https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ganeshprasad_VarniGaneshprasad Varni - Revision history2026-07-31T07:37:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Ganeshprasad_Varni&diff=466311&oldid=prevGreggNfb8421 at 17:02, 27 November 20252025-11-27T17:02:40Z<p></p>
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{{Infobox religious biography<br />
| honorific-prefix = Kshullak<br />
| image = Varnimuralkatni.jpg<br />
| alt = Ganeshprasad Varni<br />
| religion = [[Jainism]]<br />
| rank = [[Kshullak]]<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1874|09|29}}<ref>Meri Jivan Gatha, Ganeshprasad Varni, 1949, Shri Ganeshprasad Varni Jain Granthmala, Varanasi.</ref><br />
| birth_place = Hansera, [[Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh|Lalitpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh|U.P.]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1961|09|5|1874|1|1}}<ref>Meri Jivan Gatha, Dvitiya Bhag, Ganeshprasad Varni, 1960, Shri Ganeshprasad Varni Jain Granthmala, Varanasi.</ref><br />
| death_place = [[Isri]], [[Jharkhand]]<br />
| teacher = Shiksha-Guru Gopaldas Bariaya, Ambadas Shahsti<br />
| works = ''Meri Jivan Gatha'' (1945), Jain philosophy based on Acharya [[Kundakunda]]'s [[Samayasar]]<br />
}}<br />
{{Jainism}}<br />
'''Kshullak Ganeshprasad Varni''' ([[Hindi]]:पूज्य 105 श्री गणेश प्रसाद वर्णी, [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]: શ્રી ૧૦૫ ક્ષુલ્લક ગણેશપ્રસાદ વર્ણી [[Kannada language|Kannada]]:ಶ್ರೀ ೧೦೫ ಕ್ಷುಲ್ಲಕ ಗಣೆಶಪ್ರಸಾದ ವರ್ಣೀ; 29 September, 1874 – 5 September 1961) was one of the foundational figures<ref>John E. Cort</ref> of the modern Indian [[Digambara]] intellectual tradition during the early 20th century.<ref name="ravindra" /> He was the founder of several schools and institutions of advanced learning including Syadvad Mahavidyalaya at [[Varanasi]] in 1905,<ref name="jinvaani" /> Varanasi and Satark-Sudhataringini Digamber Jain Pathshala,<ref name="varanasi" /> now Ganesh Digamber Jain Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Sagar.<br />
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Many of the Jain scholars today are products of the institutions found by Ganeshprasad Varni. Sahajananda Varni was one of his disciples.<ref name="sahjana" /> While Jinendra Varni never heard him speaking, he was deeply influenced by him<ref name="jin" /> and had compiled a volume "Varni Darshan" to commemorate Ganeshprasad Varni's birth centenary in 1975.<br />
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== Early life ==<br />
Ganesh Prasad Ji Varni was born to Hira Lal and Ujyari Devi in village Hansera in district Lalitpur (U.P.), who belonged to the [[Asati]] community. While the Asatis are mostly Vaishnava, his father had a deep faith in the [[Namokar Mantra]].<ref>Meri Jivangatha</ref> He used to live in a Jain neighbourhood and visit the Jain temple near his house in Mandawara. Influenced by lectures there, at the age of ten, he took a vow to take meals before sunset throughout his life.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} During his [[yajnopavita]] ceremony, he had an argument with the priest and his mother, and declared that he will be a Jain henceforth. He passed the middle examination at the age of fifteen years. He did not have any aptitude for shop-keeping, his father's profession, and became a school teacher.<br />
<ref name="autobio" /><br />
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He came into contact with a religious minded lady Chironjabai mata ji of Simra khurd (m.p.) through Karorelal Bhaiji, a spiritual man of Jatara.<ref>[http://golalariya.com/pdf/sep,2011/Sept,2011.pdf Samaj Ratna Shrimati Chironjabai Jain, PC Jain, Golalariya Darshan, Sept. 2011]</ref> She developed much affection for him and treated him like her son. She supported his desire of obtaining advanced religious education spiritual development.<ref name="autobio" /><br />
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== Education ==<br />
