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LECTURE IX
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207
by capturing the contiol of the education of the princes from the hancis of the Biālmins
It is well-known that when Jamısı declmc as a icligion in the eastern pait of India, it flowished in the West and the South owing to the effectiveness of teaching and thc high standard of moral character of the Jama missionaries, rho casily oscilame the opposition of their Bralıının rivals in the same fiell. The latıcı-clay Jama scholars 111bibed a lastc foi scculai culuunc and thcy made solid conubuuions 10 various fine-arts, philosophy and secular sciences Theic arc 1110 distinct phases of cultual history of the Jainas-thc carly phase or thic phase of Reformation and the latci pliascthc phase of Renaissance The carlıcı phase was purely icligious incucul against jitualısı, sacei dotalısı and dogmatism of the Vedas , the latci phase icpicsenicu a combination of intellcual and plıysicalculunc icpresentcil by a host of sciences-112 pliysiology, psychology. asuonomy, asuiology. mathematics, geography and other subjects Let us proccod jou to our the audience a lilile moic dclailcr account of the picachung tons of some of the Tīruhanhaias starting with Rsabha
Fillingly enough let us start with the last Tirthanhaia, Loid Rsabha, who was born of a royal famıly, his fatlıcı bcmg Ling Navi oi Oudh and his mother Mcrudevi The atmosphcic surioinding lus childhood was savouable to the mental and spicual development of the child, who in course of limc dlcicloped into a full-liclged cligious 1eformer Rsablia scems to have ieceived the ideal cducauon foi 2 prince , he was happily mauued to the royal piccsscs Yaśavai anı Sunandā, daughteis of thc hings of Kacca and Mahākacca’ and when the proper time came lie became the ulcı of the land-hc iuled it and ruled it well
Soon after he realised the lansitoi incss of material pleasucs and renounced the world and pusucd huis spiritual mission, being bent on the attainment of Kevalijñāna of perfect knowledge which is the sole source of salvation In connection with this transition in his life a picturesque stoiy of a heavenly damsel of the name of Nilam jasā trying to charm him by her attiactive dance and heisell being withereil
2 Puşpadanta, Mahāpurāna, edited by P L Vaidya, p 600. 3 Ibid, p 602.
