Book Title: Chanakya Explored in Jaina Literature
Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Firodaya Prakashan

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Page 220
________________ 210 Arthaśāstra : If the bullocks (50th adhyaya), horses (51st adhyāya) and elephants (52nd adhyāya) are overloaded and utilized carelessly, severe fine is prescribed. (v) Bhaktapānaviccheda : One should not underfeed the animal or disturb it during it's feeding. Arthaśāstra: In the 50th adhyaya, it is mentioned that if an animal dies due to underfeeding, the caretaker should be punished. A proper care should be taken of the calves, old cows and diseased animals. Observations : Many scholars, who have studied the householder's conduct of Jainas, express their surprise that the five transgressions of 'gross non-violence' are majorly connected to animals and not to human beings. This riddle can be solved easily if we read the concerned chapters of the Arthaśāstra. The Jaina householders generally owe to merchant class (vaiśya-varna). Kautilya notes four vidyas among which the third one is vārtā. He says, 'कृषिपशुपाल्य वाणिज्या च वार्ता' (adhyaya 4) i.e agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade is called 'vārtā '. In the 3rd adhyaya, Kautilya says that the vaisyas earn livelihood by these three occupations. Naturally rules and regulations prescribed for paśupālana are important for the Jaina householders of that time. At the advent of time, the Jaina householders concentrated on 'vānijjya' due to many reasons, but in the Ardhamāgadhi canonical texts there is equal stress on the occupation of cattle-rearing. The behavioural patterns of the Jainas have changed but the rules of

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