New Kerala
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday condoled the demise of Acharya Sree Mahapragya, the 10th acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth Samaj.
The 90-year-old sage died Sunday at Sardarshehar in Rajasthan's Churu district after a cardiac arrest.
"The news of the sudden demise of Acharya Mahapragya has come as a shock to me and millions of others all over the world," Advani said in his condolence message.
"An erudite scholar, he was an eloquent orator and an acknowledged author, with 150 books on philosophy, literature, yoga and dharma (religion) to his credit," Advani said.
"A sincere disciple of Shri Tulsi, he was known for his extraordinary genius and minute insight into questions relating to life and death," he said.
Advani said the Acharya was a treasure house of infinite spiritual knowledge and was thus called a mobile encyclopedia.
"No wonder, eminent poet late Ramdhari Singh Dinkar used to address him as the 'second Vivekanand of India'. With his death the humanity has lost a great sadhaka (sage), friend, philosopher and guide. I pay my tribute to this great soul," Advani added.