Param Pujya Bapuji, Shree Ladakchand Manekchand Vora

A group of seekers from Mumbai, who had been on a quest for a true enlightened master, finally found Bapuji in the remote village of Sayla by a magnanimous stroke of divine luck. Despite his adamant resistance to accept them as his disciples, they persisted and finally he had to relent. Thus the Ashram was established on the 31st of December 1976. Its name honours the two spiritual soulmates ‘Raj’ and ‘Saubhag’ who had benevolently created this lineage. Soon spiritual aspirants from far and wide flowed in drawn towards Bapuji’s loving grace like honeybees to nectar.

Upholding the fundamental principles of Jainism, the teachings of the great Jain sages of the past centuries, the essence of Shrimad Rajchandra’s precepts and the very words of his own spiritual masters, Bapuji set alight a divine flame of spirituality. Patiently and gracefully Bapuji worked with each disciple to unlock the divinity that lay dormant within every one of them.

A few disciples stood out with their unrelenting love for the master and their fervent thirst to experience the truth. Foremost among them were Shree Sadgunaben C. U. Shah and Shree Nalinbhai Kothari. Sadgunaben’s determined and dedicated pursuance could open up the gates of grace and Bapuji worked hard and took utmost care for her spiritual development. Her silence spoke louder then words, and her tranquil serenity flowed unabated.

In the year 1993, at the age of 88, Bapuji handed over the spiritual leadership of the Ashram to Param Pujya Nalibhai Kothari, who fondly came to be known as Bhaishree and Param Pujya Sadgunaben Shah, reverently addressed as Gurumaa.

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