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RELIGION AND CULTURE OF THE JAINS
i. e., Bhadrabāhukanimitta or Bhadrabāhunimittaśāstra, is generally qualified by the adjective Nairgrantha, i. e., belonging to the Nirgranthas.72 Then again at the end of some of the chapters the monks are advised to leave one country and seek shelter in another if the former was to be afflicted by certain disasters (XU. 38; XIV. 181 ; XV. 230 ; XXV. 49).18 But a close examination of the contents reveals a number of Brāhmaņical elements which tell us a quite different tale. Thus, speaking of the importance of the nimittas while undertaking a milltary expedition, it is said that even the gods had taken the nimittas into account (XIII. 23). We are further told in the same vein that neither the Vedas nor the Angas (i. e., Vedāngas) nor the sciences (vidyās), taken individually, can meet those requirements which are met with by a well-told nimitta.74 One would normally expect a Jain text to enumerate the various branches of learning beginning with the canon and not with the Vedas which were an object of reverence only for the followers of Brähmaņical Hinduism. It cannot be argued that the word angā may have reference to the Jain canon comprising twelve Angas, for, as the word is preceded by reference to the Vedas, it can denote only the Vedāngas. Considerable space is devoted to the description of portents taken from fire while performing homa (offerings to fire) on the eve of a military march (XIII. 52-60). The Brāhmaṇical practice of regarding the nakșatras as presided over by various gods and referring to them by the names of i respective divinities is also followed (III. 38-39; XIII. 96-27). As a means of warding off certain evil portents, the author recommends the worship of gods, Brāhmaṇas initiated for the performance of Vedic sacrifices (dikṣita), elderly people and Brahmacārins, for the sins of the kings are extinguished by
72 Occasionally we find the use of the word Nirgrantha which is evidently an error for Nairgrantha. [It may not be regarded as an error.--Ed.)
73 Also cf. XIV.182 ; XXI.58; XXIII.58 ; XXIV.43. 74 Na Vedā n=āpi c=ārgāni na vidyāś=ca prthak prthak/
prasādhayanti tān =arthān nimittam yat subhāșitam (XIII.38)
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