Jain Journal 2005 01

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

Page 10

CHITTARANJAN
PAL: POSITION OF THE JAINAS IN BENGAL
109
Khāravela has been described as sava pāşunda pujuka and sava devaratana samskürakaru. The inscription conveyed the idea that though king Khāravela was a lay devotee of the Svetämbara Jaina sect, he was eclectic in religious disposition. On one hand he was a sava pāşanda-pājaka or a worshipper of the images of all religions" or “respector of every sect" (whether Vedic of non-Vedic) and on the other hand sava devaratana sanskara-kara or “a repairer of all the temples of gods”.
It seems that during the pre-Christian and early Christian centuries the word pāşanda did not acquire any pejorative tinge.
But during the post-Gupta period, the connotation of the word pāşanda changed and othodox Brahmanical writers used the word scronfully to hint at the Ksapanakas (Nirgranthas), the Buddhists, the followers of Cārvāka, and other sects who did not conform to Vedic rites and rituals. Such meaning of the term pāşanda as stated above has been found in some commentaries on the Manusamhitā. !3
The Bhūgavata-purāna most popular among the 18 Purāņas, was probably finally redacted not before 4th century A.D. and not after 6ih century A.D. This Purāņa stigmatized the followers of Rşabhanātha, the first Tīrthankara as pākhandas but Tīrthankara Rşabhanatha himself was hailed as one of the incarnations of Vişnu, the super-god of the Brahmanical Hindus."
In some early and later Purāņas like the Matsya-purāna and the Padma and Garuda purānas as well as the Gitagovinda of Jayadeva the Gautama Buddha has been eulogized as an incarnation of Vişnu, but his followers, the Buddhists have been scoffed at by the Purāņawriters as pāşandas.
11. H.C. Roy Chowdhary, Political History of Ancient India. 12. P. C. Bagchi A comprehensive History of India Part II. P. - 68 13. A. K. Datta, Bharat Varshiya Upasaka Sampradaya, Part 11. p.68 14. Sri Krisna Misra, Prabodhuchundroiluvu