Spiritual Awakening and other Essays

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 45

Tīrthařkara Nami of Mithilā in Videha seems to have given rise to the spiritualistic thought of the Upanișad."
Discourses of Mahāvīra in Prāksta and his first sermon at the advent of a Vedic Brahmin Scholar: Mahāvīra (598 B.C. - 527 B.C.) is the twenty-fourth Tīrthařkara, who attained omniscience (Kevalajñāna). Mahāvīra remained silent and did not deliver, according to Digambara tradition, any sermon for sisty-six days. At the advent of a renowned Vedic, Brahmin scholar, named Indrabhūti Gautama in the Samavaşaraņa (religious. assembly) Mahāvīra delivered his first sermon at the Vipulācala mountain outside the city of Rājagrha, the capital of Magadha, on Saturday the 1st July 557 B.C. 12 This day is celebrated as the Viraśāsana day and Indrabhūti Gautama was designated as the first Gañadhara (chief disciple) by Mahāvīra. Along with Indrabhūti Gautama his five hundred pupils joined the order of Mahāvīra. Gradually Mahāvīra initiated more Brahmin Vedic scholars into the ascetic order. It is of capital importance to note that Mahāvīra made use of Prāksta for his discourses'), as a result of which the whole canonical literature in Prākṣta was prepared by the Gañadharas.
Now the question is why did Mahāvira deliver his first sermon only at the advent of a Vedic Brahmin scholar? My interpretation of the event is : Vedic scholar is a Prākrta scholar, since the Vedas have been composed in Loka Bhāṣā (language of the masses) of that period. Pt. Kišoridāsa Vājapaye tells us that the language of the Vedas is the first form of Prāksta, though this underwent change in form in course of time and became the second stage of Prāksta. This second stage was prevalent in a very large area and Mahāvīra's discourses were meant for all without any
36
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays For Personal & Private Use Only