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Glimpses of Hisotry of Jains/50
Vasudeo'. In a Diagmber Ramayan Sita was the daughter of Mandodari, the wife of Ravana who fearing some evil foreboding sent her on her birth to Mithila and got her buried in the land, there. She was found by king Janak while tilling a field and was brought up by him. The rest of the legend is almost the same. JAINISM & VEDIC RELIGION:
The Jain religion differs from Vedic religion which emphasized rites like animal sacrifices to appease Gods and dieties to go to heaven after death. Purohits served medium to utter correct 'Mantras' and perform ablutions. 'Someras- drink' offered all heavenly joys and pleasures on earth itself. Jainism had no place for priest- crafts, animal- sacrifices, rituals and Somras drinks etc. The prime of place in 'Nirvān' went to Kshastriya-trithankars instead of Brāhmin- priests. Jains adopted non- vedic concepts of Meditation from 'Yogshastra', Atomic particles and their indestructibility of 'vaishashik' and 'sāmkhaya' respectively. Their preceptors "Kapil and "Kanad' were also called 'Tirthankars'.
The division into 'Brāhmin', 'Kshastriya', 'Vaishya', and 'Shudra' is based on our actions and not on castes (Uttaradhana 25/312, 313). The division based on birth through castes, breeds ego and vanity. Virtues and merits alone are worthy. Sutrakratang' in Agmic text (Ilnd part 6th chapter/44) gives an account of discussion of Ardrak Muni with a Vedic Purohit who says, "One who feeds two thousand disciples earns virtues and attain Heaven”. Ardrek controverts him. “Feeding two thousand sacred cats (Brahmins- if engaged in animal sacrifices)
