Lord Mahavira Vol 02

Author(s): S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

Page 61

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Lord Mahavira When the self achieves this state it is regarded as Liberated or the master of itself.
The Vedic way of life aimed at pleasing the gods by sacrifices which involved killing of the animals. Vedic people saught worldly benefits by appeasing gods. And between gods and common men there was a class of the priests who were masters of the rituals which were necessary for the proper performance of the sacrifices. Tirthankara Mahâvîra opposed the system of sacrifices and showed the futility of worldly possessions. He preached that if a man is self-restrained and non-violent even the gods bow down before him. He taught the internal sacrifice as a means to liberation.
The priests were insisting on the proper pronunciation of the Sanskrit language which was sacred to them. But Mahâvîra rejected this presumption and preached his sermon in Ardhamagadhi, the language of the people of Magadha. And thus the religious teachings were made available to all classes of people. We know from the Vedic Dharma-sutras that women and sudras were not allowed to learn the Vedic scriptures. But Mahâvîra's teachings were for all. As a result of this, even the socalled candala, considered to be the lowest in the society, was able to convince the Brahmin priests the futility of the bloody sacrifices and Jayanti and other women were able to discuss so many religious and philosophical questions with Mahâvîra himself. Mahâvîra was the first in history to preach the equality of all souls. Hence he pronounced that none should kill or harass any living being for self-interest. Upanisads taught the importance of knowledge but Mahâvîra took a step further and said that the essence of the true knowldege is non-violence (Ahimsa). And he explained again and again that violence results from the desire to possess. To the Ksatriya class he advised to conquer themselves instead of conquering others. If one is self-restrained, there will be no need to conquer others. The modern world which is ready for selfdestruction through atom-bomb invented and used by the greedy men requires such message which was given 2500 years back by Mahâvîra. And for the traders class he had a message to limit their possessions in such a way that in the last phase of their life they may be able to renounce the householder's life and to become ascetics having nothing which could be regarded as their possession or property.