Jaipur celebrates foundation day of Anuvrat movement

05 March, 2013

Jaipur-based Anuvrat Samiti and Jain Shwetambar Terapanthi Sabha celebrated the 65th Foundation Day of Anuvrat Movement on March 3 at Bhikshu Sadhana Kendra presided over by Sadhawi Atamprabha. Along with singing the Anuvrat song, discourses on the concept of Anuvrat and teachings of Acharaya Tulsi were held.

The gathering was told that the Anuvrat Movement, launched in 1949 by Acharya Tulsi, has been engaged in the noble task of uplifting human life and revitalizing moral and spiritual values among the people, irrespective of caste, creed and colour.

The meaning of Anuvrata is 'small vows' and they constitute the moderate versions of the five mahavratas or big vows of the Jains. They are: refraining from violence; refraining from lying; refraining from taking anything that is not given; refraining from unfaithfulness; and refraining from possessiveness, i.e. limiting one’s possessions.

The main small vows or anuvrats are as follows: avoiding injury to mobile beings which have two or more senses or desisting from deliberate acts of violence; truthfulness to avoid false statements out of extreme affection for someone or out of hatred for someone; refraining from taking anything not given; desisting from deceit in relationship; and voluntarily limiting the possession of all forms of assets

Acharya Tulsi (1914–1997), the founder of the Anuvrata and the Jain Vishva Bharti Institute, Ladnun and the author of over one-hundred books, was remembered on this occasion.