Antiquity of Jainism

Author(s): Mahaveer Saran Jain
Publisher: Mahaveer Saran Jain

Page 9

मुनयो वातरशना पिशंगा वसते मला: वातस्यानु थ्रांजिं यंति यद्दैत्रासो अविक्षत्ः
उन्मतिदा मौनयेन वातां जा तास्थैमा वयम् शरीरे दस्माकं युयं मतांसो अभि पश्यथ (ऋगवेद, १०, १३६, २)
Dr. Hiralal Jain has explained" They are Munis and their ways of renunciation, silence and non- attachment distinguish them from the Rishi tradition. But a new word Vatarashana is connected with them. Vata means air and vashana means girdle or waistband. Therefore the meaning is air-cloth or one whose clothing is air, that is, naked. This is not a new term for the Jain tradition, and it occurs in Jina sahasranama - Thousand names for Jina
Thus: -
"According to this Vatarashana, Digvasa, Nigganthas and Digambara, all these are synonymous terms and indicate a naked or nude state, So it can be concluded that at the time of the Rigveda composition such munis were in existence who used to go about naked and who were revered as gods in the Rishi tradition and were eulogized and worshipped.