Essence of Jainism

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 86

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Essence of Jainism
serious decision, he refused to hear anybody and went back from his marriage-procession. From Dwarka he went straight to the Girnar hills and commenced austerities, Right in his young days he discarded marriage with a princess and took the path of medi. tation and austerity. By his own example he gave such a severe blow to the age-old custom of slaughter of animals and birds that the custom disappeared outright from the whole of Gujarat and from the provinces influenced by Gujarat. That brought into pro. minence the renowned institutions like asylums for animalsPanjarāpoles.
The ideal of the life of Pārs'anātha's life was a little different. He once took the serious risk of suffering the rage of a shorttempered sage like Durvāsā and his followers, and tried to save a burning snake from wet wood. The result of this is that today also even snakes are not killed in the areas in which Jainas domipate.
Lord Mabāvīra gave proof of his absolute Sadhana of nonviolence once in the same way. When he was standing in medi. tation in a forest, a terrific cobra gave a sting. At that time he stood uomoved and further experimented friendiiness towards the spake. This became a living example of the satra- " when nonviolence dominates, revenge is discarded (even) in the presence of it (i.e., the cobra)." He continued to exert all effort to prevent violence from sacrifices and other religious works. Only these ideals have made the Jaina culture full of vitality and life. It has constantly tried to keep the essence of its ideals alive even in the midst of countless difficulties at all cost. It lives in the very life of the religious, social and political history of the country. With every available opportunity, recluses and kings, ministers and businessmen have propagated these ideals of non-violence, self-control and austerity of the Jaipas.
Purpose of Culture
The only purpose of culture can be to proceed further towards the bliss of humanity. It can fulfil this purpose only when it is ever ready to contribute to the bliss of ones country that has