About Tai Ma

About Pujya Tai Ma

Pujya Tai Ma is a true visionary with her every step directed by boundless compassion, love and a resolute determination to alleviate the suffering of all those in need. Undeterred by obstacles and difficulties, and with fearlessness, Pujya Tai Ma has nurtured, grown and steered the achievements of Veerayatan for the past fifty years with just one aim in mind:

‘Creating peace by extending friendship to all and giving opportunities to every individual to fulfil their potential’

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You can find her in the small villages of Bihar surrounded by poor, old, sick people who are in search of warmth and support in life. You can see her walking in the rubble of earthquake-affected Kutch, consoling an orphan child and providing shelter to those who have lost their families in the devastation. You can also see her giving support to the downtrodden in many parts of India with her child-like face, loving eyes, giving hands, a fragile figure clad in simple white clothing, showering love to one and all. Yes this is Pujya Tai Ma, an exceptional personality in the history of the Jain world, who has touched the lives of millions of disadvantaged children and adults, without any discrimination, by developing educational centres, eye hospitals and emergency relief programmes.

The early Years

Pujya Tai Ma was born into a prosperous Jain Kataria family in the Chaskaman village of Maharashtra on 26 January, 1937 and given the name of Shakuntala. Even as a little girl her selfless actions at every turn amazed everyone around her, such as, caring for sick people and animals, giving away her belongings to others and always willing to share what she had with others.  It was clear to see that worship (reverence for God), compassion and acting selflessly were her innate nature and in bringing happiness to others through such acts, she herself felt joy and contentment.

Planting the seed of Veerayatan

Renouncing her worldly life at the age of 14, she undertook 12 years of silence when she extensively studied Jain, Buddhist and Vedic scriptures. During this time she recognised that religion is not solely about seeking bliss for oneself but also about resolving everyday challenges and bringing peace and happiness to others in their day-to-day lives.

Her wisdom and her steadfast belief in extending friendship to all has led her to unveil the path of “Compassion in Action” making her a path-breaker as it was unprecedented for a Jain Sadhvi to personally get involved in seva work.

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Pujya Tai Ma says:
“Religion accepts life in its entirety. To work towards getting rid of any physical or mental suffering is true religion. Service is no different from spirituality, service is spirituality.”

Moving forward with steadfastness

Pujya Tai Ma initiated her Seva work from the State of Bihar, the historical land of Lord Mahavir. The place and the people were unfamiliar to her and she did not have access to the most basic amenities, nevertheless she resolutely settled in that holy land to rekindle the memory and teachings of Tirthankar Mahavir. The local people did not understand why she, in white clad clothes, had come to Bihar and they were suspicious of her intentions. Various calamities – attacks by dacoits, lives threatened by hunters and other people, her sadhvis (nuns) being beaten up, resistance from the local public to the good work which they had started – occurred when they first arrived in Rajgir, but Pujya Tai Ma was determined in carrying out the seva work. She remained steadfastly committed to her goal notwithstanding the threats and insults from those whom she had come to help. However, slowly these same people saw in Pujya Tai Ma piety, dedication, energy and enthusiasm and her acts, underpinned with joy and giving, overwhelmed the local people. And as a result an unwavering belief arose amongst the local people that there was indeed someone here to actually transform their lives!

This is how Pujya Tai Ma began planting the seeds of Tirthankar Mahavir’s compassion in the hearts of one and all and touching the lives of many people. Immersed in her unconditional love, people began to realise that the solution of life’s challenges is not in violence. Tirelessly, the work of selfless service went on and on.

Adding new chapters to tradition

The compassionate work has now spread to various parts of India and to various countries internationally.
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Five decades ago, when Pujya Tai Ma began this journey, it was considered almost a blasphemous act to break with tradition. But Pujya Tai Ma challenged tradition and explained the need to revitalise religion in accordance with a rapidly changing Society. This was the turning point in the history of Jain religion, as no renunciate had ever devoted their lives with the aim of benefitting humanity. There was opposition not only from traditionalists but also from close followers. No one was ready to accept that the renounced individual can go to people, whatever their caste or creed, and actively serve them to alleviate their suffering rather than just preaching to them about compassion. By doing so Pujya Tai Ma has initiated a revolutionary chapter in the history of the Jain religion.

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A multidimensional personality

Pujya Tai Ma is admired as a deep and novel thinker and writer on Jain philosophy. She has written many books and translated scriptures. Her remarkable translation of the Uttaradhyayan Sutra, one of the most important Jain scriptures, from Prakrit into Hindi was a landmark in Jain literature.
For access to Pujya Tai Ma’s books

Pujya Tai Ma’s profound understanding of Bhagwan Mahavir’s teaching has inspired so many children, youths and adults around the globe and has spiritually guided people through the establishment of various spiritual centres and regular travels.

She is an incredibly imaginative artist as manifested in her creation of the renowned Shri Brahmi Kala Mandiram, the Jain museum in Rajgir, Bihar depicting Jain history and the lives of the Tirthankars in miniature tableaux.

For more information on Shri Brahmi Kala Mandiram

To learn more about Pujya Tai Ma’s inspirational and compassionate life, watch this film: ‘Never Before’