Mahavira and his Teaching

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

Page 377

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V. G. NAIR
doctrines expounded by Rsabha in the Adi Vedas, the Parama Agama of Jainism.
If we study the Tiruvalluvarmalai, it will be clear that Valluvar was well versed in Prakrit and Sanskrit. He was proficient in the Jaina Agamas current in his time. He was held as one of the greatest Acāryas of his day. He was also held in high esteem by kings, the learned, the rich and the poor. The fact that Valluvar condemned meat eating and caste distinctions and emphasised the necessity of penance instead of external worship might have made the Brahmin dominated Tamil Academy of Madurai to use its scissors on the Kural and even to disapprove it for public study. What happened to the remaining portion of the last chapter dealing with Veetu is shrouded in mystery.
The Saivaites have taken Kural as their own and Valluvar as the follower of their religion. Images of Valluvar are installed in Saivaite temples for worship. The greatest service Hinduism or the Šaiva and Vaishṇava religion has rendered to Jainism is that it has claimed Rşabha, Krşņa, Agasthya, Tolkapyar, and Valluvar as their own and have absorbed many of the moral precepts and philosophical doctrines of Jainism in their religion. Many ancient Jaina temples have been converted into Hindu Shrines. In the same way, Rşabha and some of the greatest Acārvas of Jainism have been elevated as incarnations of Vişņu and Siva, and worship offered to them in temples.
Śrī Krsņa occupies the highest position both in Hinduism and also in Jainism. According to Jaina scriptures, Devakíputra Yādava Kršņa was an adherent of Arhanta Dharma or Jainism. I could adduce an evidence from the Maha Purānam, Srimad Bhāgavatam and the Mahā Bharatam to prove this fact. Mathurā Sri Krsna's birth place and also Gokulam were notable centres of Jainism in these remote days. The Yādavas who lived in Dwarakā were Jainas. They were followers of Neminātha. After the passing away of Srī Krşņa, Satyabhāmā and Rukmiņí took deekşā and became nuns. Pradyumna and Aniruddha also entered the Monastic Order. The Pandavas and Pañcali, Vasudeva and