Babu Devkumar Smruti Ank

SR No.: 010080
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye, Others
Publisher: Jain Siddhant Bhavan Aara
Publication Year: 1951
Total Pages: 538
Language: Hindi
Classification: Smruti_Granth
File Size: 47 MB

Page 518

No. Il
New Light on Antiquity of Jainiani to their acceptance of many rites and ceremonics of the 'Magga' people,
Makala (#19)- Even at present there is an advanced community in the Dravidian province which is known as 'Makala' It has been shown by rules governing languages that the word 'Mākala' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Markala' or Marathi ‘Makada'. In the Rámāyana of Valmiki there appears a community which is de.cribed as Markata which, according to that Ramayana, was monkey like. But on modern research it has been found that these markatas were not monkeys but human beings. The Jain Rámāyana says that they were like ordinary men and followed Jainism.
Mongi Tungi.---According to the Jaina tradition Shri Ramchandra Sugriva and thousands of others attained liberation on the mount of Mongi Tungi after going through the austerities prescribed by the Jaina faith. Why should the mount be called Mongi-Tungi is a question which cannot be solved unless the following explanation is accepted. The word 'Mongi' means sacred or belonging to the sacred religion 'Magga' and Tungi means a mount or mountain. Thus the joint word 'Mongi-Tungi' would mean 'a sacred mount of the Jainas'. This is, according to this writer, a strong proof that Jainism was known as “Mārga' at least up to the time of Shri Ramachandra the hero of Rāmāyana.
The above points are sufficients, according to this writer, to hold that 'Marga was the name by which Jainism was pre-eminently known until at least the time of Shri Ramachandra, that the Persians of Iran, the Dravidians, Mongolians and the Burmans were at that time inhabiting terretories not far off from the country in which the Magga (Marga) religion stood shining in full splendour, that they accepted and incorporated among them much of the learning by studying in Marga seals of education and that they or important sections of those people came to be styled and named after the civilization which imparted education to them.