Collected Research Papers in Prakrit and Jainology Vol 02

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: University of Pune

Page 85

kaamadevas and 9 naaradas. Thus Raama, Lakshamana, Hanuman, Naarada, Krushna etc. got 'space' in Jaina environment. Thus keeping intact the highest position of teerthamkaras, they assimilated many Hindu personalities and created a harmony with the Hindu brethren. There never developed Krushna-cult, Raama-cult etc. in Jaina religion because they have already given certain status to them to arrest the encroachment on their basic principles.
(10) Growing impact of gods and goddesses in Jaina Pantheon
Principally, Jaina philosophy is atheist. Yet the medieval literature of Jainas and the Popular-Jainaism' is flooded with the references and idols of yakshas, yakshees, rakshakadevataas, shaasanadevataas, vidyaadevataas, indra-indraanees, kshetrapaalas and so on. Is it this not a paradox ? Can we name it as 'degeneration from true Jainaism ?'
There is a long history of yaksha cult in the Jaina environment. Eminent Indologist and Sanskritist Dr. R.N.Dandekar had written a voluminous thesis on Hindu pantheon, in which he had noted down the history of the culmination of vedic deities into puraanic deities. Parallel history of Jaina pantheon can be written. Major stages in this development can be located likewise: (i) Worship of devas, naagas, yakshas and gandharvas by the people in the Gangetic valley as
guardian deities. (ii) Canonical references of chaityas and devaayatanas etc. and mainly of two yakshas, viz.
Poornabhadra and Manibhadra. (iii) The hooded idols of Paarshvanaatha and stories about Paarshva, Kamatha, Dharanendra and
Padmaavatee. (iv) Inclusion of Hindu goddesses with certain changes and thus 24 guardian deities of 24
teerthamkaras. (v) Legitimization of the worship of yakshas etc. and devising new rites, litanies and tantric
practices. (vi) Emergence of a new class of clerics called as yatis and bhattaarakas having a special status
similar to that of the mahantas. (vii) Increasing importance of yakshas in Jaina rituals. Building new independent temples adjacent
to the main shrine.
(viii) Efforts of revolt against yaksha-cult by Somadeva (10" Cen.) and Aashaadhara (13" Cen.).
Declaring idol-worship as a form of heresy under the leadership of Lonkaa Shah (15" Cen.). Iconoclastic school of sthaanka-vaasis.
At present majority of idol-worshippers is busy in their rituals and many lay-people of iconoclastic schools are going through the confused state of mind.
To conclude, if vaishnavas, shaivas, maaheshvaras and so on can have their common identity as Hindus, there is no problem for Jainas, with such internally diverse religious groups and yet maintaining their common identity as Jainas. We can say this firmly because all of them carry almost same metaphysics, epistemology, ontology and ethics.