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DR. RAJJAN KUMAR
SAMBODHI
non-Aryans races. These were being absorbed in thier social structure principally as 'dasyus' (labour class) and were treated as second class citizens. However, the Aryans had tremendous capacity to absorb and to assimilate all new things of life.30
The Aryans not only adopted many cultural and philosophical thinking of their non-Aryan brothers, but also enriched the same by their own original thoughts. They realised that beyond this mundane existence as well as after life, there is something distinct. For attaining that something the propitiation of gods by sacrifices and offerings of living beings is not the way. When acquainted with the non-Aryan theories of austerities, non-violence, karma and soul, they realized that something, the aim of their pursuit could be apprehended by working on these theories.31
The above facts very much found in the Upanisadic thought, as Chandogya Upanisad quotes that Ṛsi Aruni explains to his son the newly found secret of the real nature of the self, not taught to him during the course of the long term of his education in existing Vedas.32 Naciketa of Kathopanisad 33 goes to Yama (God to Death) to learn the science of Atman by asking the question "when a man dies, does he still exist or not ?" Thus there was a fervent intellectual agitation in the Post-Brahmanica period when the Upanisadas began to challenge the usefulness of sacrificial rituals and began to apply their mind objectively to the teachings of Śramana traditions of ancient India. This trend had started long before Upanisadic period but it gained momentum during that period.
23rd Tirthankara of Jainas, Pārśvanatha,34 recognised now as a historical person, flourished during 872 to 772 B.C., the time when the Upanisadas were getting on full swing. Like his successor Mahāvīra, Pārśva also had a great organising capacity. He organised the Śramanica order and propounded caturyāma35 of four principles namely-non-violence (ahimsa), Truth (satya), Non-stealing (Asteya) and restrictions on possession (aparigraha). His Śramana teachings had great influence on contemporary thinking. And with the advent of Mahāvīra (526 B.C.) the time became ripe for the final and decisive assault on priestly Brāhmaṇica culture of rituals and violent sacrifices. Both Mahāvīra and Buddha (563 B.C.) led a relentless crusade against the social and cultural evils prevalent at the time. Buddha, the contemporary of Mahāvīra was a prophet of another Śramanica tradition Buddhism.
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