Jain Journal 1997 10

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

Page 21

CULTURAL HERITAGE OF BENGAL IN RELATION TO JAINISM
S.C. MUKHERJI
Jainism, which was preached by Pārsvanātha and Mahāvira in pre-Mauryan times, is still a living faith in India. It has considerably moulded the cultural progress in India. It is one of the earliest religious faiths of India-the history of the growth and development of which have been elaborately delineated in various religious texts and commentaries of the sect both in Prakṛta and Sanskrit besides various other vernacular languages of India. The influences which this religious faith once exerted upon the populace of India, specially the Vaisya and Kṣatriya communities, including royal personages are evidenced by the existence of numerous temples, rock-cut caves, votive shrines illustrated manuscripts, images and reliefs of the Tirthankaras and their attending deities in bronze and stone in various places of the eastern, western and southern zones of India. Mathura and other places of northern India were also other important Jaina strongholds.
Jainism like Buddhism had its origin in eastern India-Vaisali in Bihar, but it had its influence felt in the neighbouring states of Bihar, viz., Bengal and Orissa. Places like Vaisali, Rajgir, Pareshnath hill (Sameta-sikhara) and Päväpuri in Bihar are hallowed with the memory of the principal Jaina Tirthankaras of which special mention may be made of Pārsvanatha and Mahavira.
There are evidences to show that some of the royal personages of the Shaisunaga dynasty like Bimbisāra and Kunika-Ajātasatru were adherents to Jainism. On the evidence of the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, the Kalingarāja, it is clear that at least one king of the Nandas was a staunch supporter of Jainism, who carried a Jina figure to his capital, while conquerring Orissia, only to be brought by the great Kalinga king, mentioned above. The founder of the Maurya dynasty, king Chandragupta also embraced Jainism in the later years of his life and died as a member of the Jaina laity at Sravanabelgola in Mysore. Celebrated Bhadrabahu was the spiritual 'Guru' of this great monarch.
While Buddhist preachers including Buddha selected Kośala and Magadha as the respective regions for propagation of their religious views, Vaisali and Bengal were chosen by Mahāvīra and his followers for the aforesaid purpose.