Jaina Phraseclogy in Bhagavadgita

Author(s): K H Kamdar
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

Page 1

Jaina Phraseology In The Bhagavadgitā
K. H. KAMDAR
I HAVE observed the use of so much Jaina terminology in the course
of my repeated perusal of the Bhagavadgitä. An attempt is made in this contribution to bring out the salient parallelisms. I have avoided full recital of the verses of the Gītā in the interest of economy of paper.
Jainism has ordered the laity and the monks to observe five Aas (vows) which are classified as 3ta (minor) and Fy (major) according to the status of the observer. The first and the basic vow is that of abstaining from injury to a sentient being and is named प्राणातिपातविरमणम्. Art or life is discussed in great details by Jaina writers. In verses 46, 47 and 48 of the first Discourse (2721) of the Gitā we come across a conscious, though temporary, resort to this aquac by Arjuna, when he says to Sri Krsna that the Pāndavas were being involved in the act of committing a great sin by preparing to kill their kith and kin in order that they might get royal pleasures. The grief is so overpowering that Arjuna would prefer being killed by the Kauravas in battle; he would prefer to die at their hands, without arms, without resistance, and in the act of dying he would feel happy. (3781aa etc., verse 45; y qAAF17 etc., verse 46; and 79T etc., verse 47).
I have found the great ideal contained in the famous verse 69 of the second Discourse (AT PARTI HETTAT, etc.) literally described more than