THE JAINS. 259 



Before the commencement of the fourth age of the 

 Avasarpini, when the time of destruction appeared to 

 be nearly approaching to mortals or mankind, through 

 the disappearance of the Calpavrlcshas or celestial 

 trees, VRisHABHAisrA'T'HA Tirt'hacar was incarnate, 

 in this world, as son of the fourteenth Menu, Na'bhi- 

 RA'JA, at the city of AybcVhyd. By his auspicious 

 birth (at the prayer of mankind, who were distressed 

 for food, and were dying ;) and by his instructions, 

 the knowledge of good and bad, of possible and im- 

 possible, and of the means of acquiring the advan- 

 tages of earth and of heaven, was obtained. He also, 

 arranged the various duties of mankind, and allotted 

 to men the means of subsistence, viz. Asi the sword, 

 JMasi letters (literally ink), CmAi agriculture, Vanijija 

 commerce, Phupala attendance on cattle. Upon 

 this arrangement, he became king over all mankind, 

 and composed the four sacred books, called Pra- 

 fhamanuyoga, Carananuybga^ Charananuyoga, and Dra- 

 vyanuyoga. Thus Vrisiiai.hanaVha Tirthacau 

 established the religion o^th^ Jains, in its four classes, 

 or casts, oi Br ah mens, Cshatris, Vaisyas D.ud Sudras ; 

 and delivered the charge of those sacred books to 

 their care. These mtI tings becoming obsolete, and 

 the languag'e not being understood by the common 

 people since that time, the meaning of the original 

 has been explained, in various works, in the language 

 of different countries. He also composed several books 

 on the sciences, for the improvement of mankind. 



After he had settled and arranged laws and reo-ula- 

 tions of alt kinds, mankind, from that period, began 

 to follow his institutions, looking on him, in every 

 respect, as equal to God ; and, upon his departure 

 from this world, to Mocsha, or the state of the Al- 

 mighty, his image was venerated as JainSszcar, or the 

 Lord oi Jains : as he had early subdued, by his wis- 

 dom, all worldly affections, and was relieved from 

 restraints and carnal ties. 



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