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Antiquity of Jainism
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This indicates that Nēminátha seems to be known at this time and flourished even before.
The literary evidence seems to be supported by an epigraphical evidence.2 In Kathiawār, a copper plate has been discovered on which there is an inscription. The king Nebuchadnazzar (940 B. C.) who was also the lord of Rēvanagara (in Käthiawāra ) and who belonged to Sumer tribe, has come to the place (Dwórka) of the Yaduraja. He has built a temple and paid homage and made the grant perpetual in favour of Lord Nominátha, the paramount deity of Mt. Raivata. This inscription is of great historical importance. The king named Nebuchadnazzar was living in the 10th century B. C. It indicates that even in the tenth century B.C. there was the worship of the temple of Nēminátha the 22nd. Tirthan kara of the Jaing. It goes to prove the historicity of Nēminatha.
Thus, there seems to be little doubt about Nēminátha as a historical figure but there is some difficulty in fixing his date. He is said to be the contemporary of Krishna the hero of Mahabharata. The scholars differ in their opinions as to the exact date of the Mahabharata which vary from 950 B.C. to 3000 *B.C. Jainism in the Period of Rāmāyana
The period of Ramayana is earlier than Mahābhārata. The majority of the scholars believe most of the events and persons connected with the story of Ramayana to be real and historical. The oldest available Jain version of Rima epic is Paumachariya in Prakrit which was composed in 530 years after the Mahāvīra-nirvana according to the statements of the author named Vimala Sūri. It belongs to about the same period as the oldest Brahaminic version, the Ramayana of Valmiki i. e. to the first century B. C. No doubt Vimal seems to be
1. J. A. 14, p. 3; J. S. B. 14, I, P. 21; The Jain-35, 1. P. 2 and the Times of India (Weekly ) of 19th March, 1935. I could not see the photo of this inscription.
2. Pargiter 950 B.C.; R. O. Majumdar 1000 B.C.; Dr. H. O. Ray Chaudhary 1876 B. C.; Jayaswal 1450 B. C.); and astronomers and later traditions 31022449 B. O.
3. पंचवे वाससया दुसमाए तीसवरसंसजुता। वीरे सिद्धीमुवगए तओ निबद्ध इमं चरियं ॥