At that time there were no advanced scholars in the [[Bundelkhand]] region. He studied at Jaipur, Khurja, Bombay, Mathura, Varanasi and other places with great difficulty. Because of his lack of funds, he occasionally had to starve accept humiliations. he studied with Pt. Panna Lal Backliwal and Baba Gurdayal at Bombay to pass [[Ratnakarand Shravakachar]] and [[Aindra School of Grammar|Katantra]]-panchsanndhiki examinations.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} There he also met Pt. [[Gopaldas Baraiya]], with whom he studied Nyayadipika and Sarvarthsidhi after he had studied of Nyaya (logic) and grammar at Khurja. He was sometimes turned down by reputed Brahmin teachers. He studied under Pt. Ambadas Shastri at [[Varanasi]]. He then studied at Chakauti and [[Nabadwip|Navadweep]] to acquire the Nyayacharya degree.<ref name="autobio" /><br />
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== Establishment of Educational Institutions ==<br />
Based on his experience of encountering the difficulties in obtaining advanced Jain education, he strongly felt the need for establishing Jain educational institution at Varanasi. He received a donation of one rupee from someone. He used it to by sixty-four postcards, and sent them to some potential Jain donors. With the assistance of prominent Jain philanthropists like [[Chandabai|Babu Devkumar]] of Arrah, Seth Manek Chand, J.P. of Bombay etc. he established the famous Syadwad Mahavidyalaya at Varanasi in 1905. Baba Bhagirath Varni served as the superintendent (supervisor) of the institution. Even though Ganeshprasad was a founder of the Syadvad Mahavidyalaya, he accepted the rules imposed by Bhagirath Varni.<ref name="yahoonews" /> A number of influential Jain scholars have been a product of this institution. With the help of Pt. [[Motilal Nehru]], he was able to get Jain studies introduced at [[Banaras Hindu University]].{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}<br />
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Later with encouragement of Balchand Savalnavis, and the support of Kandya, Malaiya, and other families and Singhai Kundanlal etc. he helped establish the Satark-Sudhataringini Jain Pathshala which is now the well known Ganesh Digamber Jain Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Sagar.<ref>Sarvodayi Deshna, Suvrata Sagar Muni, 2011, p. 5</ref><br />
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He also helped in establishing various institutions. After inspiring and helping establish these institutions, he left the administration to local volunteers, without bothering to remain in control, and moved on. Some of these institutions are:<br />
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* Swadvada Mahavidyalaya Banares,<ref>[https://www.bhaskar.com/news/MP-SAG-MAT-latest-sagar-news-050502-26452-NOR.html जन्मोत्सव में बधाइयां, क्षमावाणी में केश लोंच, Bhaskar News Network, Sep 11, 2017]</ref><br />
* Sri Kund Kund Jain (P-G) College, Khatauli, 1926.<ref name="kkjain" /><br />
* Jain Higher Secondary School Sagar.<ref name="dailynews" /><ref name="swadesh" /><br />
* Mahavira Jain Sanskrit Uchchatar Madhamik Vidyalaya, Lalitpur, 1917.<ref name="amarujala" /><br />
* Varni Jain Inter College, Lalitpur.<ref name="amarnews" /><br />
* Shri Ganesh Prasad Varni Snatak Mahavidyalaya, Ghuwara.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}<br />
* Varni Jain Gurugul, Jabalpur.<ref name="mpinfo" /><br />
* Shri Parshwanath Brahmacharya Ashram Jain Gurukul, Khurai, 1944.<ref name="gurukulkhurai" /><br />
* Pathshalas at Baruasagar, Dronagiri.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}<br />
* Digambar Jain mahila Ashram, Sagar <ref>[https://www.patrika.com/news/sagar/the-ashram-is-the-daughter-of-a-judge-take-any-take-any-government-officer-begins-on-1500946/ इस आश्रम की बेटी काेई जज है ताे काेई आर्यिका, Patrika, Feb 2, 2017 ]</ref><ref>[https://www.bhaskar.com/news/MP-SAG-MAT-latest-sagar-news-120007-3443132-NOR.html श्री दिगंबर जैन महिलाश्रम में 76 वर्ष से दी जा रही बारहवीं तक मुफ्त शिक्षा, Bhaskar News Network, Jan 18, 2016]</ref><br />
