Antiquity or Jainism and tirthankara mahavir

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain
Publisher: Z_Jayantsensuri_Abhinandan_Granth_012046.pdf

Page 6

achieve and fulfil their requirements from Kalpavriksas (wishing trees). They used to inhabitate in forest and lead their lives on fruits and roots. Art and industries were also not known to them. From historic viewpoint this may be called the early and later stone age. KARMABHUMI (AGE OF ACTION)
The remaining ages are called Karmabhumi (age of action) where the people learn to work, toil, write, trade, educate and art etc. The inventors of this age are called Kulakaras (legislators and founders of civilisation) who are said to be appeared in the first of these last three ages or in the fourth age of the era, the transitional period of the age. During the Bhogabhūmi period people used to live with a cooperative, calm and quite atmosphere under lesser necessities accomplished by the Kalpavrakşa. This natural gift weakened gradually, population enhanced, delinquencies increased, ethnic clashes advanced. The result of this phenomenal change compelled the Kulakaras to creat the revolutionary Karmabhumi period for welfare of the society. The kulas were formed by the Great sages called Kulakaras. The number of Kulakaras are varied in ancient Jain literature. The Thanänga in the Svaramandaladhikara refers to seven Kulakaras, viz. Vimalavahana, 2. Chaksusmāna, 3. Yasasvi, 4. Abhichandra, 5. Prasenajita, Marudeva, and 7. Nabhi. The Mahāpurāna’of Jinasena enumerates fourteen Kulakaras, viz. 1. Pratiksva, 2. Sanmati, 3. kşemankara, 4. Kşemandhara, 5. Simankara, 6. Simandhara. 7. Vimalavähana. 8. Chaksusmāna. 9. Yasasvi, 10. Abhichandra, 11. Chandrabha, 12. Prasenajita, 13Marudeva, and 14. Nābhi. The Jambudvipapranjnapti" adds the name of Risabhadeva to the list as the fifteentha Kulkaras. These Kulakaras changed the old order and invented a number of new methods for evolving the civilization and educating the people in various ways. In those days the life was very easy and simple. It changed gradually and as result, the Kulakaras are said to have formed three types of Dandaniti (punishment), viz. Hakara (admonition), Makara (warning) and Dhikkāra (reprimand). The first five Kulakaras found it enough to rebuke the wrong-doer with "Ha" (exclaming). The next five had the need of "Ma" to reinforce the effect of disapproval. "Ha" expressed the exclamation towards the misdoing while "Ma" signified regret, as if to say "I regret that You should have done such a thing as this 1". This was enough to curse the offences to right the way for the future. The remaining Kulakaras added "Dhik" to the existing code of penalties to express their abhorrence of the evil deed. The regular laws were laid down by Tirthankara Rishabhadeva and his son Bharat.
COMMENCEMENT OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION
The human civilization has been divided into three parts, viz. paleolithic, mesolithic and Neolithic. Human beings got real entry into civilization in the third Neolithic age which may be named Kulakara Yuga/or Utsarpini period in the light of Jain tradition. The Kulakara is, as a matter of fact, a social institution which performs the prohibitive, regulative and welfare functions for the society. The formation of state, Corporation etc. is the developed form of the Kulakara institution.
The Kulkaras are also called Manu in the Adipurana. The 14 Manvantaras in Vedic tradition also carry out the same activities. The Visnupurāna? describes the main functions of the Manvantaras.
As soon as the Karmabhumi started, the Kalpavraksas disappeared from the land and acute problem of food and other material began. Eventually. people went to Nabhirai, the fourteenth Kulakara, who sent them to Risabhadeva, the First Tirthankara. He realised the situation and instructed the people in the arts of agriculture, housing, art, architecture, reading, writing etc. He became the first teacher of mankind. Dr. H. D. Sankalia rightly pointed out that "if modern archaeology were to describe these stages of man's culture, it would call the era, which Nabhi or his son Risabha initiated, as the era of Agriculture: the one preceded would be the Stone Age period. SALAKAPURUSAS
After Kulakaras, the sixty three Great Personalities or men of mark (Salaka Purusas) are said to have been appeared on earth, viz. 1) 24 Tirthankaras :- 1. Risabha or Adinatha, 2) Ajita.
3) Sambhava, 4) Abhinandana, 5) Sumati, 6) Padmaprabha, 7) Supārsva, 8) Chandraprabha, 9) Puspadanta, or Suvidhi 10) Sitala, 11) Sreyansa, 12) Vasupujya, 13) Vimala, 14) Ananta, 15) Dharma, 16) Santi, 17) Kunthu, 18) Araha, 19) Malii, 20) Munisuvrata, 21) Nami, 22) Nemi, 23) Parsva,
and 24) Mahāvira or Varshamana. 2) 12 Chakravartis - 25. Bharata, 26) Sagara, 27)
Maghavā, 28) Sanatkumāra, 29) Sänti, 30) Kunthu, 31) Araha, 32) Subhauma, 33) Padma, 34)
Harisena, 35) Jaisena, and 36) Brahmadatta. 3) Balabhadras - 37) Achala, 38) Vijaya, 39) Bhadra,
40) Suprabha, 41) Sudarsana, 42) Ananda, 43)
Nandana, 44) Padma, and 45) Rama. 4) 9 Vasudeva or Narayanas - 46) Triprastha, 47)
Dviprastha, 48) Svayambhū, 49) Puruşottama, 50) Purusa Sangha, 51) Purusa Pundarika 52) Datta,
SHRIMAD JAYANTSENSURI ABHINANDAN GRANTH/ENGLISH SECTION
19
कर्म निजरा के लिये, कर लो तुम सत्कर्म । 014 1644, af linelibrary.org