Mahavir Ka Samaj Darshan

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Mahavir ka Samaj Darshan" by Bansidhar Pandit, based on the given pages:

The text argues that in the current era, alongside a decline in spiritual thought, the allure of scientific materialism has made luxury a perceived necessity, leading to escalating human wants. What was once basic sustenance—food and clothing—is now insufficient. This shift is evident in the transformation of simple services like laundry and haircutting into specialized businesses, and the ubiquitous presence of items like razors, fancy soaps, hair oil, mirrors, and even batteries in ordinary homes. The aspirations for luxury items such as electric lights, fans, musical instruments, refrigerators, and cars are unbridled.

To fulfill these inflated needs, immense wealth is required. The more money a person possesses, the more luxury items they can acquire under the guise of necessity. This has led to a societal focus on acquiring wealth through any means, regardless of whether it's just or unjust, employing deceit or force. This materialistic pursuit is not limited to any specific class, but rather permeates society, from the beggar to the saint.

The text contends that the Second World War further intensified this acquisitive mindset, leading to societal disarray and widespread unhappiness. This obsession with accumulating wealth has created severe economic inequality. Since wealth creation is heavily dependent on capital, money has become the primary means of production, diminishing the value of labor. Consequently, those with wealth control the means of production, amassing global wealth while laborers who contribute their sweat and blood struggle for basic necessities.

This dire situation has sparked intellectual revolutions, leading to the formation of various political ideologies like Communism and Socialism, all aiming to dismantle this economic disparity. While their specific methods may differ, their core objective of eradicating economic inequality is largely aligned. The text notes that even Communist Russia has had to adapt its policies, and democratic and monarchical governments worldwide have incorporated religious governance. In India, religious institutions have historically held a more prominent position than state governance. Mahatma Gandhi is credited with re-establishing the importance of religious governance over pure politics.

The author posits that even after nationalization of industries by socialist or communist governments, the responsibility of eradicating economic inequality ultimately rests on individuals fulfilling their duties. Legal systems alone are insufficient; a deep understanding of one's responsibilities is crucial. This understanding of duty is cultivated through religious frameworks.

Lord Mahavir, recognizing the importance of religious governance, preached Aparigraha (non-possession) to address the social imbalance of his time, aiming to eliminate the distinction between exploiters and the exploited. For ascetics and spiritually inclined individuals, complete renunciation of possessions was advocated as the path to spiritual liberation. However, for householders, Mahavir introduced the concept of Parigraha Pariman Vrat (vow of limited possession), allowing individuals to possess only what is necessary.

The author contrasts Mahavir's era with the present. In Mahavir's time, industry was not driven by factories but by individual craftsmanship. This prevented the stark economic disparities of today, where immense wealth is hoarded while many suffer from hunger and poverty, and where capitalists profit enormously from the labor of others, leaving laborers unable to afford basic necessities and education for their children. Through the vow of limited possession, Mahavir taught individuals to use their earnings for the collective good. He promoted not only Ahimsa (non-violence) – "Live and let live" – but also Aparigraha, urging people to "strive to keep others alive."

Because Mahavir believed in reincarnation, he strongly advocated for non-possession. He taught that the human form in future lives is granted to those who live by limiting their possessions according to their needs. Those who accumulate more than necessary face suffering in hellish realms in their next birth. The text explains that exceeding one's needs is akin to usurping another's right, for which nature imposes consequences, making resources unavailable in future lives.

Finally, the text acknowledges that while basic human needs for sustenance, clothing, and shelter are generally similar, individual responsibilities differ. Some individuals are responsible only for themselves, others for a family, and some for many families. Therefore, individual needs and the extent of permissible possession (Parigraha) are also relative and vary accordingly.