Jain Legend Vol 1

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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believed to have belonged to the 8th century, whereas the T rthamkara Lords Nemin tha, Pr van tha and adherents of the Jain religion belonged to several centuries prior to that. Nemin tha was eighty-three thousand years before P r van tha. There is a long time gap between the two. Thus there is no chance for Gorakhan tha turning into Nemin tha, Pr van tha. Of course, it is possible that Nemin tha, P r van tha can turn into Gorakhan tha but if we thought about it even this does not seem to fit because Lord P r van tha came long before Vikramyear 725 whereas according to scholars Gorakhan tha is considered to be the contemporary of Bapp r vala. It is possible that the yogis of the n tha sect were influenced by the extensive propagation of ahims by Lord Nemin tha and the dutiful observance of Lord P r van tha as a result of which the tradition of Nemin tha and P r van tha became widespread within the n tha sect. As the famous historian Haj r pras da Dvived has written in his book "n tha sect".
"Cmdan tha was probably the first Siddha (liberated) who accepted the Gorak am rga (protecting the cows) tradition. Nemin tha and Pr van tha of this same tradition, also appear to be followers of the Jain T rthamkara Nemin tha and P r van tha. Nemin tha and P r van tha certainly predated Gorakhan tha.”
Differences in historical assumptions / beliefs
It wouldn't be irrelevant here to reflect upon the problem that if the source of history is the same for all; why then were there differences between different c ryas in writing history?
The fact is that the entire Jain scriptural tradition was oral passed on from teacher to student. In the process of decay and reaching calmness (in the process of learning and unlearning / in the process of destroying and gaining peace) the student who learns through oral tradition begins to see the same knowledge to a lesser or greater degree depending on the process of how much of the oral knowledge has been absorbed in to a lesser or greater extent. As a result the same subject is assigned in their minds to memory in different forms. This is the state of events that happened in the near past, but when it comes to ancient historical events it is natural to have several differing views. Vagaries of time, difference in memory or perception can also be the cause for differing views and perceptions of a writer and reader. Instead of getting distressed over
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