Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 194

Sec. II]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
According to the nature of this stage of life the students may be classified into two groups, viz. one who studied for a certain period after which he entered the second stage, i. e. the life of householder by getting himself married, as he became grown up and capable of enjoying the worldly life', while the other one was 'Balatavassin" (Balata pasvin) or Kumaraśramana who observed celibacy throughout his life which was entirely devoted and dedicated to the pursuits of learning, knowledge, austerity and meditation for the attainment of spiritual realization.
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Thus it is learnt that prince Mahabala of Hastinapura1 had to undergo the following course of Brahmacarya in the first part of his life, viz. the ceremony of coloyanagaṁ (cuḍadharanam, tonsure ceremony), uvanayaṇam (sacred thread ceremony), kalagrahanam (that of learning alphabet) till he became free from boyish state, learned, firm and capable of enjoying the worldly life.
Of the second category of the student life it is found that the princess, Jayanti", the aunt of king Udayana of Kausambi remained 'Brahmacāriņī (maid, observing celebacy) throughout her life and joined the Nirgrantha order, after getting initiated by Lord Mahāvīra to Sramana Dharma. She devoted and dedicated her life to the search of knowledge, truth and spiritual realization.
Similarly there are also other examples of life-long Brahmacarins in the BhS. Thus it is related here that there lived a Balatapasvin named Vesiyāyaṇa' outside the town of Kurmagrama by practising austerity, observing fast, raising and holding up his arms, facing the sun and heating (absorbing heat) his body in the sunshine on his Atapanabhumi (the place
1 Bhs, 11, 11, 429. 1 Ib, 15, 1, 543. 3 1b, 5, 4, 188. 4.5 Ib, 11, 11, 429. 6 Ib, 12, 2, 441.
7 lb, 15, 1, 543.
8 There are two readings 'Kummagāma' & 'Kunḍagama' found in the printed text of the BhS. I accept the reading 'Kummagama' which occurs in all the published Mss. except in one. Moreover all scholars also have accepted this
reading.
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