Mahavir Aur Unka Tattva Darshan - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Mahavir aur Unka Tattva Darshan":

The review discusses the book "Bhagwan Mahavir aur Unka Tattva Darshan" (Lord Mahavir and His Philosophy), edited and compiled by Acharya Ratna Deshbhushanji. The book was published in 1973 to commemorate the 2500th Nirvana anniversary of Lord Mahavir. It is presented as a comprehensive encyclopaedia of Lord Mahavir's life and Jain philosophy.

The reviewer, Prof. Sureshchandra Gupt, begins by categorizing world literature into religious and secular forms, emphasizing that both aim for human upliftment. He highlights the relevance of religious literature in maintaining community unity, acting as a catalyst for religious development, enabling self-understanding within a religious context, and establishing new values. Religious literature, he argues, helps in times of moral decline and is crucial for nurturing human values, introducing concepts of sacrifice, penance, action, and love for humanity, and guiding comparative research on ethical and spiritual beliefs across different eras and cultures. Indian scriptures like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita are cited as examples of this tradition, with Jain scriptures also contributing to the goal of human welfare.

While acknowledging the distinct qualities of religious and secular literature, the reviewer notes that secular writers sometimes appear indifferent to religious literature, even when expressing faith in its values. Religious literature can sometimes be verbose or repetitive, but this is seen as necessary for reinforcing messages and fostering devotion. The prevalence of narratives in religious literature is discussed as a means to explore truth and guide towards liberation, with many universal themes appearing with slight variations across different religions. Despite diverse portrayals of divinity, a fundamental belief in a single light or power and a shared commitment to human welfare unite all religions. Both literature and religion are rooted in experience, personal or cultivated through shared sentiments, often leaving a deep impact through art and reasoned argumentation.

The book itself is divided into four chapters:

Chapter 1: General Nature of Jainism. Acharya Deshbhushan defines religion as that which liberates souls trapped in the cycle of the world from the bonds of karma, leading them to an eternal state of bliss. Jainism views karma not as bondage itself, but as a means of liberation from afflictive emotions and karmic substances. The ultimate goal is happiness, which inspires devotion to Dharma, defined as "Dharma: the bestower of all happiness and well-being." The chapter elaborates on a verse by Acharya Samantabhadra, emphasizing "righteous Dharma" which is based on truth and discernment, harmonizing the ancient and modern, and adapting to individual, temporal, and situational contexts. Karma is also described as an enemy that, when conquered, leads to the attainment of the soul's true nature, which is the Jain Dharma itself. The chapter addresses the purification of the soul, the dependence of individual progress or decline on oneself, and the soul's experience of birth, aging, and death. It also discusses "dravya" (substance), "shaddravya" (six substances), and "jiva dravya" (soul substance), describing the soul as all-pervading, without modification, and eternally buoyant in divine bliss. The review highlights the author's concise presentation of concepts like the soul and its divisions, karma and its types, dharma dravya, kala dravya, the seven tattvas (realities), and eight karmas. It also covers the description of lay disciples, the eight cardinal virtues, the seven vices, vows (darshan pratima, vrata pratima), renunciation of living substances, night fasting, and celibacy, all according to Jain principles. The chapter concludes with a summary of Jainism through the description of renunciation, attachment, permission, designated offerings, twelve contemplations, sixteen cause-feelings, twenty-two mortifications, twelve types of austerities, and stages of spiritual progress (gunasthan).
Chapter 2: Jain Cosmology. This chapter deals with the cosmology of Jainism, describing the universe, the nature of the world, wind-circles, the size of mountains, oceans, and rivers, and the development of the world. The author states that the lokakash (locus-space) is located in the midst of the infinite alokakash (non-locus-space) and is permeated by the five substances including jiva. Intelligent beings, guided by the teachings of the Jinas (who are like lamps), can see the true nature of things and achieve spiritual dominance by dispelling the darkness of the lower realms, which are devoid of sun and moon. The chapter emphasizes the pervasive light of the Jinas throughout the three worlds. It also includes a strong condemnation of Maya (illusion) and desires like thirst, stating that those who deceive others for the sake of sons, wives, relatives, and friends, and who accumulate wealth, will descend into hell and suffer intensely. The chapter is described as not merely descriptive but imbued with powerful, inspiring potential.
Chapter 3: Jain Concept of Time. This chapter focuses on the Jain understanding of time and its three forms. It details the ten types of wish-fulfilling trees in the 'bhog-bhumi' (land of enjoyment) – namely, house-trees, food-trees, utensil-trees, drink-trees, clothing-trees, ornament-trees, garland-trees, lamp-trees, light-trees, and musical instrument-trees – from which beings in the bhog-bhumi obtain various items for enjoyment. The chapter then provides a detailed introduction to the fourteen Kulankaras (progenitors of mankind) accepted in Jainism, also known as Manus. All Kulankaras were former Kshatriya princes in Videha Kshetra who, in their deluded state, bound the karma for human life. They later offered food with devotion to worthy recipients like ascetics, alleviating the suffering of beings. Due to the influence of their specific acts of charity, they were born in bhog-bhumi. Many of these Kulankaras were previously clairvoyant and retained this ability in their current lives, using it to solve the problems of their time. Others were highly knowledgeable and possessed the faculty of remembering past lives, also helping the populace. The chapter presents a descriptive and explanatory account of the Kulankaras and their activities. It also includes detailed biographies of the current Tirthankaras, from Lord Adinath to Lord Parshvanath, highlighting their previous lives and present lives concurrently. The author's style is noted for its clarity and charm, allowing readers to effortlessly absorb the information and enjoy both the narratives and the philosophy. The historical narrative, from the description of time to the lives of the Tirthankaras, is considered a unique contribution of this chapter.
Chapter 4: 'Vardhaman Purana' and Scholarly Articles. The special attraction of this chapter is the first publication of "Vardhaman Purana" by the Reeti-kaalin poet Navalshah, a credit attributed to Acharya Deshbhushanji for bringing this previously unknown manuscript to light. The book also includes scholarly articles by Jugalkishore Mukhtyar, Dr. Jacobi, Muni Nagaraj, and Agarchand Nahata. Mukhtyar introduces Lord Mahavir's life and philosophy, shedding light on his Nirvana date. Dr. Jacobi contributes a significant role in determining Mahavir's timeline. Muni Nagaraj presents a logical approach to Mahavir Swami's timeline, while Nahata's article offers glimpses into the characteristics of Mahavir's teachings. The chapter further includes informative articles like "Gautam Charitra," "Lord Mahavir and Mahatma Buddha," "Mahavir Worship in Yajurveda," and "Tirthankar Worship in Bhagavad Gita." The inclusion of contemporary topics such as Jainism and science, the dharma of non-violence, and religious cruelty is noted to enhance the book's significance, with the presentation of such impactful material being a testament to Acharya Shri's diligence. The reviewer states that by revising and editing "Vardhaman Purana," Acharya Deshbhushanji has added another important link to the rich tradition of Jain literature. The work, in terms of emotion, language, meter, and embellishments, is deemed capable of establishing its rightful place in Jain Hindi poetry. The reviewer praises Acharya Deshbhushanji for compiling "Vardhaman Purana," demonstrating his insight and unwavering dedication to religious literature.

