Book Title: Essence of Jainism
Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Page 124
________________ 100 Essence of Jainism His grandson, the famous Jain king Samprati, scrupulously followed: the path of his grandfather and nourished the spirit of non-violence in his own way. This shows that the spread of non-violence through: kingly orders has not stopped with king Ašoka. It would be easy to decipher two things from the fact of kings, royal families and big royal officers leaning towards non-violence. One fact is that the extent of the propagation of non-violonce by the Sanghas was. so wide and effective that it had influenced great emperors. The other fact was that the common people were so very much influenced by non-violence, it had been so very much to their liking, that they paid great respect to the kings who propagated nonviolence. Emperor Khāravel of Kalinga seems to bave done lots for non-violence as his career would show. History clearly states that now and again, periods in which apimals were slaughtered in sacrifices sprang from human nature. However, on the whole, it can be stated that the Sanghas that propagated non-violence had considerable success in and outside India. We have several reasons to believe that the first mission was the spread of non-violence in case of Jain and Bauddha kings, royal families and their officers as found in south and north India. Kumārapāla and Akbar The non-violence of emperor Kumārapala of western India is. so very much renowned today that many take it to be rather exaggerated. The orders obtained by Bbikşu Hiravijayasûri and his. followers with regard to non-violence from king Akbar and his descendents, is an immortal fact of our history. Again, if we can get the records of promises of non-committal of violence from Thakores, Jamindars, concerned officers and heads of villages, we can get some idea of the effort put in by concerned Sanghas towards the creation of an atmosphere of non-violence. Oce proof of spread of non-violence : asylums for animals-Pañjarāpoles: The institution of Pan jarāpoles is found in this country as a positive proof of the spread of non-violence. It is difficult to trace the origin and time of its existence. But looking to its vast importance in Gujarat we can guess that perbaps King Kumarapala Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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