is not much prevalent since sub-communities like the Terapanth and Sthanakvasi do not allow teenagers under 18 years of age take diksha, whereas the Murtipujak sect allows children above the age of eight years to take diksha. “The rise in the number of young monks in the community has also brought changes to their way of life. Jain monks are known for a strictly disciplined lifestyle which prevents using any electric or electronic device, but the young monks are now using laptops and social media to preach about the religion to the masses,” said Doshi.
