Acharya Sushil Ashram - New Delhi

During his academic career in India, he passed through a number of examinations such as Shastri, Acharya, Sahitya-Ratna, etc., and mastered the classical studies of Indian religious and yogic philosophies.

Guruji was a master of meditation and the science of sound. His teaching system is called Arhum Yoga. It is an ancient system for the mastery of the inner self through watchfulness and direct perception. Arhum Yoga encompasses all aspects of philosophy and yogic practice in the Arihant spiritual tradition.

Although Guruji was ordained as a monk in the Sthanakvasi Jain tradition, he regarded himself to be non-sectarian. In 1979 he founded a social order, International Arhat Jain Sangh for the non-sectarian world-wide propagation of Lord Mahavir’s message of Ahimsa and Anekatavada. On  21st April,1989  Guruji  was  anointed  the Acharya of this Sangh.

Guruji was born into a Brahmin household. As a Jain monk, he traveled on foot thousand of miles across the length and breath of India. He represented the Sthanakvasi Jain tradition in the making of Saman Suttam, a compilation of Jain principles that was acceptable to all sects of Jainism. He discovered and mastered the secrets of sounds behind Namokar Mantra, an auspicious rendering that is central to Jains and wrote a book on the subject, Song of the Soul.

For hundreds of years and as long as historical records are available, Jain monks did not use any mechanical means for travel. However, on 17th June,1975 Guruji traveled outside India by aircraft. He told that he was prodded in meditation to do so by the 12 C Acharya Dadaguru Manidhari Jinchandra Suriji Maharaj. Dadaguru asked him to travel to faraway lands to spread Bhagwan Mahavir’s message of ahimsa and anekantavada. This act allowed other Jain monks and nuns to begin using mechanical means of travel, including outside India. The decision caused some controversy in the Jain community. Guruji has traveled and taught extensively, spreading the message of non-violence and self-awareness. He has founded many ashrams and centers in the East and West.

It wasn’t long before Guruji’s divine mission unfolded and he began to gain recognition as a fountain of wisdom, truth and understanding who actively promoted peace and harmony throughout India and his role as peacemaker to conflicting religious group was well recognized. Guruji was a strong willed, passionate and articulate person who never gave up a cause for anything. He worked unceasingly to establish a sense of universal brotherhood amongst the conflicting religious factions of India. He successfully motivated the Sikh leader Master Tara Singh to participate in an open and peaceful dialogue with the government. When H.H. Pope John Paul’s visit to India was strongly opposed, it was none other than Guruji who admirably reminded his fellow countrymen that India has a long standing tradition of welcoming any visitor regardless of his denomination of belief, with open arms. This warmth was realized and given appropriately making Pope’s visit to India a glorious success. In 1986 the Akali Leader Sant Longowal and the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi attempted to solve the distressing problem plaguing Punjab — an accomplishment largely attributed to Guruji who convinced terrorist groups of Punjab to honor their compromise with the government. He similarly persuaded Muslim leaders to sit in negotiation with Hindu leaders until a consensus was reached in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid issue in 1990 to 1991.

Guruji's vision was always focused upon a United Earth and in 1957 he convened a World Religions Conference with more than 1200 representatives from 27 countries and 500,000 people in attendance. Guruji's work in India was not limited to creating religious harmony; he was also acclaimed for his pioneering work in the fields of animal and environmental protection. He initiated the Cow Protection Movement and successfully organized a massive Rally in 1966.