________________
Antiquity of Jainism
८३१
Thus, it seems that Jainism was in existence in the period of Ramayana according to the Jain traditions. Lord Munisuvarta, the 20th Tirthankara is said to be the contemporary of Rama. 'Munisuvratanatha seems to be as real person as Rama himself.
Jainism in the Rig Vedic Age:
In the Vedic period, there were two kinds of saints-Yati, the enemy of Indra, the Vedio God and Muni-the friend of Indra." It seems that the saints of the Aryans who honoured them were called the Munis while persons corresponding to the saints among non-Vědic people were probably called the Yatis. In the Tai. S. VI. 2. 75, we read Indra threw Yatis to the Salavrikas (wolves ), they devoured them to the south of the uttaravědi The same words and story occur in the Kathaka Samhita VIII 5, the Ait. Br. 35. 2 and the Kausitaki Up. III, 1; in the last, Indra said to Pratardana, "do know me only. I regard this as the most beneficial thing to man that he should know me. I killed the three headed Tvashtra, I gave to the Salavrikas, the arunmukh yatis " In the Kathaka Samhita 10 and the Tai. S. II 4, 9, 2, it is stated that the heads of the Yatis when they were being devoured, fell aside and they (the heads) became the Kharjuras (date palms). Atharvaveda II, 53 says Indra who is quick in his attack, who is mitra and who killed Vritra as he did the yatis. In the Tändya Mahābrahmana VIII 1, 4, Brihadgiri is said to be one of the three Yatis who escaped from slaughter and who were then taken under his protection by Indra. All these passages taken together suggest that the Yatis were the people who had incurred the hostility of Indra, the patron of the Aryas and their bodies were therefore thrown to the wolves. A few of them who escaped slaughter were subsquently won over and became the worshippers of Indra. They therefore, in Rg. VIII 6, 18; are described as praising Indra. These Yatis may probably represent the Jain Saints. Some of the saints are described as naked which indicates that they were Jain saints.
1. महिमलियम वोहं मुनिसुव्वयं तियसनाहं ।
पउमस इमं चरियं जस्सय चित्थे समुप्पन्नं ॥ 2. इन्द्रो मुनीनाम सखा । ऋग्वेद ८, १७, १४. 3. इन्द्रो यतीन सालबुकेभ्यः प्रायच्छत् ।
(Paumachariam V. 5.)
