Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

SR No.: 011025
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 495
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 33 MB

Page 114

JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA
preached by the sinless saints, who have, by their purity, got rid of all their Adharma', the pious nun Kavunti accompanied the couple to their destination." There were Jaina establishments outside the gates of Madura, inhabited by ascetics engaged in austerities. In these quarters was a temple dedicated to the flower-eyed Iyakki or Yakshi. Mādari, the cowherdess, met the refugees from Puhār in this place, when she returned after making her daily offering to this deity.
PRECEPTS AND PRACTICES: The narrative contains references to the well-known teachings of the Jain a faith, such as non-injury, truthfulness, control over the senses, philanthropy, austerities, etc., preached by its advocates and practised by its followers. But there are certain peculiar aspects of the Jaina precepts and practices which bear special significance in the context of our studies; so we shall notice them here, rather critically.
· According to the Jaina philosophy there is no supreme godhead presiding over the destiny of this universe. On the contrary, it postulates the existence of a multiplicity of perfect souls who, having been liberated from the bonds of Karma, have attained omniscience, transcendental bliss and other supersensuous attributes. But hero in the Tamil land, as also elsewhere, Jainism was placed in the midst of religious schools and philosophies which claimed their origin in the all-absorbing Vedic scriptures and whose advocates believed in single sovereign godheads such as Siva, Vishņu, Sakti, etc. Even in the Silappadikāram itself we meet with numerous references to these various Hindu divinities and their cults which had taken deep roots in the minds of the people. Consequently, in this utinosphere of competition, though it was healthy to start with, the champions of the Jaina religion and philosophy had to make suitable adjustments, without violating the fundamentuls, in the minor details of their philosophical concepts and religious terminology, with a view to capture the popular understanding and maintain the impression among its adherents that their faith was in no way inferior to other religious faiths. I shall illustrate these remarks with a very illuminating passage from the Silappadikāram.
When the three travellers reached Arangan or Srirangam, there appeared the Chāraņas "who were well-known for their great skill in expounding the rules of Dharma, given to the world by the pre-eminent Perumakan of transcedental powers." The Chāraṇas declared that the laws of destiny were inexorable and expounded to the suppliant Kavunti the nature of the supreme divinity in the following words.*
1 Silappadikäram., p. 158. 2 Ibid., p. 214. 8 Ibid., p. 163. Perunakan means the Great Personality referring to the Arhat. 4 Ibid., pp. 164-65.