Ahmedabad: Despite scoring 99.99th percentile in class XII board examination, Varshil Shah from Ahmedabad doesn’t want to become an MBA or a chartered accountant. Instead, the 17-year-old is looking at eternal happiness by taking up the white robes and the life of a Jain muni. Shah will take diksha in Surat, in the presence of several Jain acharyas.
The son of an income tax officer, Jigar Shah, and a homemaker, Ami, Varshil took this decision soon after his class XII (general stream) result was declared, a fortnight ago. He scored 93.06% and ranked in the 99.99th percentile.
Speaking to a leading English daily, Varshil said the influence of his family since childhood drove him towards Jainism. “It was Kalyan Ratnavijaysuri Maharaj, my guru, who motivated me on this path. He is 32 years old and had taken diksha himself at around my age. When I spent time with him and got to know about his thoughts on contemporary issues and how Jainism is relevant, my resolve to cross over to the life of an ascetic became stronger,” he said, adding that the material world doesn’t provide the long-lasting happiness that millions seek
The diksha ceremony event will be held at Adajan in Surat at 6am on Thursday, where Jain acharyas such as Kalyanvratnavijayji and Vijaynarchandrasuri will participate and bless the new disciple. The preparations for a grand event have been started, as the Paldi-based Shah family and their relatives have reached the venue. Thousands of Jain devotees from Ahmedabad and Surat are expected to participate.
