________________
10
SHRIMAD BHAGVAD GITA-A JAIN PERSPECTIVE
still exist or not?"
Thus there was fervent intellectual agitation in the post" Brahmanic" period when the Rishis of the Upanishads began to challenge the usefulness of sacrificial rituals and to consider objectively the teachings of Shramana traditions. One of the earliest Aryans to utilize the Shramana tradition was Shri Rishabha dev, the first Tirthankar (prophet) of the Jains, who is respectfully referred to not only in Rigveda and Yajurveda but also in the Vishnu and Bhagavat Puranas. They refer to him as "Param Guru" (Great Master), because it was he who introduced many reforms in the then exsting social order.. Therefore, even the Hindus recognize him as one of their "Avatars" (Divine descents) He belonged to the famous "Ikshvaku" royal family of Ayodhya, the descendents of which were the kings like Dasharatha and Lord Ramchandra. His father Naabhi Raja is recognised by Hindus as the last of Manus (Law givers). His eldest son Bharat succeeded him after he took Sanyas. Bharat
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
