Jainism and Mahavira

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Digambar Jain Sahitya Sanskriti Sanskaran Samiti

Page 11

region and to the North of the Caspian and Aral Seas covering the Northern parts of the mountainous Eurasian Steppes and the Southern part of the thick Siberian forests extending upto the estern sea-coast. This region was known to the post-Aryan ancients as Uttarakuru. They reached west Asia circa 2000 B.C. Greece circa 1500 B.C. and Bharat circa 1200 B.C. The Aryan hegemony in this region was firmly established by circa 1000 B.C. and in Egypt by circa 500 B.C. It has generally been held by the original scholars that the culture and civilization of the Aryans annihilated, was definitely far superior, both materially and spiritually than their own
There were three types of cultural groups in India: 1) the Northern group which was spiritual, non-violent, and who were idol worshippers is known as the "Aryans". 2) the Southern group which was well-versed in the arts and industries is called the "Dravidas" or "Vidyadharas", and 3) the North-western group which spread over Asia, Europe, Iran, etc. is known as the "Indo-Aryan". On the basis of new researches, scholars are of the view that the Aryan and Dravidian cultures originally belonged to the Jainas. Dravidas were definitely not the vedic Aryans and they are, therefore, called Anaryas. Dasas (slaves), Dasyus (thieves), Vra- tyas, and Asuras (demons) are referred to in Vedic literature as opponents of the Vedas. Jain culture has been refuting the idea that the Vedas were not composed by man (Apauruseyatva) since inception, therefore, the references must be connected with the Jainas.
Indus civilization is related with pre-Aryan Pre-Vedic culture. The people were there polytheustic. The nude figures excavated in Indus Valley and Lohanipur may be identified as the Jaina statues of Tirthankaras, most possibly of Rsabhadeva. Most of them are in yogic postures.
: The Vra tyas were the followers of Vratas or vows. They used to stay in a group form and were against the Brahmanas. The Vratyakanda of the Atharvaveda describes the characteristics of Vratyas, the Non-Vedic Aryans who used to practice austerities. Acarya Sayana has appreciated the Vratyas by calling the Vidvattama, Mahadhikara, Punyasila, Visvasammanya and Brahmanavisista in the Sayanabhasaya. The Rgveda refers to them
6. Muni Hazarimal Smriti Grantha, Vyavar, 1965, p. 12, 5th Chapter. 7. Sandya Brahmana, Tika on 17.1.5 8. Astadhyayi , 5.3.113; Katyayana Srautasutra, Tika on 20.4.3