Jain Journal 1982 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 22

JAIN JOURNAL
of the sect of Vătarašanā Munis of the Rgvedic age as Vātarašanā Sramanas even in the period of the Bhagavata Purāņa.5 And their similar acts of austerities point to one and the same religious community
A study of further evidences furnished by Nyāyamañjari of Bhatta reveals that Vātarašanā Munis were called Nirgranthas® in later age. So it is clearly suggestive that Vātarašanā Munis were somehow connected with Nirgrantha Dharma in the Rgvedic age.
Thus we have reason to believe that the Sramanic tradition was in existence for several thousand years and the early Nirgrantha Dharma and the sect of Vătarašanā Munis were coeval with the Vedic civilization itself or rather they were anterior to it ; since social life is a condition which the evolution of man out of the primitive sub-human life presupposes and without which the evolution of man and the society, the Sramanic tradition or any other tradition could not conceivably have taken place.
Who was Kesi ?
It is stated in the sūkta that Kesi was a monk of gods and useful and beneficial friend.? Besides, mention of Vrsabha and Kesi together in one īcā of the Rgveda is made in this manner : kakardave vrşabho yuktāstdavāvacit sārathirasyakeśl-dudheryuktasya dravatah sahānasa șcchanti smā nispado mudgalānim.8
According to the verse of the Nirukta (mudgalasya hītā gāvah, etc. N. 23) quoted in the introduction of the sukta in which this șcā is come across,...... it is explained that the cows of Mudgala Rsi were stolen by thieves. In order to get them back the sage made Vrsabha his own charioteer by whose words only those cows had to fall back from running farther. Sayana, while commenting on the said şcā, first stated the meaning of vācya (substantive) of Vrasbha and Kesi respectively. But again he said by another way : athavā, asya sārathl sahāyabhūtah kesī prakrstakeso vặšabhah avāvacit bhrasamaśabdayat etc.9
vatarasananam sramananam rsinam etc, Bhagavata Puranam, 5.3. 20. nirgranthakathitavacasah cittatrvajnanasamsi cayamanuvado drsyate munayo vata - rasana iti-Nyayamanjari, Kashi Edition, p. 247. munayo vatarasana iti vata eva rasana vaso granthanam yesam te vatarasana ato vasaso abhavadeva vatastesam rasana ata eva nirgrantha bhanyate-Nyayamanjari granthibhangah, p. 115. munirdevasya devasya saukrtyaya sakha hitah-Rgveda, 10. 136. 4. Rgveda, 10.102. 6. Bharatiya Samskrti-men Jainadharma-ka Yogadan, p. 16.
8