Jain Thought and Culture

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 90

Jain Thought and Culture
Brahmanas had no interference in the social life of the Saravagis save that they were called for performing the nuptial ceremony The rites and customs of marriage were common with the Hindu Mahajanas except the ceremony of striking the Torana (a wooden frame at the main gate of the bride's house) It was done one day in advance which seemed to be a precautionary measure in those days of difficult travel They did not allow widow remarriage
Just like other Hindus they bathed the dead bodies before cremation but sometimes also did without it They did not observe the rites of obsequies like the Hindus and also did not get their heads shaved in their honour They neither observed mourning for 12 days like the Hindu Mahajanas nor for 9 days like the Jain Oswals but cut off their connection with the dead on the third day They did not give any feast for the religious merit of the dead If they did it for social purposes there was no day or date fixed for the same
Just like Hindu Mahajanas they did not eat meat, garlics and onions They even did not eat honey because it was snatched violently from the bees who produced it They did not use ivory as it was mostly got by killing the elephen's They considered wool to be unpious as the hair was shorn from the animals Its use was neither allowed in the temples and kitchen and nor as a hair braid but otherwise they used woolen clothes to guard against cold Hindu Mahajanas considered wool to be pure and pious enough to be used any where Saravagis believed in non-violence like other Jains and avoided injury to the smallest life They observed Pajusana like other Jains, attended their temples and also carried their Tirthankaras in procession in chariots to Nasiyan (Jain temple) outside the city
Saravagis, Jain Agarwals, and Oswals dined together but did not inter-marry Saravagis cared more for picly in matters of food and drink and did not take the clarified butter put in hide vassels but used the one put in the clay jars
There were also religious differences between the Oswals and the Saravagis Oswals believed in the Svetambar sect while the, Saravagis believed in the Digambar sect of Jainism There were other differences between the two Oswals kept Sevakas (attendants) for the worship in their temples, where as the Saravagis performed the worship themselves Oswals were less rigid in taking food after sunset but the Saravagis were so particular that they would not allow