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tance for the Jainas. Jaina tradition speaks of Videha as a Nityapunya Bhoomi, a place where Dharma is always flourishing. The Jaina teachers who succeeded Mahavira, whenever they had any doubt on scriptural matters, went to Vídehakshetra to clear these doubts. The very place which is pointed as the abode of heterodoxy is held in high esteem according to Jaina and Buddha traditions. The unbelief referred to in Satapata Brahmana, the unbelief which manifests in opposition to the Brahmanas, must therefore refer
some sort of Kshatriya movement that must have been prevalent in the countries of Videha and Magadha even prio1 to the rise of Buddhism. All these facts constitute strong circumstantial evidence supporting the theory that Atma Vidya--the central doctrine of Upanishadic culture first arose from the Kshatriya as a sort of protest against the Vedic sacrificial ritualism, jealously defended by the Brahmins Upanishadic thought is mainly influenced by the Ahimsa cult associated with Lord Rishabha, a cult prevalent in India even prior to the Aryan invasion. Since the Upanishadic thinkers have accepted this Ahimsa doctrine as superior to Vedic ritualism there was a spirit of compromise at that period Except for rival claims for social domination there was most probably no great difference between the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas of those ages. Both were Aryans and both defended their culture and civilisation from non-Aryan inroads. This is substantiated by the fact that many learned Brahmins welcomed the new movement of Atma vidya and were willing disciples under Kshatriya teachers to learn the new truth. If they had any antipathy to the new form of faith they would have exhibited it They would not have manifested so much eagerness to assimilate it In fact about the time of Brihadaranyaka we find the tables are completely turned. Yagnavalkya a great teacher in Brihadaranyaka figures as the towering personality. He, a Brahmin becomes the instructor now and Janaka the king places himself as his disciple. This represents a later stage in the development of Upanishadıc thought. Yagnavalkya being a masterintellect successfully. Incorporated the new doctrine into the old. Kshatriya protestantism in the reform of Atma vidya was completely assimilated that it ceased to exist as an independent
