Jainism and Mahavira

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

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Siva Purana (7.2.9.) refers to him as one of the twentyeight Avataras (incarnations), even prier to Rama and Krsna. The Rgveda, earliest Vedic Hym text (10.136.1), praises Kesi highly prior to the Vatarasanas which indicates that Kesi was their leader. On the basis of comparative study of the Rgveda and Bhagwat Purana, one may come to the conclusion that Siva and Rsabha are identical (10.9.102.6).
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The historicity from the Second to the twenty first Tirthankaras is unknown to us, though they are somehow mentioned in the Pali literature. The twenty second Tirthankara, Aristanemi or Neminath is referred to in the Rgveda (7.32.20) and the Yajurveda (25.28). Tirthankara parsvanatha is undoubtedly a historic personage who flourished 250 years earlier than Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of the present evolutionary cycle, or Nigantha Nataputta of Pali literature. We have a long list of the followers of both the Tirthankaras and their concepts occurred therein which are dealt with in my book entitled "Jainsim in Buddhist Literature". Mahavira attained Parinirvana or emancipation of soul from Karmas at Pava in 527 B.C. He was the contemporary elder spiritual teacher to the Lord Budha. It may be mentioned here that the Vedic literature does not mention at all any sort of his activities. JAINA SECTS AND SCHOOLS
Arising new sects and schools in religious and philosophical spheres is a natural phenomenon. They came out of the main stream by expressing their unhappiness and unwillingness towards the existing norms and tenets. The schism usually occurs owing to social needs, personality cults and differences on some points which require the reconsideration over the dogmas in the light of social requirements. Jainism is not an exception. It is said that about a hundred years after Mahavira's Parinirvana, a terrible famine in the northern region took place for twelve years. Therefore, Bhadrabahu sent a part of the Sangha (Order) to Southern India, particularly Karnataka where Jainas were very powerful under the leadership of Visakhacarya, the Maurya emperor Chandragupta who followed the severe conduct of Mahavira in toto. Another group of the Church went to the Sindhu region under the leadership of 'Sthulabhadra who found the need to relax the traditional practices. Both the groups came back to Magadha as soon as the famine 20. See the author's book " Jainsim in Buddhist literature, pp. 23-24.
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