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Jain mathaji favours sustained fight against female infanticide

Staff Correspondent

Stresses on imparting education and teaching dharmic values to women

SHRAVANABELAGOLA: Aryika 105 Prashanthmathi Mathaji on Saturday called upon Jain women to unite and fight against female infanticide.

Speaking on the contribution of Aryika Mathajis to the Jain way of life, she said the Jain community had been following the tradition, started by Vrishabnath, of imparting education to daughters since centuries.

Recalling the contribution of Vrishabanath's daughters Brahmi and Sundari, who together evolved the Brahmi script, she said imparting modern education along with dharmic values would help women in facing the hard realities of life.

Criticising female infanticide, she called upon the Jain women to wage a sustained fight against this "anti-life" practice in society.

Urging scholars to bring out a dictionary of Prakrit language, J. Jwala of Mysore, who spoke on the status of Prakrit language, said it would make the people study and understand the language in a better manner.

She commended the efforts of Shravanabelagola Digambar Jain Mutt in conserving the Prakrit language.

She also called upon the Government to accord the status of national language on Prakrit.

Lauding the translation of Dhavala texts into Kannada by the Jain mutt, she expressed hope that it would bring out more such works in the future.

Speaking on "Jain and social life," Nagaraj Ujire said Jain dharmic values propounded the harmonious relationship among different classes of people. Following a vegetarianism way of life contributed to understanding the requirements of social life.

The concept of ahimsa and sacrifice always contributed to social harmony and played a pivotal role in aiding peaceful co-existence in modern society.

Delivering a lecture on the "Contribution of Germans to Jain literature," M.A. Subhachandra of Mysore University's Jainology and Prakrit Department stressed the need for establishment of an autonomous Jainology University at Shravanabelagola on the occasion of the first Mahamasthakabhisheka of the new millennium.

Yakobi contribution

Recalling the contribution of German Indologists in protecting and presenting the Jain literature to the world, he said it was the distinct works of Herman Yakobi that helped Jain literature reach people across the globe. Yakobi played an important role in changing the notion that Jainism was an offshoot of Buddhism, and advocating that Jainism as an independent religion, he said.

Sudeep Jain, Reader at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyalaya, New Delhi, talked about the icontribution of King Karavell in strengthening the Jain religion.

He urged scholars and the younger generation to protect the inscriptions that were in a bad state.

Likening human life to a cricket match, Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji said real knowledge, real faith and real conduct were like three stumps and the 10 Karmas are like opponents.

One has to be alert to save his wicket, and only then can he become a Jina, he said in lighter vein.

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