Acharya Shri Shantisagar Maharaj, Charitra Chakravarti (आचार्य श्री शांतिसागर चरित्र चक्रवर्ती) was the first Digambar Jain Acharya

Acharya

In Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...

 of the 20th century, and the first Digambar Jain monk to wander in North India after several centuries.

Padmanabh Jaini writes in the first paragraph of "The Path of Purification" (1979):

"It is August, 1955. On the holy mount of Kunthalagiri, in the state of Maharashtra in India, an old man called Santisagara (Ocean of peace) is ritually fasting to death. He is the Acharya (spiritual leader) of the Digambara Jaina community; now, after thirty-five years as a mendicant, he is attaining his mortal end in the holy manner prescribed by the great saint Mahavira almost 2,500 years earlier. Santisagara has owned nothing, not even a loincloth, since 1920. He has wandered on foot over the length and breadth of India, receiving food offerings but once a day. and then with only his bare hands for a bowl; he has spoken little during daylight hours and not at all after sunset. From August 14 until September 7 he takes only water; then, unable to drink without help, he ceases even that. At last, fully conscious and chanting the Jain a litany, he dies in the early morning of September 18. The holiness and propriety of his life and of the manner of his death are widely known and admired by Jainas throughout India"

Tradition

He belonged to the lineage of Sena Gana, made famous by Acharya Jinasena

Jinasena

Jinasena is the name of several famous Jain Acharyas of the Digambar tradition.* The author of Harivamsha Purana in the 8th century. He belonged to the Punnata branch of Jain monks....

 and his pupils in the Rashtrakuta

Rashtrakuta

The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian Subcontinent between the sixth and the 10th centuries. During this period they ruled as several closely related, but individual clans. Rastrakutas in inscriptions represented as descendants of Satyaki, a Yadava well known...

 period. His initiator Devendrakirti belonged to this lineage. The Sena Gana itself was a branch of the Pancha-stupa lineage.

Chronological outline

Based on the account given by Sumeruchandra Diwakar and Dharmachanda Shastri

• 1872 born to Bhimagauda Patil and Satyavati at Yelagula (Bhoj), Karnataka, named Satgauda
• 1881 Married at age 9, wife died in six months
• - Serves Acharya Muni Adisagar
• - Father died
• 1905 Pilgrimage to Sammet Shikhar with sister

As Kshullaka (Junior monk)

• 1915 Kshullaka Diksha by Muni Devakirti (Devappa Swami), former Sena Gana Bhattaraka
  Bhattaraka
  A Bhaṭṭāraka is the head of traditional Jain institutions. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
  
  
• 1918 Visit to Mt. Girnar

As Muni (full monk)

• 1919 Yarnal, Full Muni
  Muni
  "Muni" is a common abbreviation for "municipal" or a city-related service or organization:*The Muny, an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, Missouri*Municipal bond*San Francisco Municipal Railway, the public transit agency for San Francisco, California...
  
   Diksha from Muni Devakirti
• 1921 First Chaurmas at Kognoli
• 1922 Ch Naslapur

As Acharya

Acharya

In Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...

• 1924 Ch Samdoli, Acharya pada given, initiated Munis Virasagar and Nemisagar
• 1925 Ch Kumbhoj, urged to visit Samet Shikhar
• - Present at Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanbelgola (Kanrataka)
• 1926 Ch Nanded
• 1927 Ch Bahubali (Maha.)
• - Nagpur (Maha., then capital of Central Provinces)

Eastern India wanderings

• - Panchakalyanaka at Samet Shikhar (Bihar)
• - Champapur
• - Pavapur

Central India wanderings

• 1928 Ch Katni (Madhya Pradesh)
• - Jabalpur, Sleemanabad
• - Nohta
• - Kundalpur
• - Sagar
• - Dronagir, encounter with tiger
• 1929 Ch Lalitpur
• - Sonagir: 4 Ailaks initiated
• - Gwalior
• - Murena

Northern India wanderings

• -Rajakheda (UP): attacked by a violent crowd
• - Agra
• -Firozabad
• 1930 Ch Mathura, Digambar Jain Mahasabha blessed
• - Delhi (marked by a memorial at Lal Mandir)
• - Hastinapur
• 1931 Ch Delhi

Western India wanderings

• - Mahavirji (Raj.)
• 1932 Ch Jaipur
• 1933 Ch Byavar
• 1934 Ch Udaipur
• 1935 Ch Goral
• 1936 Ch Pratapgarh
• 1937 Ch Gajpantha (Maha.)
• - Sanskrit "Shri Shantisagar Charitra" written by Muni Kunthusagar
• - Gajpantha: Given title "Charitra Chakravarti"
• 1938 Ch Baramati
• -Indore (MP)
• 1939 Ch Pratapgarh (Raj)

Maharashtra wanderings

• 1940 Ch Gorel (Maha)
• 1941 Ch Akluj
• 1942 Ch Korochi
• 1943 Ch Digraj
• 1944 Ch Kunthalgiri
• 1945 Ch Phaltan
• 1946 Ch Kavalana
• 1947 Ch. Sholapur, India's independence
• - A mute young man starts speaking
• 1948 Ch Phaltan
• 1949 Ch Kavlana
• 1950 Ch Gajpantha
• 1951 Ch Baramati
• 1952 Ch Lonand
• 1953 Ch Kunthalgiri
• 1953 Book "Charitra Chakravarti" by Sumeruchandra Diwakar published
• 1954 Preservation of Dhavala books

Final samadhi

• 1955 Ch Kunthalgiri
• - Determination for Sallekhana
• - Sumeruchandra Diwakar arrived
• - Acharya pada awarded to Muni Virasagar
• - Bhattarakas Lakshmisen and Jinasen arrive
• Sept 18, 1955 Kunthalgiri: Samadhimarana

(Compiled by Yashwant Malaiya)