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Sramana (Я) Tradition
श्रमण)
and Vedic Literature
We are publishing this article by Dr. S. K. Gupta, as a rejoinder to a paper by Acharya Tulsi Maharaj on Sraman traditions. The author may hold his own views on the subject, but it has not yet been finally accepted by others that Sraman tradition is not Pre-Vedic. Elsewhere in this book itself we have published the article of Mr. R. C. Jain on "Sramanic Foundations of Ancient Egypt". We would like to invite more articles on this subject in our next issue. -Editors
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EVERAL scholars have tried to show that Sramana () tradition (as () tradition (as identified with the Jain religion) is preVedic. Recently Acharya Shri Tulsi Ji read a paper on this topic before the International Congress of Orientalists held this January in New Delhi, Indirectly Shri R. C. Jain concurred with his views by trying to establish that the ancient Egyptian and Sumerian cultures. Sramanic. He also opined that the Egyptians were the Vedic Panis and as such they were followers of Sramana (Jain) beliefs. It is proposed to study in this paper some of the arguments advanced from the Vedic literature in support of the pre-Vedic existence of Sramanic tradition.
2. A reference to Jain monks and their practices has been seen in Rv. X. 136. The Jains have two types of ascetics(i) those who keep nude and do not use any clothes or any other type of cover on their body; and (ii) those who are clad in
Jain Education International
Dr. S. K. Gupta Reader in Sanskrit, Rajasthan University, Jaipur
white clothes. These munis do not keep any hair on their head. An exception to this practice has been pointed out in the case of Lord Risabha Deva who is said to have retained his beautiful locks of hair on two sides of his head at the request of Sakrendra. For this reason he is called Kesin in the Jain tradition.
3. Now Rv. X. 136 is attributed to seven sages who are styled as Vatarasana (araar gaa:). This name has been treated by Sayana as a patronymic title meaning sons of sage Vatarsana. These sages wore yellow barks ( मुनयो वातरशना: प्रिशङ्गा वसतेमलो). By meditation they identified themselves with the various gods of the mid region represented by wind. People ignorant of this reality cannot reach the ecstacy of their joy and realisation. They can only see and feel the worldy forms (bodies) of these seers:
उम्मदिता मौनेयेन वालों म्रा तस्थिमा वयम् । शरीरेदस्माकं यूयं मतीसो अभि पश्यथ ||
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