Jain Journal 2003 07

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

Page 13

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JAIN JOURNAL VOL-XXXVIII, NO. 1 JULY 2003
The austerities of Traikalya-yogi standing in a rocky place exposed to the fierce rays careless of the summer days feeling the full-moon beams; Ah! arrived the rainy-season roaring sounds of the clouds rainfall pouring cats and dogs with the flashing light'ning earthly creatures trembling wind blowing ferocious Traikalyayogi, Lord of sages constantly contemplating of ages does not move even inches! Came the winter showering snow-flakes fully covering Everyone simply shivering! Lo! this ascetic in austerity dismissing it as cotton balls! peerless pontiff possesses strength to sustain summer, monson and the vital winter; conqueror of human nature!
The lithic and copper-plate records of Jaina color date back to fourth and fifth and sixth century C.E., and extend up to the eighteenth century, spanning over 1400 years of history and shedding, floodlight on affairs-cultural, economic, political linguistic and religious aspects. The earliest are the copper-plate records.
Jaina genius always patronised and nourished the local languages and indegenous literature and culture. Jaina authors did not wholly get rid of Sanskrit, but, out and out, encouraged the growth and development of Kannada and other Dravidian languages in the South. Thy experimented, initially, by mixing Kannada words with Sanskrit and Prakrit words, in the early centuries of the current era. Gradually, Kannada gained the vigour and glow to dominate and assert