Jaina Biology

SR No.: 001543
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J C Sikdar
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Total Pages: 340
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, Biology, & Philosophy
File Size: 19 MB

Page 139

128
Asaliya :
They are born and live in islands, forts, villages, towns, Nigamas (a city or market places), Khedas (small towns), Karbatas (market - towns or villages), Mandavas (temples), Donamuhas (the ends of a valley), Pattanas (towns or cities), Agaras, (mines), Asamas, (hermitages) Samvahas (parks for recreation or market - places), and capitals (Rayahāṇī). They are sammurcchima praņis. They are in the minimum innumerabeth part of a cubic finger in length and 12 Yojanas in the maximum, like that in breadth and depth. On the destruction of islands, etc. they rise up by making the earth burst forth and die in an antarmuhurta.50
Mahorgā
Mahoraga (Reptiles living in the extermal islands and seas)51, are of many kinds, such as, (1) Some are one cubic finger in length (2) Some are angulapuhattiya (two-nine cubic fingers in length), (3) (3) Some are one viyatthi (thumb finger to small finger in length), (4) Some are viyatthipuphattiya (two - nine fingers in length), (5) Some are one rayani (one cubit=18" in length (6) Some are rayaṇi-puhattiya (two to nine rayanis in length), (7) Some are one kucchi, i.e. two cubits) in length), (8) Some are Kucchi - puhattiya (two to nine Kucchis), (9) Some are one dhanu (four cubits in length), (10) Some are dhanupuhattiya (two to nine dhanus in length), (11) Some are one gauyam (2000 dhanus in length), (12) Some are Gauyapuhattiya, (i.e. two to nine gauyams) (13) Some are one Yojana (14) gauyas in length), (15) Some are Yojanasataṁ (one hundred Yojanas in length), (16) Some are Yojanasatapuhattiya (two to nine Yojanaśatas), (17) Some are Yojana-sahasram (one thousand Yojanas in length), and many others like them52.
Jaina Bioogy
They are born in land but move in both water and land. They live in the external islands and seas.53
They are of two kinds, viz. Sammurcchima ( asexually reproduced). and Garbhavyutkrantika (sexually reproduced). All the Sammurcchima are Napumsakas (that of third sex). Garbhavyutkrantikas are of three
50. Ibid. 1.82
51. Pannavaṇā 1.83
52. Ib d. 1.83.
It is difficult to identify them in the absence of further knowledge about them. But it is certain that a kind of snake type reptilia are found to originate in the ruins of old houses and buildings on their destruction.
53. Ibid.
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