________________
Jainism: The Cosmic Vision writing. Marudevi, Bhagwan Rishabhdev's mother, was compassion incarnate. Brahmi, Bhagwan Rishabhdev's daughter, was intelligent and virtuous and was also acquainted with the 64 arts. She studied the 18 scripts and taught the science of the scripts. Ultimately she became a Sadhvi and renounced the world. She inspired as many as 3 lakh Sadhuis and s lakh 54 thousand Vratharini Shravikas to follow on the path of spiritual advancement. Sundari, other daughter of Tirthankara Rishabhdev, had profound knowledge of mathematics.
One distinct aspect of woman's personality is motherhood. Bhagwan Mahavir having been initiated to asceticism, has referred to womanhood as motherhood. Jain scriptures give very inspiring accounts of the mothers of the Tirthankaras and describe them as having noble thoughts, virtuous character and lofty ideals. Bhagwan Mahavir's mother Trishala herself had a superbly inspiring character. Tirthankara Sumatinath's mother Mangala was a learned lady devoted to justice. There are many instances of her keen insight in administering justice. It is not only the Tirthankara who have achieved spiritual advancement, their mothers also have attained the devlok, the abode of the gods, through spiritual pursuits. Moreover the Tirthankara, who were engaged to be married before their initiation into asceticism, also express great respect for their wives. Bhagwan Mahavir's wife Yashoda sincerely appreciated the sense of renunciation of her husband and was always eager to see that no harm was done to him. She listened to the preachings of Vardhman, Mahavir's name in worldy life, with great respect and tried her utmost to put them into practice. When prince Vardhman left for the diksha the spiritual initiation, she gave
180
Role of Women in Jain Religion him a smiling farewell. Jyestha was the wife of Nandivardhan, Prince Vardhman's elder brother and she remained steadfast in her loyalty to her husband, despite many temptations from the gods.
The early scriptures of Jain religion like Uttara-dhyayan Sutra, Gnata Dharmakatha, Antankrut Dasha specifically mention that both men and women are considered as equally eligible for the ultimate goal of liberation. Moreover, there are a number of references to women having attained liberation. According to the Shwetambar tradition Jain Tirthankara Mallinath attained Kevalgnan and liberation in Stri Yoni itself. As against other Tirthankaras, who were men, the most outstanding aspect about Mallinath is that she attained kevalgnan on the very day on which she was initiated to diksha. For years together she preached religion by roaming in rural and urban areas and showed them a way to self-purification. With the conferring upon women the right to being eligible for liberation, she automatically became entitled to other rights.
A significant aspect about the role of women in Jain religion is that since prehistoric times the Jain Sadhus are outnumbered by Jain Sadhvis. So also the number of Shravikas, women, who first join the fold, is far greater than that of Shravaks. The twenty-third and twenty-fourth Tirthankaras of Jains, Parshwanath and Mahavir Swami unhesitatingly admitted Sadhuis along with the Sadhus and Shravikas with the Shravaks. Thus, the Jain religion was committed to the equality of all, in fact, it achieved equality between men and women. The ancient sculptures of Mathura contain the sculpture of a Sadhvi very similar to that of a Sadhu and another sculpture of a man and woman together offering prayer. This is an enough
181
