Hajarimalmuni Smruti Granth

Author(s): Shobhachad Bharilla
Publisher: Hajarimalmuni Smruti Granth Prakashan Samiti Byavar

Page 957

Prof. G. R. Jain Head of the Deptt. of Applied Physics,
Madhav Engineering College, Gwalior, India. MESSAGE TO HUMANITY
Jainism is one of the three most important religions which originated in India, the other two being the Vedic religion, more popularly known as Hinduism and the Budhism. Although there are historical evidences to show that Jainism was prevalent in the third millenium B.C. during the days of Indus Valley Civilisation but Lord Mahavir, born in 599 B.C., was the pioneer of this religion in modern times. Lord Mahavir was born in the province of Bihar in a royal House belonging to a warrior clan at a time when there was a universal desire in the people for the birth of a reformer and a religious leader. The bulk of the population of Northern India was greatly dissatisfied with the existing social and religious structure. The society was divided into four strata, -one, the Priesthood, called the Brahmins; the warrior class, called the Kshatriyas; the agriculturists and the traders and the fourth for whom it was regarded as their sacred duty to serve the three upper classes. The Church had become all supreme. The right of equality and fraternity was denied even to their patrons and associates. In the Code of Manu- the first Law—Giver of Mankind-we read in Chapter II verse 135 that a ten year old Brahmin boy should be respected as a father even by a century old Kshatriya. In Chapter I, verses 99-101 of the same work we read as follows:
"A Brahmin is born the master of the world, the lord of all beings. Whatever exists on earth belongs to a Brahmin; by his supreme birth he deserves everything. Whatever a Brahmin enjoys or gives, is his; the rest of the people enjoy only through the mercy
of a Brahmin." Thus we see that the Charter of Human Rights had been completely shattered to pieces and the people were anxious to throw off the yoke of aristocratic priesthood. Not only that, people were gradually losing faith in the efficacy of the steriotyped and cumbrous ceremonials and animal sacrifices and were looking forward for their Saviour who would gently lead them on to the way of final liberation. The policy of Caste superiority and racial discrimination was even worse in those days than in Nazi Germany or in the South Africa today. Lord Mahavir was the first to proclaim boldly that all Humanity is One; there are no such distinctions between man and man as between a cow and a horse in the animal Kingdom. Even the most servile class has the right of equality with a Brahmin and must be given the same facilities of reading, writing and worshipping the God. It must be remembered that Brahmins had denied the right of studying religious text not only to the low caste, called the Sudras, but also to the women. Lord Mahavir said : Even Sudras and women could study scriptures, become religious saints and attain the status of divinity.
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