Jinamanjari 1996 04 No 13

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 84

(durgadhikari),Treasury (bhandari), Defence (shadanga baladhikari) and External (mitra).
Symbols used in the Mohenjo-Daro seals and their use in the Jaina literature have some significance. Because, these symbols still are held in high esteem in Jaina way of life. These symbols are swastika, trisula and kalpsvrksa twig which have been already discussed, except for swastika.
Swastika symbol in Jainism has a very deep meaning in the spiritual context of the soul, karma and reincarnation. It has been explained as a symbol of caturgati, four stages of physical condition in the cosmic description. It is naraka, tiryanca, manusya and deva. During the puja, the Jainas make a swastika over which three dots and a half crescent are shown. This diagrammatic representation is the journey of the jiva in the path of deliverance.
In conclusion I would like to refer to the views of P.R. Dessmukh: 15
Jaina's first tirthankara hailed from the tradition of Indus Valley Civilization. The deities of the Induspeople were nude. The Jainas have perpetually kept that tradition and culture as well as adoring the nude tirthankaras.
Similarly, he has discussed on the nature of Indus valley language:
The Language of the Indus-people was Prakrit. [It was] the language of the folks. There existed a distinct linguistic difference between the Jainas and the Hindus. All the canonical literature of the Jainas are in Prakrit - that too in Ardamagadhi [dialect]. But all the Hindu religious literature are in Sanskrit. The use of Prakrit
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