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|| ॐ नमः सिद्धेभ्यः ॥
नो रोगाः नैव शोकाः नकलहकलनाः नारिमारि प्रचाराः, नैवध्यम् समाधिर्न च दरदुरिते दुष्टदारिद्रतानो, नशाकिन्यो ग्रहानो न हरि करि गणव्याल वैतालजाला, engrà grâfazanqfû afâ quai mfqai ufa mang ||
The Jain Swetamber Gonference Herald.
Vol. I
No. VII
July, 1905.
THE FORCE OF CUSTOM AS APPLIED TO THE SACRED SHATRUNJAYA HILL.
A study of the offerings made by the several religious bodies to their avowed and acknowledged Deity-no matter in whatever shape and form they may worship Him-convinces us of the fact that each sect offers what. is consecrated and sanctified by the sacred commandments of its own relireligion. The same principle rules high in matters of food and drink. The Mahomedan in sacrificing the life of a goat on the altar of his God extends his privilege to the use of animal flesh as his diet, but he would shrink from the very idea of drinking wine because it is not held sacred and is not allowed to be offered to the Almighty. The Brahmin of the old Vedio days gladly ate animal flesh which he offered to propitiate the deities of the Hindu Pantheon and thought to be sanctified by means of the several Yagya performances. The Brahmin of to-day and specially the Brahmin of Rajputana, in the absence of such Yagyas, would never allow flesh-eating but would be very glad to partake of the harmless offerings laid the image acknowledged or worshipped by him. The Jaina of all and all places, has always offered rice, almonds, fruit, sweetmeats and the like to his Deity and so he has himself remained satisfied with this simple food.
The same case holds good with our daily habits and customs for any and every daily practice forms into habit and almost all persuasions fail in diverting the current of thought to which one becomes accustomed from his very birth. An unsurmountable difficulty is faced in trying to chat
