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26
The Jaina Antiquary
Bhojaka Adityajatäh Divyåste parikirtitäh
| Vol. XIV
Bhavishya Purana Bahyaparva part 136. Shirasa Dharayet Keshan sa jñyego Bhojakädhamah Bhunjante na cha ye ratrau Bhojakäste priya mama. Meaning-Magas are those who are born of fire. There are others-Brahmans who are born af soma. Bhojakas are born of the Sun they are famed as celestial'.
'That Bhojaka is the worst who allows the hair on his head to grow. Those Bhojakas who do not dine at night are dear to me.'
We learn from Bhavishy a Purana that Bhojakas and Magas were one, that they had the practice like Jain saints of shaving the head completely and not taking food at night and that they carried in their hands a brush like the Jain saints. Thus they had adopted some of the practices of the Jain saints and as they bore respect towards the 'magga' relegion they were called 'Magas'.
It has been remarked above that marriage system was originally introduced by the Jain thinkers. The Dravidians appear to have adopted the sacred ceremony of marriage from the 'magga' people, This is testified by the fact that the son born of marriage wedlock is called 'Maga' (H) in kanarise language. While a male offspring born in any other way is termed as 'huduga' (I) which means an orphan.
Manga or Mangesha (T)-The Saraswat Brahmanas call their deity of worship as 'Mangesha' (RT) which is considered by them as an incarnation of God Shiva. But on closer observation it will be found that the image of God Mangesha is not an artificial image hut a naturally grown stone slab which is ornamented by them on ceremonial occasions with an artificial face of God Shiva This conception of the deity of the Saraswat Brahmanas appears to have been based on an idea which looks similar to the idea of Akritrima Jina Chaity (अकृत्रिम जिन चैत्य ) of the Jainas.
Moghal and Mongolia. -The Mongols or Moghals are the people of Mongolia. The Sanskrit form of Mongolia would be Mangalavati and would mean 'a country of purity or brotherhood'. These names appear to have been given to those people and their country owing
