Jainism in North India

Author(s): Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London

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INTRODUCTION
a book of this nature, besides that the theme has met with scant attention from scholars, considering the literary output, during the last century and a quarter, in various other departments of Oriental studies. In the first place, the history of North India can never be complete unless it is as well written in the light of Jainism, in view of the immense changes in the laity as well as royalty wrought by this religion. Secondly, any survey of Indian philosophies cannot but be imperfect without comprising the Jamna philosophy; this applies all the more aptly to the region lying to the north of the Vindhyas-the land where Jainism was born Thirdly, if a well-connected and exact account of Indian rituals, customs, traditions, institutions, art and architecture is the theme of the researcher, then the chequered career of Jainism in the Northinterspersed as it is by numerous foreign invasions when no institution however sacred, no religion however potent, was absolutely safe-must naturally secure a pre-eminent place in such a thesis Says Johannes Hertel in this connection: "Characteristic of Indian narrative art are the narratives of the Jamas. They describe the life and manners of the Indian population in all its different classes, and in full accordance with reality. Hence Jaina narrative literature is, amongst the huge mass of Indian literature, the most precious source not only of folklore in the most comprehensive sense of the word, but also in the history of Indian civilization "1 Finally, no study has so potent an influence in forming a nation's mind and civilization as a critical and careful survey of its past history, and it is through such study alone that an unreasoning and superstitious worship of the past is replaced by a legitimate and manly admiration. Regarding the literary contribution of the Jamas it would take a fairly big volume to give a history of all that the Jainas have contributed to the treasures of Indian literature. Jainas have contributed their full share to the religious, ethical, poetical and scientific literature of ancient India. Taking a comprehensive review of the contribution of the Jamas to Indian culture Mr Barth observes: "They have taken a much more active part in the literary and scientific life of India Astronomy, grammar, and romantic literature owe a great deal to their zeal " 2
In the realm of art, the elaborately carved friezes in the cavetemples and dwellings on the Udayagiri and Khandagui Hills, the
axi
1 Hertel, op cl,p 8
Barth, The Religions of India, p 144