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Mahavira'S Dynasty : Naga or Jnata
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there at all. Its origin is to be found in the non-Vedic languages.":19 Some scholars say that Lord Mahâvîra revolted against the Vedic ritual of Yajna. He was born and brought up in a separate tradition called shramana Religion which was quite distinct from the Brahmanical one. That he opposed the Vedic rituals and uninstructed penances was not due to any revolt but that was his heritage. If we see him as a scion of the Naga dynasty our present misconception will disappear. The words like Tirthankara are clear proofs that Mahâvîra belonged to a non-Vedic clan. In the words of Aharya Ksitimohan Sen : "The meeting place of the Vedic Aryans was yajna and that of the non-Vedic one's Tirtha. The word “Tirtha" is non-Vedic. That is why the anti-Vedic ideologies are called the Tairthikas (i.e. belonging to the Tirthas) (Karanda Vyuha 10-62).20
Lord Mahâvîra was foremost amongst the Reachers of Nirvana.21 The Doctrine of Nirvana belongs to the Shramanic tradition. Hence the adjective makes him distinct from the Brahmanical tradition. This may be said of Lord Buddha. His clan was also influenced by Lord Parshva. Many scholars like Dr. Stevenson have thrown light on the subject. In opposing the Vedic rituals and propounding the doctrine of Ahimsa-non-violence both of them represented the same one tradition. While Buddha belonged to the Sakya clan Mahâvîra belonged to the Nagas these Naga or Nayas had a very good relation with Jainism from old and they followed the Lord Parshva. The Enigma of Naya and Naga
If Mahâvîra is regarded to be a Naga then how one can use Naya or Nata for him? The sKt form of Naya may be Naga but that of Nata seems to be Jnata only. This confounds the mind at first but a perusal of the Agamic usages dispels that doubt. Finally we see substitution of “ta” for some letters profusely, e.g. :
Ga- (1) Patto Vaga Patto vata (Sthan. 128) Ja- (2) Kanharrji Kanharati (Sthan. 389) 0 (3) Savvao Savvato
(Sthan. 389) Da- (4) Padesia Patesita
(Sthan. 593) Ya- (5) Rasayane Rasatane (Sthan. 611) Ya- (6) Sayam Satam
(Sthan. 113) There are only a few examples. In the Agamic texts written
