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 340

12. A CONTROVERSIAL DIALOGUE
321
they carry a water-pot with them, and cleanse any particular limb that might be soiled. Surely, when a man is bitten by a snake on one of the fingers, he cuts off the finger and not the nose:
यावत् समर्थ वपुलतायां यावञ्च पाणिद्वयमेति बन्धम् । तावन्मुनीनामशने प्रवृत्तिरित्याशयेन स्थितभोजनास्ते ॥ बालापकोटावपि यत्र संगे निकिंचनस्वं परमं न तिष्ठेत् । मुमुक्षवस्तत्र कथं नु कुर्युर्मतिं दुकूलाजिनवल्कलेषु ॥ शौचं निकामं मुनिपुंगवानां कमण्डलोः संश्रयणात् समस्ति ।
न चाङ्गुलौ सर्पविदूषितायां छिनत्ति नासां खलु कश्चिदत्र ॥ Yasodhara emphasizes the purity of the Jaina religion :
वदन्ति जैनास्तमिहाप्तमेते रागादयो यत्र न सन्ति दोषाः।
मद्यादिशब्दोऽपि च यत्र दुष्टः शिष्टैः स निन्द्येत कथं नु धर्मः॥ The Jainas call him an Apta who is free from passion and such other blemishes. How can the cultured censure a religion wherein even terms like wine are condemned'? The Arhat, free from passion, is contrasted with a Brahmanical god. The latter is blind with rage in dealing with enemies, and loves his wives : if such an individual is a god, the universe is full of gods :
परेषु योगेषु मनीषयान्धः प्रीतिं दधात्यात्मपरिग्रहेषु ।
तथापि देवः स यदि प्रसक्तमेतजगद्देवमयं समस्तम् ॥
Yasodhara then condemns the use of wine, flesh and honey; and recounts the evil consequences of drinking.
लजा न सज्जा कुशलं न शीलं श्रुतं न पूतं न वरः प्रचारः।
मद्येन मन्दीकृतमानसानां विवेकनाशाच्च पिशाचभावः ॥ Those who are stupefied with drink have no sense of shame nor propriety of conduct nor knowledge of sacred lore nor commendable activities; they are as ghosts owing to the loss of the power of discernment.'
The authority of the Veda is next attacked. The speaker contends that the injunctions of the Veda are guided by the instincts of the crowd, and often self-contradictory. No sure clue is to be found in the Veda as to what is to be done and what avoided, and the Veda can in no sense be an authority for the world.
यथाजनाकृतमयं प्रवृत्तः परस्परार्थप्रतिकूलवृत्तः ।
विधौ निषेधे च न निश्चयोऽस्ति कथं स वेदो जगतः प्रमाणम् ॥ An instance of how the Veda follows the instincts of the crowd is found in the fact that the common people desire to take meat, and the Veda sanctions meat-eating by prescribing certain rules for it, e. g., meat is to be taken after ceremonially sprinkling it with water in accordance with the desire of the Brāhmaṇas, and it is also permissible to take it after worshipping the Manes and the gods. Similarly, the Veda legitimizes the lewd desires of certain people by sanctioning incest in the Gosava
1 तथा हि मांसं चेदाचरितुमिच्छसि आचर । किं तु विधिपूर्वकमाचरितव्यम् । तदाह-प्रोक्षितं भक्षयेन्मांस ब्राह्मणानां तु
काम्यया ।"अर्चयित्वा पितृन् देवान् खादन् मांस न दुष्यति । 41