________________
JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXVI, No. 2 October, 2001
assign a special religion for their participation in what is really a Hindu festival in honour of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. They say it originated when Mahāvīra passed to moksha, and the eighteen confederate kings and others who were present at his passing instituo! an-illumination, saying: "Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter."19 This Jaina Divāli (Dipāvali) was celebrated in Vijayanagara Empire also.
70
19. Annals of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. XXVI, p. 224.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
