Dharmasthala: Senior Jain ascetic Nispraha Sagar Muni maharaj attained salvation at a special dwelling place for Jain munis near Sri Chandranath Swami Basadi on Tuesday. He was 75. Nispraha Sagar muni on Monday had taken the ‘Sallekhana’ vow, a supplementary vow to the ethical code of conduct of Jainism. It is the religious practice of voluntarily fasting to death by gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids totally.The congregation of Jain seers who had come for the Mahamastakabhisheka rituals celebrated the event as per Jain traditions, which views death as one that affects only the body and not the soul, for the body is perishable, but not the soul. Hailing from Kishangad in Rajasthan, Nispraha Sagar muni studied up to SSLC in his hometown. Attracted to meditation, penance and self-study from an early age, he decided to become a monk.Known as Premchand Pahadia prior to his initiation into monk hood, he obtained ‘Muni Deeksha’ from Sri Vardhaman Sagar Muni maharaj in 2009 at Panchmari, a place of religious importance for Jains, and was part of his congregation since. He had come for the anointment rituals of Lord Bahubali along with Sri Vardhaman Sagar Muni on February 3, and had witnessed the three-day anointment rituals that concluded on Monday.Following the demise of the senior Jain ascetic, other ascetics residing at the ‘kuteera’ next to the Basadi fasted the whole day and were involved in meditation and other rituals. Most of these ascetics had also fasted on Monday on account of ‘Chaturdashi’. The final rites of Nispraha Sagar Muni maharaj was conducted close to the Basadi under guidance from Sri 108 Vardhaman Sagar Muni and Sri 108 Pushpadanta Sagar Muni.The ascetic was taken in a flower bedecked platform with devotees reciting panchanamaskara mantra. The funeral pyre was triangularly shaped and seer was rested in Padmasana posture. The seers poured water, milk, ghee and sugar on the body, and circled the pyre three times, while reciting the mantra, before his children from his earlier life – Sanjay Kumar and Puneeth Kumar—lit the funeral pyre. Sandalwood billets were used in the final rites.

Stay updated with all the Latest Mangalore headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.