Sambodhi 2012 Vol 35

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 63

Vol. XXXV, 2012
Nishidhis and Muļiñjas : Revisited
53
the subject of Nishidhi, has noticed an important reason for storing the relics in the pot and placing it below the Nishidhi memorial, I endeavour to explain it briefly. The salient feature to be underlined in the process is that Jaina philosophy has given more prominence to man and earth, and accorded priority to prithvitattva than jala-tattva. Man and Earth occupy the centre stage in Jaina philosophy and literature. For liberation of soul and to attain moksha, the final sum mum bonum, even the celestial are to be born as humans and strive hard. Accordingly, they abstain from asthi-visarjana, immersing the relics, in river. Humans, animal, creatures and other life forms use water for drinking. Hence to prevent its pollution, Jains avoid throwing relics of the dead in river. Therefore, Jains prefer to put the relics (bone, teeth, nails and ashes) in an earthen pot and keep it in the earth on which Nishidhi/carana pādukā is erected. The relics are collected and put in the pot and placed beneath the samādhi, because of following two reasons-- a. it should not be scattered and become nuisance to others. b. it should not pollute the atmosphere.
Bibliography : Jain, Jagadish Chandra 'Disposal of the Dead in Bhagavati Ārādhana', Paper read at a Seminar held under the auspices of Mahavira chair for Jaina Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1979. Published in Journal of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, Vol.38, Sept.-Dec., 1988. Peter Flugel : a. 'New Developments in Aniconoic Jaina Iconography', Jaina Studies, Issue
5, March 2005, SOAS, University of London, pp. 24-28. b. 'Jaina Relic Stupas', Jaina Studies, Issue 3, 2008, pp. 18-23. Settar, S: a. Inviting Death, Dharwada, 1886. b. Pursuing Death, Dharwada, 1990.
Hampana : Morphology of Jaina Architecture, Shravanabelagola, 2008.
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