Jain Journal 1991 04

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

Page 48

APRIL, 1991
191
greed, infatuation, vanity and dreams. In the Mausala Parva of the Mahābhārata he is mentioned as the destroyer of city Dvärakā.34
He also enjoys a very significant place in the Buddhist tradition. A story of Jātaka is named on him as Kanha Dipă yana Jātaka. Although its story differs from that of Rşibhāșita and other Jaina works, as well as Vedic texts, but another Jātaka story may be compared with the description of Jaina and Vedic Texts. In this story he is mentioned as the destroyer of Dväraka.85 His association with the destruction of city Dvärakā is found in all sources which prove his historicity.
Parāsara-Parāsara is also said to have got emancipation inspite of taking cold water and seeds. He is known to Jaina texts as a nonJaina ascetic. Buddhist texts also mention a scholar of Vedic tradition named Parāsariya who used to emphasise the subordination of senses. It is deliberated in detail in Indi ya Bhāvanā Sutta of Majjhima Nikāya.36 We know another Parā sariya who was a Brahmaņa by birth and was the inhabitant of Rajagrba. He was an expert in the Vedas. He is said to have ordained in Buddhist Sangha at the time when Buddha visited Rajagrha and he became Arhat within a very short period.37
Vedic texts give us a lot of information about him. According to Mahābhārata he was the father of great ascetic Krşņa Dvaipayana, the legendary author of Mahābhārata 38 Parāsara, as Mahābhārata informs us was the grandson of Rși Vasiştha. He is said to have stayed in the womb of his mother till 12 years practising the Vedas. 39 He was as Mahābhārata mentions, the worshiper of Lord Siva, He tells his experiences about the devotion of Śiva to Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava.60
We have tried to identify the Rșis mentioned in Sūtrakytānga. The references given in this text indicate that these thinkers belonged to non-Jaina tradition. Most of the Rșis are referred to in Ķșibhāṣita
34 Ibid., Mausala Parva, 1/19-21 35 Pali Proper Names, Vol. I, p. 501-502 36 Majjhima Nikaya, 3/5/10 37 Pali Proper Names, Vol. II, p. 190 38 Mahabharata, Adi Parva, 63/84 39 Ibid., Adi Parva, 17713 40 Ibid., Anusasana Parva, 18/40-45