Jain Monk Kshapakraj Munishri Shrutasagarji Maharaj Begins 'Yam Sallekhana' Voluntary Fast Unto Death In Sangli

Mumbai: In a spiritual event that is drawing thousands of devotees from across the region, Jain monk Kshapakraj Munishri Shrutasagarji Maharaj formally commenced the vow of 'Yam Sallekhana' — a ritualistic voluntary fast unto death — at Kasabe Digraj in the Miraj taluka of Sangli district, Maharashtra.

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Official Start

The fast, which officially commenced on Friday, 5 June, is being undertaken under the direct guidance of Acharya Suyash Sagarji Maharaj, a senior Jain monk.

Munishri Shrutasagarji Maharaj, who was initiated into the ascetic order by Samyam-murti Acharya Vardhmansagarji Maharaj, belongs to the monastic assembly (Sangh) led by Agamchakravarti Yuvacharya Vidyasagarji Maharaj.

Mahotsav Organised

To mark this spiritual journey of self-purification, a 'Yam Sallekhana Mahotsav' has been organised at Shri 1008 Bhagwan Adinath Bhavan in Kasabe Digraj. The event is being held in the presence of Jyeshtha Niryapak Shraman Munishri Dharmasagarji Maharaj and other members of the monastic order.

According to Mumbai-based publisher Manish Modi, Shrutasagarji is from Bina in Madhya Pradesh. Modi said the monk was formerly known as engineer Anil Jain before embracing monastic life. He added that Shrutasagarji has familial ties with his extended family and is the first cousin of Dr Duli Chandra Jain of New York City, who headed the Jain Study Circular in New York for more than two decades. Modi also noted that the monk's wife and mother are cousins.

Family Ties

"Muni Shrutasagara Ji has been formally granted the vow of Yama Sallekhana. He has now permanently renounced food and water and is observing the vow in accordance with Jain religious traditions," Modi said.

As news of the event spread, large numbers of male and female householders, Shravaks and Shravikas, began arriving at the venue to seek final blessings, darshan and spiritual merit. The organising committee has appealed to visiting pilgrims to maintain absolute silence, serenity and strict discipline during their visits. Devotees have been advised to ensure that their conduct remains orderly so that the meditating monk experiences no physical or mental disturbance during his spiritual absorption.

Devotees Flock

The debate surrounding the Jain religious practice of voluntary fasting, known as Santhara in some sects, came into sharp focus following the Rajasthan High Court's 2015 ruling that treated the practice as a form of suicide punishable under Sections 309 and 306 of the Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court stayed the ruling, and the matter remains pending.

Shekhar Hattangadi, a Mumbai-based professor of constitutional law and filmmaker who directed the award-winning documentary, “Santhara: A Challenge to Indian Secularism?”, said that within Jain philosophy the practice is regarded as an act of spiritual purification and an expression of individual autonomy rather than self-destruction.

Legal Context

Referring to his documentary, Hattangadi said he spent five years researching the practice and interacting with Jain monks, lay followers and scholars of Jain philosophy. According to him, those he interviewed consistently rejected the characterisation of Santhara as suicide.

Hattangadi said the central distinction lay in the motivation behind the act. While suicide is generally associated with despair, anguish and hopelessness, Santhara is viewed within Jainism as a voluntary and deeply reflective spiritual discipline undertaken to shed karmic burdens and attain spiritual liberation.

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He noted that practitioners make a conscious decision to gradually renounce food and water after careful introspection and religious preparation.

According to Hattangadi, the Rajasthan High Court verdict highlighted a broader clash between legal interpretations of end-of-life practices and the religious understanding of Santhara within the Jain community.

In a spiritual event that is drawing thousands of devotees from across the region, Jain monk Kshapakraj Munishri Shrutasagarji Maharaj formally commenced the vow of 'Yam Sallekhana' — a ritualistic voluntary fast unto death — at Kasabe Digraj in the Miraj taluka of Sangli district, Maharashtra.

The fast, which officially commenced on Thursday, 4 June, is being undertaken under the direct guidance of Acharya Suyash Sagarji Maharaj, a senior Jain monk.

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