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Jaina Community - A Social Survey
liberation. Their year, known as Vīra Nirvāṇa Samvat, also begins from this date. On this day early in the morning people visit the temple and worship the idol of Lord Mahāvīra with sweet balls known as Nirvāṇalādū. Because of the happy event of gaining salvation by their Lord, people prepare special sweet dishes on that and subsequent days. The other ceremonies like Lákshmipūjana and Bhāu-Bī ja attached to Divālī have no religious significance and are performed by the Jainas according to the local Hindu customs. (x) Rakshābandhana ::
Another great festival which is observed by the Jainas, especially by the Digambara Jainas, in common with the Hindus155, is that of Rakshābandhana. It teaches the spirit of affection towards the the co-religionists. The Jainas observe it on the full moon day of śrāvana because on this day their ascetic Vishṇukumāra saved through his own spiritual powers the lives of seven hundred Jaina monks from the clutches of human-sacrifice organised by Bali, the King of Hastināpura156. In honour of this event the Jainas every year on the day worship the great sage Vishnukumara and the seven hundred monks. The significance of this festival is that just as Vishņukumāra removed the danger over the Jaina community by his own efforts, similarly the Jainas should bear in mind that they should also try to protect in times of distress any aggression against their idols, temples, ascetics, institutions, etc. 157 (xi) Akshayat rtīyā :
Like Divālī and Rakshābandhana, the Akshayatrtīyā is also celebrated by both Hindus 158 and Jainas. Akshayatrtīyā falls on the third day of the bright half of Vuisūkha and it is considered as one of the most auspicious and sacred days by the Jainas. According to them on this day Lord Rshabhadeva, the fist Tirthankara, received in accordance with the religious ritual the food in the form of sugar-cane juice for the first time after his continuous fast of six months from the hands of śreyāmsa, the king of Hastināpura, and hence the sanctity of the day. On this day Lord Rshabhadeva is worshipped and his idol is bathed in sugar-cane juice. The celebration of this day is intended to inspire people to extend giftsof whatever value they might be to right persons and thus to secure merit for them in the way by which king Śreyāṁsa
