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Retrospect
Jainas to adjust to the adverse circumstances. This wise adjustment ultimately created cordial and intimate relations with Hindus and it appears that due to this policy the Jainas were saved from complete extinction at the hands of persecutionists and they could keep their existence for the last so many centuries. In fact the Jainas had made determined efforts to maintain good relations not only with the Hindus but with the members of other communities also. Even though the Jainas were in power for a long time they hardly indulged in the persecution of non-Jainas, whereas we find innumerable instances where Jainas were severely persecuted by non-Jainas.153
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4. CAUSES OF DECLINE OF JAINISM
It is true that the Jainas have managed to maintain their existence as a separate community for the last so many centuries and that in this long period they have made noteworthy contributions to the cultural progress of India. But the achievement of Jainas in various fields of activities pertain to the ancient ands medieval period. Since the middle ages the Jainas are declining day by day in number and their influence is continuously waning. If the same process continues it is likely that the Jaina community will have to face total extinction within a period of few centuries. Before making any proposal as to how this position of continuous decline should be remedied, it is necessary to find out the causes mainly responsible for the downfall of the Jaina community.
The spread of a religion to a large extent depends on the amount of royal patronage it receives and the conviction with which it is propounded by its monks and followers. In the ancient and medieval period the numerical strength of the Jaina community was quite good because Jainism was actively supported by the ruling chiefs in different parts of the country and it was propagated by some of the intellectual gems of the time. It is estimated that during the Rashtrakūta period (i. e. from 750 to 1000 A. D.) at least one third of the total population of the Deccan was following the gospel of Mahavira.154 That the Jaina religion was one of the popular religions of India in the past could be seen from the large number of Jaina relics found all over India. But with the advent of Muslims in North India and the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire in South India Jainism completely lost the royal support. When the days of royal patronage were gone, J...25
