Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 168

HINDU AND JAINA CONCEPTS OF MAHAPRALAYA
of three days and is immediately satisfied by taking a pellet of food of the size of a jejube obtained from Kalpavṛkṣas1 (celestial trees). The beings of this age have not to answer the calls of Nature and are free from every kind of disease. Twins are borna male and a female and behave as husband and wife after they grow up. The clothes and other necessities of life are all provided by the celestial trees. The parents die together soon after the birth of the twins and the latter grow up within 50 days by sucking their thumbs.
The second epoch is of 3 x 1014 Sagaras of years. The height of the human body is reduced from 36,000 ft. to 24,000 ft. and the span of life is of two Palya. The beings of this Age also get all their requirements from celestial trees.
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In both these epochs, there is no ruler or the ruled, the status of all people is equal. The luminosity of the celestial trees is so great that light from the sun and the moon is obscured. Even the cruel animals like lions have peaceful temperament.
The third epoch is of 2 X 1014 sagaras of years. The height is now reduced to 12000 ft. and the span of life is of one Palya. It should be noted that the figures given are for the beginning of each epoch. There is a very slow decline all along the entire epoch. The beings of this Age take their food on alternate days and the quantity of food is increased from jejube size to that of a myrobalan. It is in this epoch that the fourteen KulakarasLaw givers (called Manus in Hindu Sastras) are born. Before the birth of Kulakaras there are no names of individuals. The wives address their husbands as Arya and husbands call their wives as Arye. There is no caste distinction. They all belong to one
1.
Kalparṛkṣa is not actually a tree of the vegetable kingdom. It is a mound of bright shining minerals. It is of 10 types. There are trees which give the desired quality of food, fruits, flowers, utensils, ornaments and garments without effort. There are also trees which give light and sing songs. There are trees in the form of several storeyed buildings where one can live.
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