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Jainism
Dr. Hari Satya Bhattacharya, M. A., B, L., Ph. D., has no doubt as to the historicity of Neminātha, and on its basis rather, establishes the historicity of Kļšņa. He says, “Notwithstanding remarkable differences, the Kršna story in the Jaina Purāṇas is essentially similar to that of the Vedic Purānas”. He is of opinion that the Jaina version is quite independent of the Brāhmanic traditions, and that “the appearance of the Krsna story in the Jaina sacred books shows that Kșsna of the Mahābhārata may not be a purely imaginary being but that in all probability he was a historic person, a high souled powerful monarch'.8
Moreover, as Rev. J. Kennedy says, “The Jaina traditions represent the oldest form of the Krsna legend”. 4
In fact, the Jaina traditions about Neminātha or Aristanemi as incorporated in their Harivamsa, Arittha Nemi Cariu and other works, are fully corroborated by the Brāhmanic traditions. There are specific mentions of Aristanemi in the Vedas, their commentaries and the Hindu Purāņas, which clearly indicate the Jaina TirthariNemipātha indentical with the first Odin of the Scandinavians and the first Fo of the Chinese. He also says, that the first Indian Boodha was Ādinātha or Rsabha Deva.
1 'Lord Aristanemi', p. 88-89. 2 Heroes of Jaipa Legends-.J. A., XIV, 2, p. 77,
In the Jaina tradition Kțşņa is called a Nārāyaṇa and a devotee of Jina. Even the orthodox Vedic Hindu regarded bim a Vrātya and outside the pale. (See Advanced History of India, 1948, p. 95).
3 The Child Krşna, Christianity and the Gujars-- JRAS. 1907, p. 951-991.
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