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30
THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS.
with the sage. The exit of a white form, having an extent similar to that mentioned in 14" -- 15::1, from the right shoulder of a sage who becomes full of commiseration at some calamity of the people, like a famine or an epidemic, is known as Subha-samudghâta. This, after destroying the calamity, enters its own place. The exit of a white figure, one cubit in length, from the head of a sage, to resolve a doubt by seeing some Kevali (possessed of infinite knowledge), is known as Ahâra-samudghâta. In a certain stage through the rise of all kinds of Karmas, a Kevali's form expands and fills up the whole Lokakasa, without leaving the original body. This is called Kevali-samudghâta.
A description of these forms clearly illustrates the belief of various subtle forms by the Jainas. In all cases, when a Jîva cloes not assume these forms, it fillls up either a large or a small body. This theory of the Jainas is severely criticised in the Vedanta philosophr of the Hindus. Sankaracharya, in his commentary on Vedanta-sûtra, Adhyâya II, Pada II, Sûtra 34, had said that if it is admitted that a Jîva is equal in extent to its body, it is impossible that the same Jiva can enter into the bodies of a fly and an elephant. This is not the place to discuss the point in detail. We shall simply mention the view held by the Jainas with respect to this point. The Jainas say that as a lamp, placed respectively in a small pot and a room, illuminates the whole of the space between each of these, so a Jiva contracts and expands, according to the dimensions of different bodies. A better example can be given by mentioning the case of gases like oxygen, which fills up the whole of the space within different vessels, having small or large dimensions. But
* Brahmadeva bas thus referred to it in his commentary : "traG'We find a mention of this story in the following passage quoted from the commentary by Śrutasagara Sûri or Ya-asila :a Clamp by Somadeva Sari :
. "उर्जयनौ गिरी किल अरिष्टनेमिभगवतः समवसरे नारायण गणधरदेवेन चापृच्छन् हे भगवन्, एवं समृद्धद्वारवत्या किं कुतोऽपि व्ययो भविष्यति ? इति । वरदत्तः गणधर उवाच, अनया चिन्तया किम् ? इति वन्नपि हरिणा कृतनिवन्धो वभाषे, द्वादशवर्षेषु गतेषु द्वैपायनकुमारात् दाहो भविष्यति । तद्वचनं द्वैपायनः श्रुत्वा असत्यं कर्तुमिच्छुः गृहीतवृक्षः द्वादशापि वर्षाणि पूर्वदेशे अतिक्रम्य अधिकमासमलक्षयन् द्वारवतीद्वारदेशे कृतकायोत्सर्गः पाणिविह्वलितमतिना मातङ्गेन विहितस्त्रलतिमस्तगुञ्जादाघश्च (१) कोपादग्निकूमारो भूत्वा तां नगरों ददाह ।'