* Digambar Jain Udasin Ashram, Isri,<ref>[https://www.bhaskar.com/news/JHA-MAT-latest-dumri-news-023502-17720-NOR.html जयंती पर स्कूली बच्चों ने निकाली प्रभातफेरी, Bhaskar News Network, Sep 10, 2017 ]</ref><br />
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As a result of the establishment of these institutions, the Bundelkhand started producing highly regarded Jain scholars such that Bundelkhand is now regarded to be a bastion of Jain learning.<ref>Varni Vani, Vidyarthi Narendra Jain, Sam. 2004 (1947 AD), p. 25-26</ref><br />
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== Spiritual Passage ==<br />
He led a simple and aesthetic life and dedicated himself to the study and teaching of Jain philosophy. He gradually adopted a life of renunciation. At [[Kundalpur]], he took the [[brahmacharya]] vrata (celibacy), i.e. 7th [[Pratima (Jainism)|pratima]] from Baba Gokuldas and thus came to be called a Varni in 1913. In 1936, he gave up travelling by buses or trains. He took 10th [[Pratima (Jainism)|pratima]] in 1944, and became a [[kshullak]] in 1947. He travelled extensively in India. He had donated his only wearing apparel, the Chadar, at a public meeting held in connection with Azad Hind Army at Jabalpur in 1945. It was immediately auctioned for Rs. 3000/- for raising the funds for the army.<ref>Varni Vani, Vidyarthi Narendra Jain, Sam. 2004 (1947 AD), p. 23-24</ref><br />
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At the age of 87, sensing his impending end, he retired to [[Isri]] Udasin Ashram, near [[Sammet Shikhar]] which he had himself helped establish. He took the vows of a Jain Muni with the name Muni 108 Ganeshkirti. He died in his final meditation (Samadhi-maran) on 5 December 1961.<ref>Progressive Jains, Satish Kumar Jain</ref><br />
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== Works ==<br />
His two-volume autobiography Meri Jevan Gatha<ref name="autobio" /> has become a major source of information about the Jain society of his time.<ref name="ravindra" /> It is written in a fluid and very readable style.<ref name="encyclo" /> The recordings of his lectures on the [[Samayasar]] have been re-discovered and digitised.<ref name="libjain-dev" /> They have also been published as a book.<ref name="samaysarapra" /> A publishing house named Shri Ganeshprasad Varni Jain Granthmala, Varanasi, named after him has published a number of important Jain texts.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Niraj Jain]]<br />
* [[Pannalal Jain|Pandit Pannalal Jain, Sahityacharya]]<br />
* [[Phoolchandra Shastri]]<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{Reflist|refs=<br />
<ref name="ravindra">{{cite book|last=Jain|first=Ravindra K.|title=The universe as audience: metaphor and community among the Jains of North India|year=1999|publisher=Indian Institute of Advance Study}}</ref><br />
<ref name="jinvaani">{{cite web|title=Ganesh Prasad Varni Ji (1874 to 1961)|url=http://www.jinvaani.org/ganesh-prasad-varni-ji.html}}</ref><br />
<ref name="varanasi">{{cite book|last=Varni|first=Ganeshprasad|title=Meri Jeevan Gatha|year=1960|publisher=Shri Ganesh Varni Digambar Jain Sansthan|location=Varanasi}}</ref><br />
<ref name="sahjana">क्षु. मनोहर जी वर्णी सहजानंद महाराज का संक्षिप्त जीवन परिचय http://sahjanandvarnishastra.org/index.php/about {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323184537/http://sahjanandvarnishastra.org/index.php/about |date=23 March 2016 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="jin">पूज्य जिनेन्द्र वर्णी जी http://www.jinvaani.org/pujya-jinendra-varni-ji.html</ref><br />
<ref name="yahoonews">गुरु की महिमा, डॉ. राष्ट्रबंधु http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/opinion/general/6_3_6595625.html</ref><br />
