Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

Page 94

Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jain Mythology
opened new vistas of their material advancement. Now, as the wild grains were available in abundance there was every likelihood of there being surplus And, the people must have thought it wise to accumulate and preserve the surplus quantity for future use This idea of having grains in reserve might have prompted them to make earthenwares especially for
purposes
76
This process of social evolution is said to have reached its culmination at the time of Rsabhadeva We are told that with the passage of time the spontaneously available corns ceased to grow any more The people were again confronted by the same problem of existence 44 The ghost of starvation again began to haunt their houses Now, in that state of utter frustration and helplessness they approach Rşabhadeva for alleviation of their distress Thereupon the latter taught them the art of cultivation of various cereals along with other five sources of living, 1 e Ası, Mast, Vidyā, Vānijya and Silpa 45
Examined in the light of discoveries made by the modern antiquarians the above Jaina account of the last phase of the material development of the pre-historic people shows striking similarities with the Brahmanical accounts46 and is borne out by archaeological and anthropological evidences 47 Now it is plain and simple that in the beginning grains scattered on the naturally rich soil spontaneously sprouted and ripened to be
44 MP 16 130-146 ff. The Brahmanical sources in similar way ascribe this important work to Brahma and Prthuvainya, vide Marka P 49 64-76 Vāju 8 146-72, 62 94ff, MBh 12 29 129-136, 12 59 104-141 If we take into account the fact that in the Jaina Puranas, especially in the MP all the qualities and functions of Brahmanical Brahmā bave been arrogated to the first Jina, the difference in names will seem immaterial
45 JHV, 9 35, MP 16 180 ff Both the works exhibit clear signs of 10. fluence of the Vayupurana, 8 61-72, Mark p 49 67-76
46 Vayu P chapter VIII, Märkandeya, chap XLIX
47 Childe, Man Makes Himself, ch IV, Morgan, Ancient Society P 22ff, both quoted in RS Sharma, Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions en Ancient India, pp 50-51