The review then focuses on "Vardhaman Purana," explaining that its title indicates its content, which covers Lord Mahavir's past and present lives. The work by poet Navalshah is described as a simple poetic work in Braj Bhasha. Following the tradition of Puranas, it begins with auspicious invocations and the characteristics of the speaker and listener in the first chapter. The book has a total of sixteen chapters. Chapter two describes the soul's journey through various lower forms of life for countless years, while chapter three depicts hellish scenes. The importance of the latter half of the poem is emphasized, with chapter five describing the life of Chakravarti Priyamitra and subsequent chapters detailing the glory of Tirthankaras, the conception, birth, and attainment of omniscience festivals, the Samavasarana (preaching assembly), praises of the divine, and expositions of principles, concluding with the poet's self-introduction. Poet Navalshah, a devoted follower of Lord Mahavir, believed that merely beholding the Lord makes life successful. He explicitly states that seeing the divine, one attains the auspicious name of 'Sanmati', and the 'Nirman' (destruction) of karma is achieved by 'Veer', 'Vardhaman', the abode of virtues. The poet has thus revealed Mahavir's life and the fundamental principles of Jain philosophy through his poetic language. Navalshah's skillful use of various meters and figures of speech appropriate to the subject matter demonstrates his talent. While the book's evaluation may not be solely on a literary level due to its religious nature, the poet's use of meaningful vocabulary for religious principle exposition and inspiration is lauded. The work employs meters like Doha, Chhappaya, Chaupai, Geetika, Soratha, Kavitta, and Tribhangi, making it successful from an aesthetic perspective.

In conclusion, the reviewer states that "Bhagwan Mahavir aur Unka Tattva Darshan" serves as an encyclopaedia for understanding Jainism. The editor's acumen in dividing the book into chapters allows for a comprehensive and engaging presentation of Jainism, from its origins and development to its entire philosophy. By presenting "Vardhaman Purana" for the first time, Acharya Deshbhushanji has added a new chapter to the poetic tradition of Jain literature. The collected articles by various scholars aid in comprehending Lord Mahavir. The sole purpose of publishing this extensive volume, packed with such wealth of material, is to provide inquisitive Jain and non-Jain readers with all the essential information about Lord Mahavir and related subjects in one place. The book is deemed successful in achieving its objective.