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Anuttaroppapatikadsha once Bhagwan Mahavir arrived at the Gunashilka garden in Rajgriha. Meghakumar also preached. After taking permission from his parents, he took initiation from Bhagwan.
On the day he took initiation, that very night, Meghamuni became distressed due to the movement of the monks, the dust from their feet, and the stumbling.
Bhagwan reminded him of his past lives and preached to him to be patient in his restraint, which made Meghamuni stable in his restraint. He performed a one-month Sanlekhana. He was born in the Devarupa form in the Sarvarthasiddha Vimana. He will become a Siddha from Mahavidehavas.
- Jnatasutra, Study 1 Skandaka
Skandaka Sannyasi was a resident of Shravasti Nagar, a disciple of the Gadbhal Paribrajak, and a former friend of Gautam Swami. He was a disciple of Bhagwan Mahavir, Pingalak Nirgranth, who could not answer his questions; therefore, when he heard from the people of Shravasti that Bhagwan Mahavir had arrived here, he went to him. Upon finding a solution, he became a disciple of Bhagwan.
Skandaka Muni studied the 11 Angas while staying with the elders. He practiced the 12 images of the Bhikshu in order. He worshipped. He performed the Ganaratnasamvatsar tapas. His body became weak, thin, and disabled. Finally, he went to Vipalgiri near Rajagah and performed a one-month Sanlekhana. He passed away and went to the 12th Devaloka. He will become a Siddha from Mahavidehavas. Skandaka Muni's initiation was for 12 years.
- Bhagavati, Shatak 2, Uddeshak 1. Gautam (Indrabhuti)
Your original name is Indrabhuti, but by lineage, you are known as Gautam by the young and old.
Gautam was the greatest disciple of Bhagwan Mahavir. He was a skilled teacher of Dharma-Shastra in Bhagwan's presence, the first Ganadhar.
He was the eldest son of Vasubhuti, a Brahmin of the Gautam gotra, who lived in the village of Gover in the Magadh country. His mother's name was Prithvi.
Indrabhuti was a sharp scholar of Vedic Dharma, a serious thinker, and a great philosopher.
Once, Indrabhuti went to the Yajna festival in Pava Puri at the invitation of Arya Somil. On the same occasion, Bhagwan Mahavir was also present in the Mahasen garden outside Pava Puri. Seeing the glory of Bhagwan, Indrabhuti came to Bhagwan's Samavasaran with the intention of defeating him. But he himself was defeated. After the doubts in his mind were cleared, he became a disciple of Bhagwan along with his five hundred disciples. Gautam became the first Ganadhar.
A lot is written about Gautam's life in the Agamas and post-Agama literature.
Indrabhuti Gautam was 50 years old at the time of his initiation. He remained in the Sadhu Paryaya for 30 years and in the Kevali Paryaya for 12 years. At the time of his Nirvana, he handed over his Gan to Sudharma and attained Nirvana at the age of 92 years after 12 years of Bhagwan's Nirvana by performing a monthly fast in the Gunashilka Chaitya.