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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
Upanisads. Views put forward in this age were not philosophical in technical sense. It was the age of griping where superstition and thoughts were yet in conflict. Sacrifice, as a ritual, a method to gain release and to please gods was quite popular amongst the Hindus. Sacrifices of popular five kinds of animals: goats, sheep, cows or bulls and horses were included in Vedic rituals. Of course, the purpose was to get desired boon and spiritual benefits from God.
"Ritual is simple and uniform. It consists of prayer accompanied by sprinkling of grains, followed by animal burnt offering. Part of flesh is tasted by the worshipers and made over by burning to the Gods. The rest is eaten as banquet with abandons of wine."
5,8
Regarding Vedic sacrifices, Sanatana Dharma mentions "As for reaching as the law of karma is the law of sacrifice, the law by which the world was built, the law by which they are maintained. All lives can only be supported by absorbing other lives."Further it is said, "Life is sustained by life only; all forms can only be preserved by absorbing other forms. Sacrifice permeates all religions as it permeates the universe."
10
Says Lord Śrīkṛṣṇa, 'this world is not for the non-sacrifice:
11
how then the other? O best of the Kurus.
The Bṛhadaranyaka Upanisad says - "Om! The dawn verily is the head of the sacrificial horse". The dawn is explained as the beginning of the Day of Brahma, the day of creation. Then is the great
Harrison, Stages of Grecian Life, P- 87-88 (See Dr. S. Radhakrishnan "Indian Philosophy" Vol. 1, P-107) 'Jīvojīvasyabhojanam, Sanātana Dharma, Dr. Annie Besant and Bhagwavan Das, P-77
10 Ibid.
11
Nayamlokojstyajñasyakuto' nyaḥkuru sattam, Bhagavadgītā, IV.31 (also Ibid - 9, P-77)
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Om uṣāvāaśvasyamedhyasyaśiraḥ//-Bṛhadaranyaka Upanisad 1.1
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