While dharma in the true sense of the term is based on logic and the realizations of great sádhakas [spiritual aspirants], religion, or dharmamata, is based entirely on irrational blind faith. So religions are always sheltered within dogma. While the propagation of dharma goes on spontaneously, for the propagation and establishment of dogma-based religions, the financial power of the vaeshyas [capitalists] and the intellectual prowess of the vipras [intellectuals] is inevitably needed. What we observe from the history of humankind is that the religions which have come so far have, without exception, taken shelter under the wings of capitalism. While money has been spent lavishly for the construction of beautiful places of worship, money has never been arranged for food, clothing, housing, education and medical care for the welfare of the poor. While for four full years all the state revenues of Orissa were spent for the construction of the Konark temple, during that period not a penny was spent for human welfare. Needless to say, the history of all countries is replete with such examples.

In the background of the Jainism that was introduced into the heart of Ráŕh 2500 years ago there was the same strong influence of the vaeshyas. The exponent and propounder of this religion, Vardhaman Mahavir, was himself born in a rich vaeshya family of Vaishali. His father’s name was Siddhartha and his mother’s Trishala. Almost at the same time, in the Terai region of Nepal (or, according to some, the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh), Siddhartha (who later became famous as the propounder of Buddhism) was born in the Kśatriya [warrior] Malla sub-tribe of the Shakya tribe. His father’s name was Shuddhadhan and his mother’s name Maya Devi. It is to be noted here that Mahavir Jain, the propounder of Jainism, belonged to a vaeshya family, whereas Buddhadeva, the propounder of Buddhism, was a kśatriya by birth.

Just as the people of Ráŕh had at one time settled in Samatat-Barenda-Vauṋgabhumi in the east, so they later migrated on a large scale to Magadh-Mithila and such regions in the west. At one time, just as in Ráŕh, the people of Magadh were followers of Shaeva Dharma. The people of both lands were accustomed to living a simple, unsophisticated life.

Both Vardhaman Mahavir and Buddha first started preaching their religions in Magadh. Buddha preached compassion, penance and karma sannyása [setting Supreme Consciousness, and not the world, as one’s goal of life]. The people of Magadh listened to him with reverence, and a few accepted his ideology. Then he set out for Varanasi to preach his religion there. Later he passed away in Kushinagar.

[But for the most part] the people of Magadh did not accept the religion preached by Mahavir Jain. Out of many reasons that the people of Magadh did not wholeheartedly accept the Jain religion, the three main ones were: 1) Jainism’s aversion to struggle. The interpretation of ahiḿsá⁽¹⁾ given by Mahavir in his religion was so unnatural and unrealistic that it was completely impossible for the common people of Magadh to accept it. For example, according to Jainism, it is forbidden to kill any living being. Since tilling the land may bring about the death of the insects in the soil, agriculture became impossible for the followers of Jainism. So that during respiration microbes should not enter the body through the nostrils and die, the nose must be covered with a piece of cloth. 2) Nirgranthaváda [no use of clothing on the body]. In the final stage of religious practice, nirgranthaváda (digambara) should be followed (one should remain naked). For people living in society, this nirgranthaváda cult failed to evoke any response. 3) Between Shaeva Dharma and Jainism there was a yawning gap. For the followers of Shaeva Dharma in Magadh, this atheistic Jainism appeared like a very far-off object.

Having found it futile to preach his religion in Magadh, Mahavir went to Astiknagar, the most ancient town in Ráŕh. It goes without saying that there also the common people could not easily accept his ideology of inaction. A handful of the rich merchant community, however, did pay recognition to Vardhaman Mahavir, not so much for any uniqueness of his religion, but rather to him as a representative of the vaeshyas.

In spite of the vaeshya community of western Ráŕh having accepted Jainism, the common people there remained Shaevas in their minds and hearts. Of course, externally they called themselves Jains. Even though they offered worship in the Jain temples, Shaivism flowed deep in their hearts like the subterranean Phalgu River [of mythology]. All the Jain temples and idols that are found in Ráŕh were lavishly constructed by the Jain vaeshyas. They were not constructed by the kśatriya kings [or the common people]. Shiva temples, on the other hand, could be built at little expense by the common people. In Ráŕh Jain temples are found every ten miles, but a Shiva temple can be found in every village. This proves the deep commitment to Shaivism among the common people.

As a result of Shaivism and Jainism coexisting in this way in Ráŕh for a long time, they influenced each other in quite a natural way. So the Shiva of Shaeva Dharma became transformed into the Jain Shiva. Moreover, it was under the influence of Shaivism that Jain Tantra came into existence. The Ambiká Devii of the Ambiká Devii temple in the city of Kalna, Burdwan District, is a Jain Tantric goddess; she came into being under the Shaeva influence. Shaeva Tantra, Jain Tantra and Buddhist Tantra had a combined influence on the land of Anandanagar in western Ráŕh, though the influence of the latter is little.

Vardhaman Mahavir propagated Digambara Jainism [Jainism that enjoined nakedness] in Ráŕh, so all the idols of the Tiirthauṋkaras⁽²⁾ that are found here are without clothes. The idols of the gods and goddesses are clothed and ornamented. However, the idols of those gods who enjoyed status equal to that of the Tiirthauṋkaras are naked.

The Jains established Paiṋcaratna⁽³⁾ temples in different places. The name páncrá is derived from the word Paiṋcaratna. Many villages in Ráŕh bear the name Páncrá. The very name Páncrá indicates that there is, or was, a Jain Paiṋcaratna temple in the nearby area. There are villages bearing the name Páncrá near Asansol of Burdwan District and in the basin of the Kopai River in Birbhum District.

Footnotes

(1) Ahiḿsá means to refrain from purposefully inflicting pain or hurt on anybody by thought, word or action. However, as the author has said elsewhere, “The existence of life implies destruction of certain lower forms, no matter whether there is intention of doing harm or not.” –Trans.

(2) Jain preceptors (twenty-four in number). –Trans.

(3) In ancient Ráŕh, when the Jain religion was very strong, the people used to worship the Paiṋca Jin (Five Tiirthauṋkars). nearby there would be five temples (mandirs). These temples used to be called Paiṋcaratna mandir. –Trans.