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ao preached by Lord Rishabha, the first Tirthankara'. People of Indus Valley tbus being the followers of the Riebabbe-calt of Abins were responsible to spread it beyond the borders of India. We have reasons to believe that original inbabitants of Su-rashtra in India of the "enb" tribe followed Jain religion and went to foreign co. untries on commercial and other purposes. They settled in the country round about Babylonia and were styled as Sumers. Scholars like Dr. Kirfel have proved affinities and commercial coppection between the Indo-mediterra. nean peoples'. Dr. Pren Nath bas discovered a copper plate inscription from Prabbepeitan of the Babylonian monarch Nebusch. wbicb recordo that this monarch visited India and went to Girnar to pay bie obeisance to Tirtbankara Nemit. Shrenika Bimbagara was & devoat Jaidas. He tried his best to propagate the religion of the Jaipas far and wide and we are glad to note that his son, Prince Abbaya; was successful in converting to Jainism & prince of Persia.. Moreover Lord Mabavira was present at the time and His preacbing tours, no doubt, were oxtended to the whole of Arya Kbanda, which includes most of tbe present world. Thus the mission of the Jain religion to the foreigo countries began even before the sixth contury BC. or with the beginning period of a reliable Indian bistory, which is now being done in an organised form by the World Jain Mission of India". Herein below we give a narrative account of the missionary actiivities of the Jainas in foreign countries, wbiob we hope, will interest the readers and will dispel the wrong notion about Jainism,
1-Afghanistana: We begin with the country lying jast on the border of undivided India, which was onde å 1. Jaina Antiquary, Vol. XIV p.p. 1-7 & The Voice of Ahinsa
Vol. II. p.p. 4-6, २. संक्षिप्त जैन इतिहास, भा० ३ खंड १ पृ०७०-७५। 3. The Voice of Ahinsa, Vol. I, P. 9. 4. Times of India, Tuosday, March 19,1953. 5. Smith, Oxford History of India. P. 45. 6. Tank, Dictionary of Jaina Bibliography P. 92.
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
