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CRC
भीमद् विजयराजेन्द्रसरि-स्मारक-प्रय Ashtadhyayi of Panini who according to Gold Stuoker must have lived in the seventh century B. C. at the latest. It must have been well known at this time and must have come into existence long before eighth century B. C. If Andhakavrishni is the real person, there seems to be little doubt that his grand son Nēminatha was a reality.
There is a mention in the Chbandögya Upanishada III, 17, 6, that the sage Ghora Angirasa imparted a certain instructions of the spiritual sacrifice to Krishna, the son of Dēvaki. The liberal payment of this sacrifice was austerity, liberality, simplicity, non-violence and truthfulness. These teachings of Ghora Angirasa seem to be the tenets of Jainism. Hence, Ghora Angiraga seems to be the Jain saint. The writers of the Jain scriptures say that Tirthankara Nēminátha was the master of Krishna.? Now the question arises whether Nēminatha and Ghora Angirasa are the names of the same individual.
The word Ghora Angiraga seems to be an epithet given to him because of tbe extreme austerities undertaken by him. It may be possible to suggest that Naminátha was his early name and when he had obtained salvation after hard austerities, he might have been given the name of Ghora Angirasa.
Infact the Jain traditions about Nēminatha or Arishtanēmi as incorporated in the Harivamsa, Arittha Nēmi Chariu and other works may be corroborated to some extent by the Brahaminical traditions. He is mentioned in some of the hymns of the Vēdas but their meaning is doubtful. In the Yajurvēda, he seems to be clearly mentioned as one of the important Rishis. He is described as one who is capable of crossing over the ocean of life and death, as the remover of violence, one who is instrumental in sparing life from injury and so on,: The Yajurvēda probably belongs to the twelth century B. C.
1. द्युति मद्रतांगविवकिरण जटिलांशुमण्डल । नीलजलजदलराशिवपु सह बन्धुभिगरुड़केतुरीश्वरः॥ हलमृच्च ते स्वजनभक्तिमुदितहृदयो जनेश्वरो। धर्मविनयरसिको सुतरा चरणारविन्दुयुगलं प्रणेमेतुः॥
-57 am falsa, 27: 1991 2. (Rj. 10, 178, 1); ( Yaj. 9, 25 ); and (Yaj. 25, 19 ) 3. स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवा स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।
स्वस्तिनस्तायो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्तिनो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥
