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 90

Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jain Mythology
In course of time some of the creatures, which were till then docile, began to show sign of violence and even hostility to the people and started attacking them ferociously The people, thus being faced with that odd situation, devised ways and means of their safe and secure living and adopted security measures against those creatures with whom they lived so long in perfect harmony and friendliness Thus, they took recourse to the use of arms and drove mischievous animals, such as lions, tigers, bears, wolves, etc from their place of abode 31
Now, in the next Manvantara supply from the Kalpavrksas dwindled and people began to contend among themselves about the right of possession of the desire yielding trees 32 To check that dispute Manu Simankara defined boundaries and barriers of different groups of persons and asked them to keep within their limits 03
But with the further fall in the supply from the above trees of plenty, incidents of scuffle resulting from the cases of encroachment started taking place frequently. Eventually the Manu of that period had to make the existing boundaries conspicuous by getting them marked by trees, bushes, creepers, etc 34
During the period of the seventh Manu, Vimalavāhana clephants, horses, oxen and other harmless animals were tamed as means of conveyance And to make them their safe
31 Ibid 3 93-106 AIP is the solitary work to have referred to all these
cvents 32 The same story of the gradual disappearance of the Kalpadskşas is
told in the Brahmanical Purānas But in the Brahmanical school that phenomenon is ascribed to people's greed and avarice पून कालान्तरेणव पुनर्लोभावृतास्तु ता । वृक्षास्तान् पर्यगृह्णन्त मधु वा माक्षिक बलात् ।। तासा तेनापचारेण पुनर्लोभकृतेन वै । प्रनष्टा मधुना सार्द्ध कल्पवृक्षा क्वचित् क्वचित् ॥
66-Väyu, 8 22-93, Märkandega. 49 82-33 33 MP, 3 110-11 84 Ibid, 3112-16.