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SANATAN JAIN.
V
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "Englishman.” SIR, Pareshnath is pre-emiently a hill of piety. It is sacred to the Jains, occupying in their estimation the highest place of honour. The sanctity permeating the intire hill is of no ordinary importance. Jainism asserted itself at a time that is lost in the dim mystery of a hoary past The modern antiquarian is baffled in his attempt to trace its beginnings with any degree of certainty. The mind of man is awed to contemplate its early achievements at a time when humanity was in its cradle. Jainism spread its spiritual dominion long, long before. Budha revolted from orthodox Hindiusm. From the very earliest time, the Hill of l'areshnath by reason of its mystic solitude and enchanting beauty, appealed to the relegious imagination of the saints who are canonised in the Jain Scriptures. They found it a place which of all others was peculiarly suited to their contemplation and meditation. Although it may be impossible to ascertain definitely the time when the hill came to be associated with their auseterities and devotions, but its remote antiquity will be evident when it is remembered that 22 Jains preceded Sri Sri Preshnathji who was the 23rd. Thirthanker and was according to the European Scholars born about two centuries be fore the 24th Thirthanker said by them to be a contemporary of Budha. So at a rough calculation in accordance with the best opinions of the
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
eminent European Scholars the Hill was identified with the pious excercise of Sri Sri Pareshnathji (who attained Nirvan on the hill in question) not less than 700 years before Christ. The time when his predecessors flourished and contemplated and meditated on the hill may be guessed and imagined. Nineteen of them in accompaniment with thousands of Sadhus and Munis meditated and contemplated on that sacred hill and attained Nirvana. The sanctity of the hill would thus appear to be sur passingly great. Is it seriously to be contended that hill sanctified by the pious achievements of a long succession of saints through a long per.od in prehistoric annais has its sacrednests cribbed, cabined and confined" "outer within a certain weal.ty" that may be sharply demarcaed from the rest and latter utilized for any purpose that to the authorities may seem fit?
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I have endeavoured to show that Jainism claims an ancient origin and the exact period when the hill came to be reckoned as sacred by its identification with the religious exercises of the Saints is lost in the haziness of a far distant past. Sri Sri Pareshnathji was the last but one of a long line of Thirthankers. Before him, a galaxy of ninteen Thirthankers with an inuuberable number of Sadhus and Munis cast radiant halo round the hill by living in that nature's beautifnl retreat their earthy of unexampled piety and Saintliness They lived meditated and contemplated there and when the time came and
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