Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 337

YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
Hearing these words, Yasodhara's mother says to herself:
माता - (स्वगतम्) अहो मदीये सुते सांप्रतं जैनजनवात इव लग्नः प्रतिभासते । विषमश्च खलु भवत्ययं जनः । यस्माच्चिरं समयान्तरोपरचितप्रतीकाराण्यप्यन्येषां मनांसि प्रायेण पश्यतोहर इव हरत्याईतो लोकः । तद्वासनावासितं हि चेतो न ब्रह्मणापि शक्यतेऽन्यथाकर्तुम् । दुश्चिकित्स्यश्च खलु करिणां कूटपाकल इव प्राणिनां क्षपणकोपनोतश्चित्तस्याभिनिवेशः ।
318
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Ah, now the Jaina wind seems to have taken possession of my son. These Jainas are difficult people to deal with, because like thieves, they beguile the minds of men, though long protected by the doctrines of other schools. Once the mind is imbued with their ideas, Brahman himself cannot divert it to other channels. The cast of mind produced in men by the Jainas is indeed beyond remedy, like the fever of elephants.' Candramati then recollects the priest's son Sivasarman having told her that the king had met a Digambara Jaina ascetic living under a tree, and for a long while discussed religious topics with him. She remarks that her son has since evinced a dislike for wine, meat, hunting and animal sacrifice, and demonstrated his hostility to the injunctions of the Vedas and the Law-books.
Then addressing herself to the councillors, and calling them monsters and destroyers of her son and the kingdom, and despoilers of the people, she gives vent to her wrath and censures them for allowing her immature son, despite her instructions to the contrary, to come into touch with the Digambara Jainas, who are, like magicians, habitually skilled. in bewitching the world. She addresses her son in a menacing tone, and calling him a raw Carvāka, tells him that she has understood him well, and can herself give him a suitable reply. She asks him how he can ever have any leaning towards the religion of the Digambaras, which makes no provision for the gratification of the gods, the Manes and the Brahmanas, and for dips in sacred waters as well as oblations in the fire; a religion outside the jurisdiction of the Vedas and the Law-books. None but him would care to talk with those heretics, who speak ill of the gods and the Brahmanas, eat standing like brutes, and are devoid of all sense of shame and personal hygiene. Besides, their system came into being only in the Kali Age, and not even their name was known in earlier times. They hold quite unreasonably that men become gods and the gods are many. To speak the truth, the Veda is the sole authority in the matter of religion, and there is no god other than the Veda. He who does not know the Veda well does not know the regulations of the four castes and the four stages of life. Then if Yasodhara has any devotion
1 The reference is to the twenty four Tirthankaras' or Apostles worshipped as divine beings.