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HISTORY OF JAINISM PRIOR TO MAHAVIRA
Aryans and Mohenjo-Daro marks only an early stage in development of Aryan culture.”27 Still the general tendency of the scholars has been in favor of the theory that the Indus valley people were Dravidian stock.
Rev. Father Dr. Heras is emphatically of the opinion that Mohenjo-Daro people were Dravidian, that the language of Mohenjo-Daro inscription was a purely Dravidian language and that their culture, religion, etc. was also Dravidian.
Dravidian people according to Rislay are the earliest inhabitant of India of whom we have hardly any knowledge28 and which shows ample proof of these people being of Jaina persuasion, long before the birth of Vedic religion or even the beginning of Aryan civilization. These ancient Jainas are called vrātyas or vșsalas in early Brāhmanic literature. They with their well-built cities (Puras) and non-violent, non-sacrificial cult, were the indigenous rivals and enemies whom first Aryans had to encounter for settling in this country.
Another point to mention regarding antiquity of Jainism is that Jainas have deified Tīrthankaras as their God and built temples to worship them. The worship as deity of the perfected mortals is a characteristic of all primitive religions.
II. (iii) Śramaņa Tradition in Vedic Literature
Jainism, when one starts looking into its history, discovers that it is known by different names in different periods of history. From early Vedic period to Araṇyaka period of Vedas, Jains were known by names of Vātaraśanā Muni or Vātaraśanā Šramaņa.
Dr. Jyoti Prasad Jain, "Jainism, the oldest living Religion," Varanasi,P-47 28 Ibid., No.1, P-48
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