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TULSI-PRAJNA, Oct.-December, 1991
the strength of the Uttaradhyayana Sūtra. 12, adds renunciation from Samsara as implied in the Muni concept :
gafa-gfasatà að farfa sfa gfa: 1
Another derivation is a tall order for ordinary human beings: "Muni is one who knows the past, present and future of the
world".
मनुते मन्यते वा जगतस्त्रिकालावस्थाम् इति मुनिः ।
My main point is to show that the class of people called MUNIS have been commanding respect of all people since the Vedic times and the views expressed by them became the common legacy of all Indians irrespective of their denominations.
One more important point about the MUNIS is that they belonged to the masses and were "Non-seers" of the Vedas. The seers of the Vedic Suktas were Brahmaņas and Ksatriyas and were called rșis as distinguished from Munis. The word rsi is derived from-rs-and is derived (in Sabda Kalpadruma, I. 287) as follows: ऋष्-इगुपधात् कित् (४.११९) इति उणादिसूत्रेण इन् किच्च ।
It means RŞI is one who gets all the Mantras or "SEES" them through his knowledge, the other end of Samsara.
ऋषति प्राप्नोति सर्वान् मन्त्रान् ज्ञानेन पश्यति संसारपारंवा ।
In the Ṛgveda (x. 136.2) Munis are described as those who are wind-girt (Vata-raśanā, a term used in the Bhāgavata XI to sages who saw Vasudeva and enlightened him) and of brownish complexion (due to non-performance of bath).
मुनयो वातरशना पिशङ्गा वसते मला ।
Nudity and non-performance of bath is not limited to Digambar Jains but to other sects like pasupatas (in advanced stage). Munis seem to have been friendly with gods :
मुनिर्देवस्य देवस्य सौकृत्याय सखा हितः । RV.X.136.4
Lord Kṛṣṇa describes the Munis in the foliowing terms: दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु fanate: 1 वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते || Bg. 2.56
"He whose mind is untroubled in the midst of affliction; who has no desire for pleasures; who is free from (Lit. from whom have passed away) passions, fear and rage, he is called a Muni of wellsettled intelligence".
Here one is reminded of the hard penance by Lord Mahavira in
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