{{short description|Indian Jain nun}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox religious biography | honorific-prefix = Ganini Pramukha Aryika Shri | image = Gyanmati.Mataji.jpg | alt = Gyanmati Mataji | religion = Jainism | sect = Digambara | birth_name = Maina | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1934|10|22}}{{sfn|Hans Bakker|1990|p=182}} | birth_place = Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh | father = Chotteylal | mother = Mohini Devi | initiator = Acharya Deshbhushan | initiation_place = Barabanki | initiation_date = 2 October 1952 (Sharad Purnima) | initiation_rank = Brahamcharini | initiation_date2 = 1953 (Chait Krishna ekam) | initiation_rank2 = Chullika | disciples = Aryika Chandanamti | website = http://jambudweep.org/ }} {{Jainism}} '''Gyanmati Mataji''' ({{IAST|Jñānamati}}) is an Indian Jain religious guru ''Aryika'' (pure soul)from India.<ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqbbCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA246 |title=Yoga in Jainism, Ed Christopher Key Chapple, Routledge, 2015, p. 246|isbn=9781317572183|last1=Chapple|first1=Christopher Key|date=14 October 2015|publisher=Routledge }}</ref> She is known for being a prolific author and the construction of several Jain temples including the Jambudweep temple complex at Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh, Ayodya Jain Tirth<ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9KSsBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA83 |title=Asian Religions, Technology and Science, Ed. István Keul, Routledge, 2015, p. 83 |isbn=9781317674481 |last1=Keul |first1=István |date=27 March 2015 |publisher=Routledge }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=McwUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA182 |title=The History of Sacred Places in India As Reflected in Traditional Literature |isbn=9004093184 |last1=Bakker |first1=Hans |year=1990 |publisher=BRILL }}</ref> and the Statue of Ahimsa at Mangi Tungi in Maharashtra.
==Early life== Gyanmati was born as Maina on 22 October 1934 in Tikait Nagar in Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh,<ref name="google.com">{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XubfClGnIAUC |title=Historical Dictionary of Jainism |isbn=9780810850514 |last1=Wiley |first1=Kristi L. |year=2004 |publisher=Scarecrow Press }}</ref> in a Jain family of Mohini Devi and Chotelal. She was influenced by ''Padmanandi Panchvinshatika,'' an ancient Jain scripture gifted by her grandparents on the marriage of her mother. On 2 October 1952, on the day of Sharad Purnima, she was initiated as a Brahmacharini at Barabanki district by the Digambara Jain acharya Deshbhushan.
==Education== Since her early childhood, Gyanmati started learning Sanskrit with Katantra style of linguistics or lipi generally referred as Aindra School of Grammar. She continued to research and explore with some of the Jain literature like Gommatsar, Ashtasahasri, Tattvartha Vartika (Rajvartika), Moolachar, Triloksar, Samayasāra etc. and soon expertise in Hindi, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati etc. Deeply into research and learning she frequently consulted senior most Acharyas, Scholars and Jain monks.<ref name="google.com1">{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=McwUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA182 |title=The History of Sacred Places in India As Reflected in Traditional Literature |isbn=9004093184 |last1=Bakker |first1=Hans |year=1990 |publisher=BRILL }}</ref>
==Author== Gyanmati practiced her skills with writing 1008 Mantras of "Sahastranam" which improved her ability.{{how|date=September 2018}} She is considered as the first Kshullika or a Jain Sadhvi in history to translate and author several Jain literature, scriptures and manuscripts.<ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SPmlL55RNAQC&pg=PA125 |title=Religion and Women |isbn=9780791416907 |last1=Sharma |first1=Arvind |date=January 1994 |publisher=SUNY Press }}</ref>{{page}} translated Nyaya-Ashtasahasri a renowned Sanskrit scripture, into Hindi in the year 1969 . Since then, she had written and composed more than 450 different publications ranging from auspicious quotes and thoughts to books and volumes. She has written and published 200 major books including the first two{{which|date=September 2018}} available in both Hindi and Sanskrit translations.