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150 :: Aspects of Jaina Religion
tradition that Jayanti, a daughter of king Sahasrāṇīka of Kausāmbi, remained unmarried out of her love for religion and philosophy. When Mahāvīra first visited Kausāmbī, she discussed with him several abstruse metaphysical questions and eventually became a nun. Similarly, in later periods of history also Jaina women not only kept up the pace of female education but at times made original contributions to literature. For example, along with men Jaina women also added to Kannada literature. The greatest name among them was Kāntī, who along with the great poet Abhinava Pampa, was one of the gems that adorned the court of Hoysala king Balla I(A.D. 1100-1106) in Karnataka. She was a redoubtable orator and poet who completed the unfinished poems of Abhivana Pampa in the open court of that ruler. Similarly, Jaina lady Avvaiyāra, 'the Venerable Matron', was one of the most admired amongst the poets in Tamil language.
5. Inculcation of Self-reliance
The contribution of Tīrthankara Mahāvīra and Jaina Achāryas of a revolutionary nature consisted in completely changing the attitude of the people towards God and thereby inculcating the spirit of self-reliance among the minds of the people. The common belief held by the people according to the prevalent ideology was that as this world has been created by God and that the work of controlling the events in this world is also carried out by God. This popular belief engendered a feeling of divine dispensation in the minds of the people because it was firmly held by the people that God can do and undo anything in this world in accordance with his wishes. Naturally this feeling created a sense of complete dependence on God by the people in the conduct of their daily activities and in securing happiness in this world as well as in the next world. Obviously this sense of dependence on God urged people to find out ways and means so as to obtain in abundant measure the favours of God in mundane and spiritual matters and also to avoid the displeasure or wrath of God which, it was thought, would not only bring several
