Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

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Aspects of Brahmanıcal Influence on the Jain Mythology
development of the world, may be known from the following summary of the 49th chapter of the Märhandeyaputāna, which is in literal agreement with the Vāyupurana (chap VIII) The work thus says
In the earliest period of mankind, people were born twins, one male and one female , they lived like husband and wife and towards the close of their life produced, only once, twin issues, again one male and one female (Märka P. 49. 10).51 The banks of rivers and lakes, sea-shores and hills were their dwelling places, for that age had a temperate climatic condition 62 (49 13-14) Those abodeless people had unrestricted access to all those places (49 15 ) 63 They were free from desire and ill-will and were not subjected to the distinction of high and low (49 23) 54 Their sources of subsistence were Kalpaorkşas which supplied them besides food, all sorts of raiments, ornaments and similar other articles (49 27-32) 55 The above condition remained during the Kyta age and in the first stage of the Tratá age 58
But as time advanced, the people who were so long perfectly virtuous, were overwhelmed by greed which led them to appropriate to themselves the Kalpavykşas by force and violence (49 32-33) That misconduct caused the disappearance of the Kalpavrkşas (49 33-34) 67 However, in the mean time the clouds drenched the earth with rain-waters causing spontaneous growth of trees, shrubs and herbs which served as substitutes for the lost Kalpavykşas (49 56-61a) 58 But after some
81. Vayu P VIII 43 62 Ibid VIII 47 53. Ibid VIII 48 54 Ibid VIII 49ff (This work is more elaborate in its description of the
idyllic condition of the golden age 50-65) 55 Ibid VIJI 81-90 56 This stage of happy and harmonious life corresponds to the state of
nature in i hich people are said to have lived a carc-free life under the open sky It was after this period that people established villages and towns and built houses and fortresses. Mārk P 49 34-36, Vayu
P VIII 96-100 ff 67. Vayu P VIII 91-93 58 Ibid VIII 129-135a