Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

Author(s): Shaktidhar Jha
Publisher: Bharat Bharti Bhandar

Page 89

The Manus and their Perrods
were, like the autumnal clouds26 (MP 3 26-44)
The second stage called Suşamā was marked by a little deterioration in the existing condition of the people Their stature and life-span decreased, while the quantity of their meals increased a little more than in the previous age, and, in stead of taking meals at an interval of three days they started taking it in every two days But when the second stage was completing its course, the power of the Kalpadzkşas began to decrease27 (3 46-50)
In the third stage called Susamā-duḥsama (period of happiness and sorrow) the divine trees lost much of their original brilliance and capacity Owing to the dimness of their light the sun and the moon became manifest in the firmament 28 Now, the people taking that event as portentous rushed to the Manu for security from the apprehended calamity Manu, thereupon, tried to dispel their consternation by his informative remark that the planets which were visible to them for the first time, had ever since been moving in the firmament But so long, the view of those luminaries was obstructed by the dazzling radiance of the Kalpaurkşas which by then had suffered diminution The people, thus having been acquainted with the real state of affairs, regained composure and began to live as bcfore 20 It was on the basis of the apparent movements of the above planets as well as other stars and constellations that time came to be divided into days, nights, forinights, months and years 30
26 JHV gives more elaboratc description of the first two ages, apparently
by combining both thc clements of the first age of human life on the one hand and thosc of the Uttaraturus and Haridar şa on the other (7
60-105) 27 Other works do not give separate account of this stage 28 According to VPG (354) this event took place during the reign of
the eighth Manu Cah su, but RPC ascribes it to the period of the sixth Manu (3 79-85) The Harivan'sapurāna 18 in agreement with the present
account (JHV,7 125-140) 29 MP 3 69-75 The Svetambara versions do not refer to this event
Hemacandra also, who on several occasions 15 more elaborate than
Jinasena, does not allude to it 30 Ibid 3 80-89