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2
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The two hundred and fifty years which are
supposod to have olaraorl hot woon Parshvanatha and
Mahavira possibly saw, as evidenced by the
Sutrakritanga, the rise of numerous sects and
subsects loosely grouped into several monastic
communities. The ritualistic practices in
Brahmanism were again coming up to the forefront.
The ideas about the superiority by birth and the
privileged position of the priestly class were
gaining ground. The commanding personality of
Parshvanatha was no more on the scene. Against
such a chaotic background Mahavira had to work.
Ho immodiately grasped the situation and
had the courage to declare
The nxternal appearances are no tort, whot
is really required is the mental purity and the
behaviour which would lead to such mental purity
and the consequent equanimity. Therefore,
