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Acharya Mahapragya

“Non-violence, Peace and food can go together only when intellectual, economic and spiritual quotient are developed in a balanced manner.”

Acharya Mahapragya was a great Jain Acharya, the supreme head of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth community.

Acharyashri was appointed as the head of the Jain Shvetambara Terapanth Sangh by his guru, Acharya Tulsi on 18th February 1994. A giant personality in his own right, it is impossible to describe him in words.

Acharya Mahapragya ji, without any formal schooling, had mastered subjects such as History, Philosophy, Logic, Grammar, Physics, Ayurveda, Politics, Economics, and Social sciences. He was not only an author but also a poet, and that too in diverse languages such as Hindi, Prakrit and Sanskrit. Because of his extra ordinary talent he was appointed successor-designate to Acharya Tulsi on 4th February 1979 and was given the title of Yuvacharya Mahapragya. On 18th February 1994 Acharya Tulsi relinquished his post and handed all his authorities Mahapragya. With a holy ceremony in Delhi on 5th February, 1995 he was formally pronounced as the tenth Acharya of the Terapanth Sangh.


Acharya Mahapragya was also the torch bearer of some of the most successful projects initiated by Acharya Tulsi:

Anuvrat Movement-

Preksha Dhyan-

Acharya Mahapragya ji spent over 20 years studying the Jain Agams/Scriptures, practiced for years and concluded a system of Meditation which is now popularly known as Preksha Dhyana.

Preksha Dhyan is a non-sectarian system of meditation which has spiritual as well as physical well-being as its benefit. It is complimentary to the Anuvrat movement in that its practice makes the observation of the vows a matter of routine without any special efforts.


Acharya Mahapragya ji’s most recognized contribution to AHIMSA is in the seven year journey he undertook to quell the communal violence which erupted in India between Hindus and Muslims. Ahimsa Yatra, as it was named, was launched on 5th December, 2001 at Sujangarh in Rajasthan with the objective to highlight the spiritual aspect of non-violence and spread the message of peace and harmony across the country. He traversed on foot, covering 2400 villages, towns and cities and addressed many public meetings during this specific journey of 7 years.




  1. 1. I will believe in human unity.
  2. 2. I will not resort to quarrels and conflicts on the basis of caste and sectarian issues.
  3. 3. I will try to follow integrity in my personal life as far as I can.
  4. 4. I will try to remain free from drug addiction.



The end of one era is always the beginning of another. We welcome the appointment of Acharya Mahashraman as the 11th Acharya of the Sangh and expect no less than all that has been delivered traditionally by the past Acharyas.