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The Jaina Antiquary
I Vol. XIV
and highly rhetorical expression in an epic poetry, of the Vedic legend of the Rain-god, Indra, delivering the bows (Rain-clouds) from Vritra who had stolen them. We may point out, inter alia, that Buddhism and Jainism repudiated and broke away from the Vēdās and that consequently, if we find the Rāma Story in the Buddhist and the Jaina leterature, it would certainly not be for the reason that the Rāma-Story was a symbolical representation of a Vēdic legend !
It is thus that the description of the Rāma-story in the Jaina literature helps us to arrive at important conclusions regarding many debated points of Indian history. Take, for instance, the curious theory, propounded of late, that the incident of the Mahabharata are carlier than those of the Rāmāyaña. We need not enter into the details of the arguments in support of that theory nor the ground on which it is stoutly controverted. It may simply be pointed out here that the sacred literature of the Jainas unambiguously support the Brāhmanic literature and traditions in holding that the exploits of Räma were much earlier than those of the Kuru-Pandavas. There is no reason why the recorded testimony of the whole Brähmanic literature regarding the priority of Räma to the Pandavas should be disbelieved; it is not always safe to brush aside the unbroken tradition like that of the Brāhmañic, to the effect that the events of the Rāmāyaña preceded those of the Mahabhārata. When, however, we find the literature of Jainism.-a rival faith, not always friendly with Brāhmañism,--supporting the current traditional doctrine that the incidents of the Mahābhārata were subsequent to those of the Rāmāyaña, we may definitely say that the modern theory to the contrary, sensational as it is, is against the weight of evidence and such, is not to be seriously taken
Like the elegant Rāma-story, the Krishña-story also has inspired the hearts of millions in India from the remotest past. The mystic devotee is lost in ecstacy in the contemplation of Krishna as the amorous youth of Brindāvana and the philosopher find in the Krishna of Kurukshitra the wisest of teachers, while to the man of world, he is the bravest of fighters, the shrewdest of politicians and
