The monk – based in Jain Sangh in the Juhu Scheme area of Mumbai – took diksha at the age of 13.
In the last two decades of his life as a monk, Acharya Hansranasuri spent a total of 12 years fasting, his disciples said.
“According to the Jain scriptures, Lord Mahavir fasted for 180 days twice. Acharya Vijay Hansratnasuri is the only Jain monk who fasted for 180 days five times. He will complete it for the sixth time on September 11,” said his disciple Muni Padma Kalash TOI.
He said it was a rare case of continuous fasting by a Jain monk from Shwetambar.
“He sleeps only 2.5 hours a day and the rest of the day he sits to meditate without any back support. He drinks two liters of boiled water during the day and gets nourishment and energy by absorbing sunlight,” said Muni Padma. Kalash. During the blockade of the pandemic, the monk completed 180 days of continuous fasting twice.
He added that the monk’s fasting journey began when he first performed a 20-day fast as a 13-year-old monk. “He has the blessings of his guru Acharya Ratnasundar Maharaj, who was also the recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2017,” said Muni Padma Kalash.
He added that the monk underwent regular checks during the continuous fast, and that the doctors found him in perfect health.
Acharya Vijay Hansratnasuri’s father, older brother and younger sister are also monks. Prior to his diksha, the monk resided in the Adoi village of Vagad in Kutch.
His disciples said that celebrities from the Hindi film industry, such as Salman Khan and Jeetendra, met the monk during his current continuous fast. “Recently, during a visit to a studio, Salman Khan met the acarya and was amazed when he was told that he was fasting for the sixth time for 180 days,” said Muni Padma Kalash.
He said past star Jeetendra visited the upashray and received blessings from Acharya Vijay Hansratnasuri.
