Vijyanandsuri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth

Author(s): Navinchandra Vijaymuni, Ramanlal C Shah, Shripal Jain
Publisher: Vijayanand Suri Sahitya Prakashan Foundation Pavagadh

Page 884

This attitude of love and compassion for all living beings finds its social manifestation in a custom which is observed every year in India on the day of Deepawali, the festival of lights. Those Jaina householders who own cattle not only clean them by giving them a good bath but decorate them and pay homage to them in the form of a ritual and not taking any work from them for a couple of days. This is observed by their Hindu brethren also.
A monumental example of this attitude can be found in the existence of a Hospital founded at Delhi(India) for the exclusive treatment of the ailing or wounded birds in the year 1926 under the patronage of a Jaina saint (Muni Shanti Sagarji Maharaj). The Hospital has a capacity to accommodate 5000 birds as indoor patients. No fee is charged from the owners of the birds for the treatment. But if they want to offer donations, the same are accepted. The birds, after cure, are not returned to the individual owners, but are set free. In case of the non-vegetarian birds like Kites, Hawks, Eagles, Falcons and Vultures, only outdoor treatment is given as meat or insects, etc. cannot be served to them as diet in this Hospital. For large birds like Ducks, Geeze, Cocks, Peahens and Peacocks, seven large wards have been set apart and one emergency and intensive care unit for the seriously ailing patients. Such birds as are invalid and are unable to fly are looked after by the Hospital permanently. Such birds include even those who though cured, are not prepared to fly away. All these birds the number of which is about 2000 are treated as permanent guests of the Hospital.
The Jaina community is running a few more such Hospitals in India on this pattern but the Delhi Hospital is the biggest. The French in their Guide De Routard have entered about this Hospital as 'must visit this Hospital if you visit India'.
in the case of Munis (Ascetics) the principle of Ahimsa has been elevated to a higher level where it is considered as the first of the five Mahavratas. According to this Mahavrata (great Vow) even in dreams injury to all living beings - mobile and immobile, gross and subtle is forbidden. A monk has to extend active friendship to all living beings for the purpose of purifying his thoughts and curbing his passions. This involves complete caution in regard to his movement, speech, mental thoughts, handling of things, food and drink. Even while walking barefooted he is to see only eight or ten feet ahead and not allow his eyes
Jaina Attiiude To Animal World: Impact On Social Life In India
111