Nandanvana

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 11

PROLOGUE
The lexicographer Apte indicates many meanings of the Sanskrit word 'Vana' (forest) - a forest with trees; cluster of lotus flowers, residence, fountain and water spring. The term also gets associated with varied kinds of grains, cattle and birds and sylvan deity. All this indicates the variety and utility of the term. The groves, parks, gardens and orchards-all are the minified forests. In early days, all the villages and cities were surrounded with forests, which made them mindpleasing or to say otherwise, villages and cities were in forests.
In general, the forests have two varieties: (i) natural and (ii) human-created. The beauty, splendors and diversity of natural forests is extra-ordinary. They serve as ideal places for spiritual accomplishments. The human-created forests are like minified forests. They cause rains, bear rains and maintain the atmosphere equilibrated.
The Jaina tradition has a natural three-tier universe. Its vast middle universe has a high mountain-called Sumeru in its centre. There are four grand forests on it at its different strata of heights named as :
(1) Bhadra-śāla: Sacred forest
(2) Nandana, 500 Y above (1): Gladdening forest, Elysium
(3) Saumanasa, 36000 Y below (4) or 61500 Y above (2) :. Benevolent forest full of flowers, and
(4) Pāṇḍuka on the top: Pale-white forest.
Their names themselves indicate their splendor, specificity and beauty. As per scriptures, there are mini-forests in them too. They have many fragrant trees, lovely birds like peacock and cuckoo, four palatial buildings, Jina temples, arches, altars, oblong reservoirs of water and summits - one each in four directions. All these make these forests as highly mind-pleasing and propitious. This has led them to be called as garden of Indra or heaven themselves-Elysium. It is due to them that yogis and meditators become forest-residing. Their calm atmosphere promotes physical and mental equilibrium and increase in internal energy. Many venerable men like Rāma, Mahāvīra, Buddha etc. are the products of these forests.