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

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YAŠASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
adds that he should be led to a river and immersed therein, and when the waters flow into his mouth the Adhvaryu priest should make an oblation of horse's blood on the man's head with the mantra bhrūnahatyāyai svāhā'. After the oblation the man is brought out of the water ( nihședhanti explained in the commentary as nirgamayanti), and possibly driven away as a scapegoat. Just as there are no traces of remnants of human sacrifice in this rite, as Weber thought, similarly it did not involve any inhuman practice like lighting a fire on a man's head, as alleged by Ravişeņa.
It is hardly necessary to cite other examples of Jaina misstatements regarding Vedic rites. Ravişeņa tells us also that in a sacrifice called Mātsmedha one's mother was killed, while in the Pitrmedha one's father suffered the same fate (11. 86 ). Jinasena I states that kings were sacrificed by hundreds and thousands in the Rājasüya, which, according to him, was devised by the wicked god Mahākāla, an enemy of kings. This amazing statement occurs in his Harivaṁsapurāna written in 783 A. D. Hemacandra mentions a Gomedha and a Naramedha along with the Asvamedha in a sweeping condemnation of Vedic sacrifices in a verse of his commentary on his Yogasāstra 4. 102. In another amusing verse in the same work (2. 38 ) he declares that the poor Cārvāka is rather preferable to Jaimini, because the former openly professes atheism, while the latter is a monster disguised as an ascetic citing Vedic texts.8
It is evident that much of the information of Jaina writers in regard to Vedic rites was based on hearsay, and the only thing they definitely knew about them was that they involved the sacrifice of living beings, men as well as animals. Their statements are no doubt mala fide, misleading and erroneous, but similar inaccuracies are found also in the Matharavrtti on the Sankhyakärikā.* It may be noted in this connection that the following sacrificial verse is quoted, perhaps inaccurately, in both the Mātharavrtti and Somadeva's Yasastilaka VII. 30:
षट्शतानि नियुज्यन्ते पशूनां मध्यमेऽहनि । अश्वमेधस्य वचनादूनामि पशुभित्रिभिः ।।
1 9 99 Tia: TTTTSAA FFETT: 1 79THAT atstat trafo 11 23. 142. 2 गोमेधनरमेधाश्वमेधायध्वरकारिणाम् । याशिकानां कुतो धर्मः प्रणिघातविधायिनाम् ॥ 3 वरं वराकश्चार्वाको योऽसौ प्रकटनास्तिकः । वेदोक्तितापसच्छमच्छन्नं रक्षो न जैमिनिः ।। 4 The Mātharavrtti misunderstands the significance of the Puruşamedha and the
Gogava. It says qyqusfueto Hiu 4: 496 TIRUZİ TTTT7*** ***FTSF459 Hazi भूरिकर्तव्यतयोपदिश्यते 'ब्रह्मणे माह्मणमालभेत क्षत्राय राजन्यं मरुद्भ्यो वैश्यं तस्कर नारकाय बोरहणम्' इत्यादि 219117!