Happy to take path of truth shown by God: 12-yr-old Surat boy to become Jain monk

Surat: A 12-year-old boy from Surat in Gujarat has decided to renounce material life and become a Jain monk. His family fully backs his decision and is in a celebratory mood.

"I am happy to take the path of truth shown by God," Bhavya Shah, who is giving up his family to embrace monkhood, told news agency ANI.

"I am deserting my mother and father as they taught me that this is the true path. My father and mother would also come on this path one day in future," the boy added.

Bhavya Shah. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

In Jain faith, diksha is a ritual of renunciation or initiation and Bhavya will take diksha in the presence of around 400-450 Jain monks and around 7,000 people.

His father Dipesh Shah who is a diamond merchant, said, "Our family is extremely happy as Bhavya will take diksha."

Asked if he is sad that his son would now leave them, the father replied, "No! I am happy. Four years back, my daughter also did the same at the age of 12."

Jain monks vow to give up not just material possessions but also all passions or emotions that cause karma. The initiation ceremony features the ritual of kesa-loca - 'pulling out of the hair' - which indicates indifference to the body. The new monks and nuns perform the Five Great Vows called mahavrata.

The monk's daily routine broadly includes - the five great vows (mahavrata), the eight matrices of doctrine (pravacana-matrka), and the six obligatory actions (avasyaka).

(With inputs from ANI)