Book Title: Dhammakahanuogo
Author(s): Kanhaiyalal Maharaj, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Agam Anuyog Prakashan

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 34
________________ 15 nd rugged le passing the inhabi and in the Kalpasūtra (5.109) only the name of Jasoyā (Yasodā) of Kodinna gotra as Mahāvira's wife is mentioned. Further, it is state that she had a daughter named Anojjā or Piyadamsaņa. The name of Mahavira's daughter's husband is neither referred to in the Acārānga nor in the Kalpasūtra, but we learn from the A vasyaka tradition that it was Jamali. Mahavira renounced the wordly life at the age of thirty. It has been stated that for a period of one month and a year (samvaccharam sahiyam māsam)' he went about with a robe and then roamed about naked. He preached severe asceticism for over a period of twelve years and wandered naked and homeless. He travelled on foot from place to place unmindful of hunger and thirst, cold and heat and rough and rugged pathways. It is stated that for more than two years he neither drank nor used cold water. While passing the region of the country of Ladha (in West Bengal), he had to undergo severe hardships. The inhabitants of this country were violent by nature. They had an aversion for ascetics and often harassed them if ever they passed through their land. They hit them with sticks, fists or lances, cut their flesh, tore their hair, threw dust on their bodies and set their dogs upon them. Looking at Mahāvira's nude body, the children ran away in fright and people drove him out of village. After twelve long years of hard ascetic life Mahāvira attained omniscience (kevalajñāna) at the age of forty-two and lived thereafter for thirty years to preach religious sermons. According to the Kalpasūtra, since the time Mahavira renounced his household life, he spent forty-two rainy seasons in the following places: First rainy season in Atthiyagama Next three rainy seasons in Campā and Pitthicampa Next twelve rainy seasons in Vesāli and Vāņiyagama Next fourteen rainy seasons in Rājagiha and Nalanda Next six rainy seasons in Mithila Next two rainy seasons in Bhaddiya Next one rainy season in Alabhiyā Next one rainy season in Paniyabhūmi* Next one rainy season in Sävatthi the last rainy season in Pāvās This roughly corresponds to modern Bihar, a part of North-West of Bengal and a part of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. This indicates that during the life time of Mahavira Jainsm did not seem to have spread roughly beyond the boundaries of Anga-Magadha where the Teacher Principally dwelt and preached. There is a tradition according to which Mahāvira is said to have visited Viibhaya, the capital of Sindhu-Sovira in order to ordain king Uddāyana. Though this 1. The same expression is used in the case of Usabha, see Infra, Dhammakahānuoga, 1,20 2. Kalpasūtra (5.117); also Acäranga (II, Cülikā 3). In this connection Aparajitasuri in his commentary on the Bhagavati-Aradhana (421, pp 611-15) has quoted the Svetambara canonical literature in support of Mahavira's moving about naked. Quoting the statement "varisam civarādhari tena paramacelago jino" from the Bhāvanā, the 24th section of the Acäranga, he has pointed out certain contradictions and difference of views in this connection, See Jagdishchandra Jain, Life in Ancient India, revised edition. Ch.I; Nathuram Premi, Jain Sahitya aur Itihās p.64 3. The account seems to be somewhat exaggarared; It is provided in the first section of the Acaranga. 4. Situated in Vajjabhumi in the country of Ladha, Kalpasūtra, 5.123 Com. 5. Ibid, Sū, 5.122 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 ... 810