Book Title: Yasastilaka and Indian Culture
Author(s): Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

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Page 374
________________ 13. JAINISM AND OTHER PAITHS 355 and worshippers of Siva. It is related in Skandapurana, Prabhāsakhanda (Chap. 119 of Prabhāsaksetrc-māhātmya) that when the great goddess of the Prabhāsakşetra killed the demons Bala and A tibala and their army, some of the demons who escaped became Kaulas, addicted to meat, wine and women. This seems to be in accord with current description of the Kaulas, but it is an irony that the Purāņa should have stated also that certain of the demons became Jainas, who were bitterly hostile critics of the former sect. Jayanta in Nyāyamañjari (chap. 4) hints at the objectionable practices of the Kaulas aimed at the attailiment of superhuman powers; but as, in this context, he records the views of certain thinkers that all religious systems are authoritative in their own way, he is inclined to put Kaula ritual on a par with such malevolent Vedic rites as the Syena performed for the purpose of destroying one's enemies. That the Kaula cult was prevalent in the tenth century is shown not only by the evidence furnished by Somadeva but by that of Rājasekhara and Devasena, both of whom belong to the first half of the century. In Rājasekhara's play Karpūramañjari 1. 22 ff. the master magician Bhairavānanda declares that he is an adherent of the Kaula way, drinks wine and enjoys women and so goes forward to salvation. He describes the Kaula religion as charming to all, as its only requirements are a hot strumpet for wife, plenty of meat and wine, alms and a pelt to serve as bed; and opines that while gods like Hari and Brahmā prescribe meditation, the study of the Vedas, and sacrifices as leading to final release, Siva has the sole credit of having devised a way to salvation consistent with the pleasures of love and wine. The Jaina Devasena gives a similar picture of the Kaula cult in his Bhāvasaņgraha (verses 182-3). Rājasekhara's verse ( Karpūramañjarī 1. 23): . रण्डा चण्डा दिक्खिमा धम्मदारा मज मंसं पिजए खजए । मिक्खा भोज चम्मखण्डं च सेजा कोलो धम्मो कस्स णो भाइ रम्मो ॥ may be compared with Devasena's description of the Kaula religion in Bhāvasaṁgraha: रंडा मुंडा थंडी सुंडी दिक्खिदा धम्मदारा सीसे कंता कामासत्ता कामिया सा वियारा। मज मंसं मिहं भक्खं भक्खियं जीवसोक्खं च कउले धम्मे विसये रम्मे तं जि हो सग्गमोर्ख ॥ It is also noteworthy that Devasena, while describing Carvaka doctrines in the above work (verses 172–76), attributes them to Kaulācārya or the teacher of Kaula doctrines. The Cārvākas or Lokayatikas were no doubt distinct from the Kaulas, but the insistence of the latter on rank sensualism seems to have led Devasena to identify them with the Carvakas, 1 Chap. VIII. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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