Mahavira and his Teaching

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

Page 366

ANTIQUITY OF JAINISM IN TAMILNĀD
Karaṇānuyogam,
They
Caraṇānuyogam and Dravyānuyogam. called the Parama Agamas. Because the Adı Vedas consisted of four parts, Rṣabha, its expounder was known as Caturmukhan, the four-headed. Rṣabha expounded the Adi Vedas to his Ganadharas or chief disciples and also to his son Emperor Bharata. The Adi Vedas were orally recited and studied Karna-karņikayā. In the 6th century B.C. Bhagavān Mahāvīra expounded the Adi Vedas to his chief disciple Gautama Swami, who in turn taught these four Vedas to Sudharmā Swāmi, who expounded them to Jambu Swami. Thus the Adi Vedas were preserved Guru-paramparaya, teacher to disciple from pre-historic times to the period of Mahāvīra. The original version, according to scholars was in Prakrit and contained many lakhs of verses. In the time of King Amoghavarsa, 9th century A.D. Jinasena Acarya and his disciple Gunabhadra composed the Maha Purāṇa Samgraham in Sanskrit. Gunabhadra who was a Tamilian rendered the Sanskrit version into Tamil and Manipravāla style in Grantha and Tamil scripts. The Maha Purāṇa Samgraham contains the summary of the original Adi Vedas expounded by Rsabha in hoary antiquity.
are
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Nyāya Tirtha, Nyāya Viśārada, Upādhyāya Śrī Mangala Vijayaji Mahārāj's Jaina-Tattva Pradipa's commentary Arhota Darsana Dipika by Prof. Kapadia in Gujarati has classified the four parts of the Adivedas as Samsara-Darśanam, Samsthāpana Parāmarśaņam, Tattvava-Bodham and Vidya-Prabodham.
The Adi Vedas or Parama Āgamas are the Supreme religious scriptures among all the holy scriptures of the world in the history of mankind. The metaphysical and ethical doctrines of these four Vedas for promoting human welfare and human freedom from mundane sufferings constitute the fountainhead of all world religions, cultures and civilizations.
The Parama Agamas contain the fundamental teachings of Bhagavan Rṣabha, the patriarch among world teachers of religions and philosophy. Rṣabha doctrines or Jinadharmam could be
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