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Fifth Vow of Vardhamâna Mahavira : Its Causes
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non-violence and non-attachment. A monk strictly observing these two vows could not indulge in an act of violence and attachment which necessarily accompany the act of sexual intercourse. His argument is mechanistic and unreal. The influence of Vedic sex atmosphere had very likely brought in laxity in some saints and lay followers of Parsva and this state also as a part of historical background might have influenced the judgement of Mahâvîra. If the laxity, as suggested by Jacobi, would have been the sole consideration, Mahâvîra could have set it right by rules of internal discipline alone. But it was the general social atmosphere of moral decadence that influenced the judgement of Mahâvîra to independently propound the vow of Brahmacharya.
Brahmacharya, according to Vardhaman was not the study of Vedic or any other literature or the art of priesthood. It was a conduct of life. Brahmacharya is victory over attachment. It is complete abstinence from sexual intercourse. Nay, it is much more. It is complete control over Matter. 43
References 1. Sacred Books of the East, Volume 45, 1895, Uttardhayana Sutra, 23-26 Page
122. 2. Op. cit, Utt, Su. 23-24 Page 122. 3. (1) Rigveda 1.91.20; 1.92.13;3.1.23; 10.42.45; 10.85.25.
(2) Atharvaveda 3.32.2; 5.35.11
Atharvaveda 6.11.3. 5. P.D. Karmakar, The Asvamedha, Its original signification, A. B. O. R. I. vol. 30
Page 341. 343. Siddheswar Varma, Etymologies of Yaska, 1953, Page 66.
Op. cit, Page 82. 8. (1) Rigveda 2.36.1; 4.58.8; 6.75.4; 7.2.5.
(2) Atharvaveda 2.36.1. 9. Rigveda 1.66.8; 1.117.18; 1.134.3; 1.152.4; 9.32.5. 10. (1) Rigveda 1.105.2:1.124.7; 3.53.4; 4.3:2, 4.18.3; 9.82.4; 10.10.7; 10.17.1;
10.71.4
(2) Atharvaveda 8.76.3-5; 19.42.2;3.30.2; 6.60.1. 11. A Weber, The History of Indian Literature, 1261, Page 38. 12. Rigveda 1.11.10; 2.29.1. 1.92.4 13. VM. Apte, Vedic Age, 1957, Page 391. 14. (1) Rigveda 7.33.11.
(2) S.R. Shastri; Women in the Vedic Age, 1954, Page 63. 15. Rigveda 4.42.8-9.
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