________________
32
ŚRUTA-SARITĀ
Here we may mention the other possibility also. The Buddha and the Mahāvīra—both of them have propagated that only the right type of a Bhiksu can be called a Brāhmin or Māhana. In this sense the Lord may have been called a Māhana.
Now let us see what information we get from the Jaina literature about the clan of the Lord and the Nāya kula. It is certain that amongst the Vedic this Naya kula was not well-known. hence we find its mention very rare in the Vedic Purānas.
And it is surprising to note that even in Jaina literature the Nāyavaṁsa is given the prominent place in later times. An attempt is made to relate it with the famous Iksvākuvassa or to separate it from the same. This shows that the authors were not certain about the real position of the clan Nāya.
There are two clear traditions regarding the prominent Vamśas. One is represented by Jaina Canonical literature and its Niryukti etc. and other is of the Jaina Purānas. This will be clear from the following table.
+These constituted the
retinue of Rsabha. Avasyaka Niryukti. (193)
Ugga
Bhoga
Rāinna
Khattia
Ikkhāga
Nāya,
Koravva
Harivamsa.
.
X
'
.
.
X
·
X
. .
.
.
.
X
Bhada
Višeşāvasyaka. (1610. 1829) Bhagavati. (208)
(9. 33)3 Sthānanga. (497) Prajñapana (104) Kalpasūtra (17) Brhatkalpa* (3265)
.
.
.
X
X
.
X
X
.
. . Ikkhāga
. . . Soma
X
. Vijjahara
Vānara
· · Rakkhasa
x . Harivansa.
Paumacariyas
In the Āvaśyakaniryukti it is said that Ikkhāga Vamsa began with Rsabha (181). So after Niryukti we find it mentioned as an important Vamsa in Jaina literature but the question is—if is a separate Vamsa, what is the relation between it and the Nāyakula ? The authors are not unanimous about the answer. In bhagavatī etc. and even in Višesāvaśyaka as we have seen two are separately mentioned. But Umāswāti and other commentators like Abhayadeva (FIMO 153) are of the opinion that Nāya is a branch of the Ikkhāga : Umāsvāti says? :- 3751
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