Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): Jyoti Prasad Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 49

HISTORY OF JAINISM AFTER MAHAVIRA
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by Akbar (1556-1605 A.D.), engendered and atmosphere of comparative peace and religious liberty. Flourishing communities of Jainas were found to exist in the capital cities of Delhi and Agra and in other cities and trading centres of the Mughal empire. They built temples in these places, celebrated their festivals, undertook mass pilgrimages to far off sacred places, and obtained imperial firmāns for the benefit of their religion and community.
Akbar as well as Jahangir invited and honoured several Jaina gurus, and a considerable amount of literature was produced by Jaina scholars during the Mughal period. Aurangzeb (16581707 A.D.) is believed to have almost reversed the religious policy of Akbar, but even his Jaina subjects, being harmless and peaceful citizens without any political design or involvement, appear to have escaped the wrath of his fanaticism. In the Rajput or other Hindu kingdoms of the time the condition of the Jainas was not apparently inferior to that of the Saivas or Vaisnavas although the rulers themselves belonged to these sects of medieval Hinduism. Barring two or three stray instances of religious persecution, the Jainas seem to have suffered no slight, indignity or harm in those territories, and they not only supplied the ranks of the bankers and merchants but many were employed in government service and held high civil and military posts.
Under Aurangzeb's weak successors, during the 18th century, degeneration, deterioration, anarchy and confusion were rampant in the political, economic and social spheres. There was incessant warfare and the country suffered severely from several plundering expeditions from outside. Life and property of the common man were in constant danger, and honour and religion were far from being safe. The Jainas could not and did not remain unaffected by the condition of the times. It is however, curious that it was this period which witnessed an extraordinary religious fervour and literary activity in the