Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

Author(s): Aseem Kumar Chaterjee
Publisher: Firma KLM Pvt Ltd

Page 29

JAINISM IN NORTE INDIA
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Śaiva religion and became a diehard Jain. In the earlier Dvyāśrāya124 also, we are told, that Kumārapāla completely forbade the sacrifice of life. Even the Brāhmaṇas were not allowed to sacrifice lives in jajñas. The trade of those, who sold flesh was stopped ; but they were given adequate compensation. This account of the Dvyāśrāya (which was apparently written 125 after V. S. 1216, the year of Kumārapāla's conversion), is fully confirmed by all works, beginning with the Mahāvīracarita. Even the men of lowest birth (antyaja) were not allowed to kill lice, bugs and the like. All living beings were taken care of and hunting was totally forbidden. The voluminous Kumārapālapratibodha1 26 also refers to the amári, promulgated by Kumārapāla. This particular work was written only a few years after the death of Kumārapāla. The Prabhāvakacarita197 informs us that one Lakşa, the bearer of betel-bow (sthegidhara) of Kelhana, the prince of Naddūla, was put to death for placing a dish of raw meat before the Lolärka Caitya of Apabila pura. According to another interesting story, told in the Prabandhacintamani, 198 a rich man of Sapādalakṣa once killed a louse, which was made over to him by his wife, while she was brushing hair. The official whose business it was, that no harm was done to living creatures (amārikaripañcakula) dragged the merchant to the king, who on the advice of Hemacandra, was deprived of all his wealth, which was used for building a temple called Yükāvihāra. Such ridiculous stories occur almost everywhere in the Jain literature. It should further be noted that the author of the Moharāj aparājaya129 also pointedly mentions that injury to living creatures was forbidden for twelve years. But according to Merutunga 180, it was forbidden for fourteen years,
A Stone inscription 181 dated in the Vikrama Samvat 1209, corresponding to 1153 A.D., of the reign of Rajadhiraja Kumārapāla, found from Kiradu (the ancient Kirātakūpa) in western Rajasthan, records that Mabārāja Alhanadeva, on