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Essence of Jainism
tered for the dinner on the occasion. He simply gave up the idea of the marriage in which so many animals were to be slaughtered and attractive and tasty dishes were to be cooked from their fiesh. The life-long celibacy of Nemikumāra, born of this compassion had a deep impression on the society. In due course, this deep impression grew wider and wider to such an extent that slowly and steadily so many communities discarded this custom. In all probability, this is just the first incident which laid the foundation of non-violence in social dealings. Nemikumāra was the younger cousin-brother of Lord Krishna, the crown of the Yadava family and ice loved son of Devaki. It seems that because of this family relation, this incident had a deep impression on the Yādavas of Dwarkā and Mathurā. Pārsvanātha's Protest against Violence
in the historical period we come across Bhagavān Pārsvanātha. He look a totally different step to develop the spirit of non-vio.. lence, as we learn from the story of his life, in the austerities like Pañcagni, inspired by Tamoguņa, there was a custom to kiddle fire without even thinking over gross and subtle lives. The result was that sometimes even living insects etc. were consumed with fire. wood. Pārsvanātha, the son of the king of Kashi, Ağvasena by name, strongly protested against such violent austerities and educated public opinion towards the giving up of violence that resulted from lack of discrimination in the sphere of religion. Bhagavān Mabavira's Non-violence.
Nirgranthanātha, Lord Mahāvira acquired as a heritage the spirit of non-violence nourished by Pārsvanätba. Like Tathāgata Buddha, he singularly and strongly protested against violence committed in the different spheres of religion such as sacrifices. etc. He firmly established non-violence in the sphere of religion to such an extent that later on non-violence became the very life of Indian religions. The pilgrimage of life of Lord Mahavira, totally dependent upon severe practice of non-violence and his singular austerities attracted so many contemporary learned brahmins and Ksatriyas towards the ideal of non-violence. The result was that the spirit of non-violence laid its firm foundation in the common
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