Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c10.75

c10.75

Another instance is an account of Buddhism and Jainism.¹ There was war between the gods and asuras for a divine year, and the gods being worsted besought help of Viṣṇu. He produced Māyāmoha. This being went to the asuras and Daityas at the river Narbadā and beguiled them to forsake the Veda and their own dharma and to blaspheme the Veda, &c. They became Ārhatas. Then the gods renewed the battle and destroyed them. The terms Ārhata, &c., used show that Buddhism and Jainism ² are meant, and that river is made the place of their origin. The whole story is mythologized, the Buddhists and Jains become asuras and Daityas, and the struggle between brahmanism and them is turned into a war between gods and demons.³