Lord Mahavira

This paper, published in Febrary 1944 in The Jaina Gazette (Volume XLI, No. 2, pp. 21-23), should be primarily treated as a source of contemporary history. In this respect the author's opinion of battle may be understood as a result of India's struggle for freedom and liberation in the years of second world war. Inspite of the doctrine of Ahimsa, battles and war are a common subject of Jain narratives which is illustrated by two added miniature paintings of this genre.

The Bridge Builder and Prophet of Democracy

It is India's unique glory to have given to the world from time to time Saviours of humanity of the type of Krishna, Buddha, Mahavira, Shankar, Ghaitanya and many others. It was on Chaitra 28th the day of days on which 2500 years ago, Prince Vardhamana later known as Mahavira, sawthe light of the day in a Royal family in India, in the year 599 B.C. Whileyet 30, he realised:

That all things worldly are temporary.
That the Soul alone is the sole refuge.
That this world is beginningless.
That the soul only can help the soul.
That body etc. are essentially separate from the soul.
That the soul only is pure and the rest impure.
That the soul's bondage is due to the inflow of Karma alone.
That every one ought to stop this inflow.
That emancipation can't be attained unless the Karma is got rid of.
That to meditate on the nature of soul is the only duty of man.
That the emancipation of soul is the highest bliss.
That the Reality reveals itself in the triune aspects of truth, beauty and goodness.

He resolved to change his sceptre and sword for a water bowl, and a feather brush. Thus terminating the life of a house-holder, Prince Vardhamana, one fine morning left the royal palace and entered the Order of the homeless monk on the 10th bright day of the moon in the auspicious month of Margashirsha. He began to practise the severest penances with his heart adamantine on his final goal. The son of a king was now a voluntary property-less ascetic for the service of humanity.

Inspite of the doctrine of Ahimsa, battles and war are a common subject of Jain narratives. The painting of a wooden book cover (patli) shows the battle between Bahubali and his brother Bharata (c. 1100-1125 CE, Gujarat or Rajasthan, Western Indian Style).

After passing twelve years of his life in austerity and meditation, Vardhamana succeeded in annihilating 'knowledge-obscuring' Karmas, attained 'pure knowledge' and became perfectly passionless. For full thirty years after the attainment of omniscience, Mahavira preached his message of peace and goodwill in the world. Peacemakers are really Bridge-Builders. They unmake the Gulf between man and man, religion and religion, nation and nation, country and country. It is for this reason chiefly that the Jain Dharma calls its illumined souls as Tirthankars - the Sanskrit word Tirtha meaning a bridge.

There are two kinds of domination - the militaristic and the cultural or ideological. In the former one people accept the domination of the other, politically and geographically, under compulsion, whereas reverse is the case in the latter - the ideological domination. The first is a symbol of brute force based on sheer violence and the second is that of soul force, which has got nonviolence or Ahimsa as its corner stone. In ideological domination the ideals of one people are acknowledged voluntarily by the other. Man being a rational animal has always tried to tread the path of peace and avoid conflagration. In pursuance of this very ideal, India always stood for ideological imperialism. It has nothing to do with man-slaughter and exploitation of property.

The present war is a living example of militaristic domination or imperialism. Hindu world colonisation or Greater India some three thousand years back did not mean territorial expansion. It meant only an ideological Empire. The propagation of ancient Aryan culture throughout the world, the Buddhist culture in the East, Christianity and Islam in the West and Jain culture in the Indian continent, are instances of ideological Empires. The science of the West dominates the present world. The democracy of Marx and Socialism of Lenin are dominating today in the world. Since the end of nineteenth century the Vedant culture of India has been dominating America through the medium of Ramkrishna-Vivekananda mission. There are other instances of ideological domination. The latest Empire-Builder of ideology is the living figure of Mahatma Gandhi today. Some other gymnasts of the world are also busy in building similar bridges, by bringing schemes of a New World Order.

Inspite of the doctrine of Ahimsa, battles and war are a common subject of Jain narratives. The painting of a paper manuscript of Kalakacharyakatha shows the siege of Ujjain by the Sahis (c. 1450-1525 CE, Gujarat or Rajasthan, Western Indian Style).

The doctrine of soul force, Ahimsa or Nonviolence is undoubtedly the highest and it is, therefore, the duty of all to practise it. But it does not for a moment mean that one should meekly submit to the forces of evil. From Bhagwan Rishabhadeva down to the 23rd Tirthankar Bhagwan Parshvanath, the doctrine of Jainism was preached and practised by Warrior-prophets - the Rajarshis of India. They had to keep large armies for suppressing aggressors and evil factors of the country. They mustered strength not with the object of enslaving others, but with the object of liberating others from the tyranny of the oppressors. It was a religion of Knights who sacrificed all at the altar of truth, justice and liberty. But unfortunately now it has dwindled into a religion of the chicken-hearted. Cowardly flight from danger is the mark of the slave.

The free man stands firm and yields not. His watch-words are 'Physical Freedom', 'Mental Freedom' and 'Spiritual Freedom'. He believes in the ancient Aryan doctrine of 'Mighty am I superior by name upon the earth, conquering am I, all conquering, completely conquering every religion'. The culture of Digvijaya (World-conquest) is the very breath of his nostrils. He is by nature optimist. To him the future is always full of hope. He works and works in the living present with a heart for any fate. He stakes his all at the call of duty. Not for himself but for others.

The condition of the whole world is in the melting-pot today. Buddha has failed in the East. Christ has failed in the West and Mahavira has failed in India. Mahatma Gandhi has also been styled as a successful failure of history. Do you know why? Only on account of lip-service of man to him. It is because of this hypocrisy that we are suffering and will suffer in times to come. Be true to yourself and to your torch-bearers and you will not stumble, however dark and dreary might be the path.