<ref name="google.com1"/> She has also composed the Sanskrit Teeka (commentary) of the Sutras in form of sixteen books of Shatkhandagam Grantha.<ref>{{citation |url=http://jinaagamsaar.com/aariyka/gyanmati.php |title=Jinaagam Saar |access-date=1 January 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093525/http://jinaagamsaar.com/aariyka/gyanmati.php |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.jambudweep.org/online/read-online-books |title=Read Online Books |access-date=1 January 2016 |archive-date=18 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918234107/http://jambudweep.org/online/read-online-books |url-status=dead }}</ref> She has composed a modern{{what|date=September 2018}} ''Rite for the Five Merus''.{{sfn|Cort|2010|p=98}}
* She was awarded honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Avadh University, Faizabad<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmlau.ac.in/|title=Welcome To Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University}}</ref> on 5 February 1995 for her outstanding contributions in the field of Literature. * Organised International Vice-Chancellors Conference to present and share the facts and findings{{what|date=September 2018}} and basis of Jainism and its studies at Hastinapur on 8 October 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98oct09/nation.htm#4|title=tribuneindia...}}</ref>
==Initiation as Aryika== On the instructions of Acharya Shantisagar, she was elevated as to the rank of Aryika by Veersagar on Vaishakh Krishna Dooj of 1956 at Madhorajpura in Rajasthan.<ref name="google.com"/>
==Construction activities== [[File:Jambudweep Rachna.jpg|thumb|Jambudweep, Hastinapur ]] * She founded the Digambar Jain Institute of Cosmographic Research in 1972 with an aim of constructing a monumental model of Jambudvipa to have better understanding of Jain cosmology. It was inaugurated in 1982 and was named Jambudweep Gyan Jyoti.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jainheritagecentres.com/index.php/jainism-in-india/uttar-pradesh/hastinapur/877-jambudweep-complex|title=Jambudweep Complex|work=Jain Heritage Centres - Celebrating Jain Heritage.....Globally!|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207032338/http://www.jainheritagecentres.com/index.php/jainism-in-india/uttar-pradesh/hastinapur/877-jambudweep-complex|archive-date=7 February 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=September 2018}} * Bhagwan Rishabhdev Samavsaran Shrivihar was consecrated after the tour of the whole India in April 1998 at Kevalgyan Kalyanak temple of Deeksha Tirth-Prayag at Delhi. * The 31 ft Statue of Vasupujya at Champapur, Bhagalpur was built under her guidance. It was consecrated in February–March 2014. * She was an inspiration behind the 108 ft statue of Rishabhanatha at Mangi-Tungi, the tallest Jain statue in the world. This statue holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest Jain idol. The certificate was awarded to Gyanmati, Chandnamati and Ravindrakirti on 6 March 2016.<ref name=ndtv>{{citation |url = http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/108-ft-tall-jain-teerthankar-idol-enters-guinness-records-1284799 |title =108-Ft Tall Jain Teerthankar Idol Enters 'Guinness Records' |date =7 March 2016 |work = NDTV}}</ref> The Panch Kalyanak Mahotsav was held from 11–17 February 2016.
==Notes== {{Reflist|30em}}
==References== * {{citation |editor=Hans Bakker |title=The History of Sacred Places in India As Reflected in Traditional Literature: Papers on Pilgrimage in South Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=McwUAAAAIAAJ |publisher=BRILL |date=1990 |isbn=90-04-09318-4 }} * {{citation |last=Cort |first=John |author-link=John E. Cort |title=Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0IF2CAAAQBAJ |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=2010 |orig-year=1953 |isbn=978-0-19-538502-1 }} * http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-world-s-tallest-idol-of-jain-teerthankar-lord-rishabhdeva-to-be-sanctified-2176519 *[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/CM-takes-aerial-view-of-108-ft-idol/articleshow/51020562.cms] {{Jain Gurus}} {{Jainism topics}}
Category:1934 births Category:Living people Category:Indian Jain religious leaders Category:20th-century Indian Jains Category:20th-century Jain nuns Category:20th-century Indian nuns Category:Indian Jain nuns Category:21st-century Indian nuns Category:21st-century Indian Jains Category:21st-century Jain nuns