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In this book an attempt has been made to write a comprehensive and connected account about Jainism from 800 BC to the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Jainism is older than Buddhism and first to protest against Brahmanical Hinduism, though most of the authorities on Jainism were Brahmins by birth and a few Kșatriyas also took part in the propagation.
Pārsvanātha, who was the real founder and penultimate Tīrthamkara of this religious system, lived 250 years before Gautama Buddha. Vardhamāna Mahāvīra, a contemporary of Buddha was the twenty-fourth and the last Tīrthamkara of this religious system whereas Rşabhanātha was the first Tīrthamkara. Mahāvīra made Jainism vastly popular with the masses of northern India. Afterwards from first century BC, Jainism became popular in south India. Inspite of systematic vilification by the Buddhist and the Brahmins, Jainism still continues to be a dominant religious system in India, although there is practically no trace of the doctrine of Buddhism, in the country of its birth. Even now in India, some twenty million people are Jainas and they are quite prosperous.
Towards the end, this book also carries descriptive account of the wellknown Jaina tīrthas (sacred places) and nearly three hundred places have been discussed.
Rs 950 (for 2 vols.)
