Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 29

OCTOBER, 1982
65
or gaganaparidhānavịtti, kesadhāraņa, kapisavarna, maladhāraņa, maunavịtti and unmādabhāva are equally described in both the works.
The words keśara (mane), kesa (hair) and jață (matted hair) denote one and the same meaning—"sātā jațā keśarayoh.”32 There is a description in the Padma Purāņa38 vātoddhatā jațāsatasya rejurākulamurtayah and Rsabha is called in the Harivamsa Purāņa34_sa pralambajațābhārabhrājişnuh.
In this way when the account of Vātarašanā Munis and their leader Kesi of the Rgveda is compared with that of Vātarašanā Sramana Rsis and Rsabha of the Bhāgavata Purāņa and that of Vātarašanā Munis of the Nyāyamañjari, it appears that they belonged to one and the same Sramanic tradition, although Dr. T. G. Mainkar gives a different interpretation of Kesi-Vrsabha of the Mudgala-sūkta of the Rgveda.
The name of Kesi continued in the Nirgrantha tradition. At the time of Mahavira the name of the leader of Parśvāpatyas was Kesikumara.35 On the basis of the tradition of doctrine and austerity of the aforesaid Vätarašanā Munis as mentioned in the Vedic rcā, it can be regarded as clearly distinct from the Vedic tradition. The Vedic sages were not such renouncers of the world and ascetics as these Vatarašanā Munis were. The Vedic sages were themselves householders ; they had belief in the rules and regulations regarding the fire sacrifice and they worshipped gods and goddesses, such as, Indra etc. and made offer of worship to them for the gratification of worldly desires, such as, the attainment of property, wealth etc., worldly objects, and they (Rsis) accepted the gift of wealth from Yajmānas (sacrificers) on these occasions. But contrary to this conduct Vātarašanā monks were not engaged in the said acts, such as sacrifice etc.
Having renounced all possessions, such as, house, wife, son, wealth, property etc. and having given up cloths also, Vātarāšanā Nirgrantha Munis lived on alms. They led an ascetic life, bearing dirt without cleansing themselves with bath etc. They observed silence and realized pure spiritual welfare in meditation of soul, being free from the worship of gods and goddesses. In fact, it is the old form of Sramana tradition which emerged in the form of many non-Vedic sects, while advancing forward,
32 Bharatiya Samskrti-men Jainadharma-ka Yogadan, p.15. 33 Padma Purana, 3. 288. 34 Harivamsa Purana, p. 204. 35 Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 23.