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Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jaina Mythology
to be performed on the completion of one year from the day of birth The MP is probably the only work, so far known, to have reckoned the rite among the compulsory sacraments. A study of the Brahmanical sources shows that the observance of the ceremony was not considered to be obligatory, for the Sutra literature and the Smrts of Manu and Yajnavalkya do not take notice of the rite in question Still it will be unwarranted to assume that the event is of Jaina origin, for, the ceremony, known as Varşavṛddhi and varsavardhana (increase of years), has already been mentioned in some of the Brahmanical Puranasi as well as in the Uttararamacaritas2 of Bhavabhuti.
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One important point to be noted in connection with the above rite is that in Jinasena's opinion the ceremony is to be solemnized only once, 1 e on the completion of the first year of child's life But the Brahmanical Puranas enjoin that the rite must be observed every year (Pratwarşam) and an auspicious thread with knots corresponding to the number of the past years of the person concerned should be tied round his wrist. The Uttararamacarita also corroborates the annual observance of the rite and mentions the thread just referred to as (Samvatsara-) Sankhyamangalagranthi 83 (year-reckener auspi cious knot) Thus, the incorporation of the event in the MPlist of sacraments is indicative of the fact that the ceremony was quite popular in the contemporary Indian society And the most striking fact in connection with the ceremony is that it is one of a few popular ancient customs and practices surviving through the ages ull now and is celebrated in one way or other almost in all parts of the globe.
Kesavapa or Chaula
This Samskära is the same as the popular Brahmanical ceremony called Cudākarana, also known as Mundana. As defined by Jinasena, "the cutting of the hair on an auspicious
31. Brahmapurana quoted in Sabdatalpadruma, Part 4, p 295, Devibhāgavata, quoted in the same work, p 296 Brahmravcivartapurare, quoted in
Vacaspatyam, Part 6 p 4857
32. Act III, Under verse No 45
33. Ibid, No 3
34 MP 38 93-101,
