Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 11

any distinction of cast and creed, classes and masses, so he chose Prākrta for his deliverances. I have no hesitation to say that the mother tongue
ven Pānini was Prākrta. Since the eleven Ganadharas including Indrabhūti Gautama were Vedic Brāhmaṇa scholars they were wellversed in Prāksta language. Mahāvīra gave them the most important task of Āgamic preparation. My contention is that just as the seeds of Laukika Saṁskṛta are inherent in the Vedic language, similarly the seeds of Prāksta constructions may be easily discerned in the Vedic language. Thus the Vedic language is the precursor of Laukika Samskrta as well as Prākrta constructions. Thus to say that Prākrta is derived from Laukika Samskrta is an improper approach to the history of language development in India. I may, therefore, conclude by saying that the study of Vedic language will constitute an all-embracing foundation of Indian culture. Unfortunately India is missing this aspect of culture and it must be remembered that the study of language is basic to the study of any culture. This will open the way to Prāksta and Apabhramsa studies and the study of regional languages. By virtue of this, the origin of national language, Hindi will be understood in a right perspective.
Religion of Mahāvīra as Sarvodaya-Tīrtha : It will not be idle to point out that after attaining supreme knowledge known as Kevalajñāna, Mahāvīra for full thirty years visited different parts of country especially the important centres in Eastern and Northern India and promulgated socio-spiritual values throughout. Owing to the magnetic personality of Mahāvīra and his metaphysical, ethical and spiritual teachings, number of kings, queens, princes, princesses, ministers and merchants accepted him as their teacher. Thus males and females of all casts and classes became the ardent followers of Mahāvīra, and a fourfold order of Sādhus (male ascetics), Sādhvīs (female ascetics), Śrāvakas (male householders) and Śrāvikās (female householders) came into existence. In view of the all-embracing character of Mahāvīra's principles the Jaina Acārya Samantabhadra, as early as second century A.D. called the religion of Mahāvīra a 'Sarvodaya' Tīrtha!4, which term is so commonly used nowa-days after Gandhiji. Thus 'Mahāvīra is one of those few towering personalities who fought for individual liberty in the context of social life. He revolted against the socio-religious exploitation and oppression of man and introduced vigorous innovations in the then existing social
Indian Culture and Jainism