Talk:Parokṣa
By Swami Harshananda
Parokṣa literally means ‘indirect’.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore
By Swami Harshananda
Overview on Deities of Jainism[edit]
Jainism is one of the oldest religions of the world. It recognizes a succession of twenty-four teachers called ‘Tīrthaṅkaras’ starting with Vṛsabhadeva or Rṣabhadeva who has been mentioned in the Bhāgavata[1] and other purāṇas. The last two are considered as historical personalities by the modern historians. They are Pārśvanātha and Vardhamāna Mahāvīra.
Life of Pārśvanātha[edit]
Pārśvanātha lived in circa 800 B. C. He was the son of Aśvasena, the king of Kāśī and Vāmā or Māyādevi. Refusing to tread the path of worldly life, he started even as a youth to travel like a monk all over the country. He taught against hinsā or violence of all kinds including those in the Vedic sacrifices.
According to another version, he grew into a great warrior and fought his way up to Kaliṅga, the modern Orissa. He married a princess, the daughter of Prasenajit, the king of Kosala and lived the life of a householder till the 30th year. Later, the sight of the very picture of Neminātha, the 22nd Tīrthañkara, inspired him to renounce the world and roam about as a Jain monk. He taught the principles of Jainism from his 30th to the 100th year making a very large number of disciples among whom were kings and noblemen too. The parents of Vardhamāna Mahāvīra were also followers of his religion.
Pārśvanātha Era[edit]
Since he is said to have passed away about 250 years before Mahāvīra, he must have lived during the 9th and the 8th centuries B. C. Some scholars opine that he must have lived from 817 B.C. to 717 B. C. or from 838 B. c. to 738 B. C. He passed away in the Pārasnāth Hill now in North Bihar.
Teachings of Pārśvanātha[edit]
Pārśvanātha taught his followers not to:
- Injure life
- Tell lies
- Possess any property
Works on Pārśvanātha[edit]
Bhavadevasuri’s Pārśvanāthacarita[2] is the most authoritative work on his life. In Jain sculpture he is shown with a snake canopy, the snake having 3 or 7 or 9 or 11 hoods. The association with a serpent is rooted in a legend according to which Pārśvanātha is said to have saved the life of a huge snake from falling into the fire lit up by a sage Kaṭhā who was performing the pañcatapa austerity.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore