Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism

Author(s): S N Shrivastava
Publisher: Rekha Publication Gorakhpur

Page 79

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Socio-Cultural Milieu
while the king is made to ascend the regions, and bringing forth of the throne seat (āsandi) made of 'khadira', clinch the suggested connection still further. Again the supreme position of the vrấtya among the immortals as well as the mortal beings, reminds us of the Absolute sovereignity of the consecrated monarch (rājyābhi şikta) and the Atharvan Eka Vrātya seems more akin to the Eka-rãt of the Brāhmaṇas, than to the Ekarşi of the Upanişads as suggested by Hauer" 13 At another place he writes. "The setting out of the vrãtya to all directions, can only remind us of the 'symbolic conquest in all directions' mentioned in the context of the Rājasūya. Similar is the case with the receptions of the vratyas as an honoured guest referred to towards the end of this book, who is none other than the king or warrior-noble as guest. These characterstics of the Atharvan vrâtya link up his followers, the earthly vrátya with the original Rājanya, who remained independent and had a glorious tradition and were disliked by the Brāhamanas!4.
The association of the vrătyas with the rājanya class and the assumption that the Śramana tradition, and in that particularly the Jainism, was related with the vrătyas enable us to explain the Kshatriya bias and anti Brāhmaņa attitude of the Jains. The story of transfer of the embryo of Mahāvīra from the womb Brāhmaṇi Devānandã to that of Kshatrāņi Trišala as described in the Kalpasūtra clearly brings out the Kshatriya bias of the Jains. In the Kalpasūtra it is stated, 'It never has happened, nor does it happen, nor will it happen, that Arhats, Chakravartins, Baladevas, or Vasudevas, in the past, present or future, should be born in low families, poor families, indigent families, begger families or Brāhmanical families. For indeed, Arhatas, Chakravartins, Baladevas and Väsudevas, in the past, present and future, are born in high families, noble families, royal families. noblemen's families, in families belonging to the race of Ikshvāku or of Hari, or in other such like families of pure descent on both sides ........ This venerable Ascetic Mahāvīra, now in the continent Jambūdvīpa, in Bhārata Varsa, in the Brāhmaṇical part of the town Kundagrāma, has