<ref name="kkjain">Sri Kund Kund Jain (P-G) College, Khatauli http://kkjaincollege.org/introduction.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408014035/http://kkjaincollege.org/introduction.html |date=8 April 2012 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="dailynews">वर्णी जयंती पर जैन स्कूल में हुआ कार्यक्रम 16 September 2011 http://sagarcity.dailyhindinews.com/2011/09/16/daily-hindi-news-varni-jayanti-celebration/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234504/http://sagarcity.dailyhindinews.com/2011/09/16/daily-hindi-news-varni-jayanti-celebration/ |date=3 March 2016 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="swadesh">वर्णीजी के आदर्शों का करें पालन http://swadesh.in/default_view_pradesh_news.php?ct_id=16&limit=10&pradesh_id=2433&font=12 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426010912/http://swadesh.in/default_view_pradesh_news.php?ct_id=16&limit=10&pradesh_id=2433&font=12 |date=26 April 2012 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="amarujala">स्नातकाें का सम्मान किया http://www.amarujala.com/city/lalitpur/Lalitpur-4325-25.html {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120720184252/http://www.amarujala.com/city/lalitpur/Lalitpur-4325-25.html |date=20 July 2012 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="amarnews">हर्षोल्लास से मनाया वर्णी जी का जन्मोत्सव 28 September 2010 http://www.amarujala.com/city/lalitpur/Lalitpur-2874-25.html {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120718001553/http://www.amarujala.com/city/lalitpur/Lalitpur-2874-25.html |date=18 July 2012 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="mpinfo">श्री गणेश प्रसाद वर्णी जी के कार्य युवा पीढ़ी के लिये आदर्श व प्रेरक-विधानसभा अध्यक्ष श्री रोहाणी http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=100927N68&flag1= {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415044106/http://www.mpinfo.org/mpinfonew/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=100927N68&flag1= |date=15 April 2012 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="gurukulkhurai">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gurukulkhurai.com/gurukul_hss/history.html |title=Welcome to Shri Parshwanath Brahmacharya Ashram --- Khurai |access-date=30 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405101500/http://www.gurukulkhurai.com/gurukul_hss/history.html |archive-date=5 April 2012 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><br />
<ref name="autobio">Meri Jivan Gatha, Ganeshprasad Varni, 1949, Shri Ganeshprasad Varni Jain Granthmala, Varanasi. Meri Jivan Gatha, Dvitiya Bhag, Ganeshprasad Varni, 1960, Shri Ganeshprasad Varni Jain Granthmala, Varanasi.</ref><br />
<ref name="encyclo">The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume One (A To Devo), Amaresh Datta,Sahitya Akademi, 1 January 2006</ref><br />
<ref name="libjain-dev">Pravachan Saint GaneshPrasad Varni Ji<br />
http://library.jain.org/1.Pravachan/Saint_GaneshPrasadVarniJi/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402065547/http://library.jain.org/1.pravachan/saint_ganeshprasadvarniji/ |date=2 April 2016 }}</ref><br />
<ref name="samaysarapra">Samaysar (Prakrit – Hindi) By Acharya Kund Kund, Hindi Exposition by Kshullak Ganeshprasad Varni, Shri Ganesh Varni Digamber Jain Sansthan, Varanasi; Ist edition 1969, 470 pages</ref><br />
}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.jinvaani.org/ganesh-prasad-varni-ji.html Ganesh Prasad Varni Ji (1874–1961) Founder Syadwad Mahavidyalaya at Varanasi in 1905]<br />
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[[Category:1874 births]]<br />
[[Category:1949 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from Madhya Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian autobiographers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Jain monks]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian Jain writers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Jain monks]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian monks]]<br />
[[Category:People from Lalitpur, India]]</div>GreggNfb8421