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Jaina Community- A Social Survey
the heart of the mother.230 This resulted in producing a very healthy effect on the character of sons. To invest the son with absolute ownership is to silence the mother's controlling voice effectively. The insignificant percentage of criminals among the Jainas,--the lowest as compared with other communities-is a glaring tribute to the wisdom of the Jaina Legislator.231
In short it can be maintained that so far as social and political position of woman was concerned, no material change occurred among Jaina women as compared with their Hindu sisters. As regards religious position of woman we can say with confidence that a yeoman service was rendered by Jaina Achāryas towards the suffering half of humanity by declaring open to it, all portals of the supreme spiritual domain and admitting it equally with the other half to the religious order for asceticism. In the sphere of law as well, they made definite contribution to the amelioration of the intolerable lot of bereaved widows who must have found some solace in the precepts of Jaina faith which gave them, to a certain extent, a place of honour and self-respect.232
NOTES i. Sumner and Kelles : Science of Society, Vol. I, p. 21. 2. Westermarck : History of Human Marriage, Vol. I, p. 26. 3. Rivers : Social Organisation, p. 37. 3a. S. D. II. 60: 4. Acharya Jinasena : Adi Purāņa, 38, 135. 5. Ibid., 15, 61-64. . 6. Nemichandra : Adipurānamen Pratipădita Bhārat, pp. 160-161.
7. Phulachandra : Varna, Jāti aur Dharma, pp. 186-190. .8. Valavalkar; Hindu Social Institutions, pp. 149-150.
9. Russel, R. V. : T. C. C. P. of India, Vol. I, pp. 225-226. 10. Jain, P. D. : Vijatiya-Vivāha Mimāṁsā, p. 77. 11: Mukhtar, J. K. : Vivāhakshetra Prakāśa, p. 16. .12. Vide Artigiagaa|TaIÊ HETANT: S. B. J., Vol. II, T. S., 1., 1 13. Vide. 9 TAY GF Qari 14: Jain K. P. : "Marriage in Jaina Literature," ]. H. Q, Vol. IV, p. 152. 15. Pt. Phattelalaji; Jaina Vivāha Paddhati, p. 2 175 2 1 Foies ragandataar 9147 acquaiquai. v a fingra SALATT 7tel: afit: STIGTEN Agur II 980
