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Jainism
Tirtharkara Pārsva. The accounts of the other Tirthankaras are so involved in legends that they have not yet been reconstructed. But there are definite proofs of the fact that there existed in India sects different from the Vedic faith even before Mahāvīra and Buddha. The Arhats and their Caityas were in existence before the birth of Buddha (Buddha himself refers to Mahāvira's own clan, the Liccbavis and to their religion). The followers of those Arbatas and Caityas were known as the Vrāty as who aro also mentioned in the Atharva Veda”.)
And speaking about these Vrātyas2 Dr. K. P, Jayaswal said, “They are called Vrātyas or un-Brāhmanical Ksatriyas, they had a republican form of Govern. ment, they had their own shrines, their non-Vedic worship, their own religious leaders, they patronised Jainism”.3
Thus in the words of Dr. A. Guerinot, "There can no longer be any doubt that Pārsvanātha was a historical personage”.4 And there is evidence to show that his faith prevailed not only in different parts of India but it also penetrated beyond the frontiers of this country.
1. bhāratiya Itihās Ki Roopa-Rekhā, vol. I, p.
343-349. 2. About these Vrātyas or Kșātra-Bandhus and of
their being none but the Jains, see Prof. A. Chakravarti's article in Jaina Gazette, XXXI, pp. 6; and also Dr. Har Prasad Shastri's article in J.B.O.R.S., vol. V, p. 554-558, and also Anekānta 6/7, p.
335-336. 2. Modern Review, 1929, p. 499. 4. Essai de Bibliographica Jainica-- Introd,
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