Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

SR No.: 011037
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shaktidhar Jha
Publisher: Bharat Bharti Bhandar
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 315
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 39

The Epics and the Faina Purana's
not recognize these elements, tends to show that these features have been incorporated in the work with a view to imparting it the character of the Brahmanical cpics and Purānas with which it vies.
Mention may be made of the fact that the Mahāpurāna was written in an era of the ascendancy of Brahmanıcal religion which was, to a great extent, the product of the formidable labours of the epic-Purānic poets who brought together all rival sects of Hinduism and effected a synthesis among different god-concepts bringing to being what is called the doctrine of monotheism 25 That revolution drawing its inspiration from the epic.Purānic conception «ynthetised the cults of Brahmā, Vişnu and Siva to form a syncretic religion28 of the Hindus. Accordingly, the major gods, viz Brahma, Vişnu and Swa were conceived as the manifestations of the Universal Lord representing Hin in "threefold aspect of creation, preservation and destruction of the universe" Now, our perusal of the MP reveals that the above features of popular Brahmanism have exerted an overwhelming influence on the work which identifies the first Jina with the Hindu triada? and even with the
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सम शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयो । शीतोष्णसुखदु खेषु सम सङ्गविवर्जित ।। तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिमौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् । अनिकेत स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान मे प्रियो नर ॥
Gitā, XII 18-19 विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनससदि
--Ibid XIII 10b and MP 34 175-76 An Advanced History of India, pp 83-84 The Classical Age, pp 326-27, 365-68, 407 Also sce H G Rawlinson, India, p 123 AP 24 30-37ff, 25 105 This process of identification cf the Jing with the major gods of Hinduism is already observable in the works of Jinascna's predecessors, but not to the extent to which it is found in the present work See, for example (a) नाह तुम वभारणो तिलोयणो सकरो सयबुद्धो ।
णारायणो अणतो तिलोयपुज्जारिहो अरुहा ।। -DPC 5 122, 28 48 and 109 12, the last-mentioned quoted by VAS
Kulkarnı in his introduction to the Paūmacariya, p 37 note 3,
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