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TIRTHANKARA MAHAVIRA AND HIS SARVODAYA TIRTHA
Those who know these are considered to be educated, and the rest uneducated, even though the latter may have expertise in their own fields Education today stand for education in letters and numerals In the field of education, women are still lagging behind Though female education has been much publicised, and propagated in these years, even then the situation has been far from satisfactory and it has not brought women at par with men. It was further pitiable 50 or 60 years ago It is considered to be a matter of good luck if out of a lakh of women, a few are gifted with education It is not the function of women to acquire education Such an ideology has been the main factor which has prevented and hampered the growth of female education. It was Risabhadeva who first imparted education to his daughters. This shouid clearly indicale the attitude of the Jainas to female education.
One day (the ninth day of the dark half of Caitra), king Risabhadeva was seated on his throne surrounded by hundreds of kings and the dance by the nymph (apsarā) Nilanjana was in progress Risabhadeva and other members of the illustrious asseembly were delighted by the dance, but ill-luck prevailing, her life-span was over just then, so that Indra at once replaced her by another similar divine dancer. Although Indra had done all this with skill and speed so that none else could perceive the change, but it did not escape the penetrating vision of Risabhadeva As soon as he realised the transitoriness of the worldly life, his attachment for it faded and he was full of detacmhent He decided to be initiated in the Digambara order.
As soon as the Lokantika gods came to know this, they gave full approval to this desire of Risabhadeva Though the relatives and other members of the royal household tried very humbly to desist him from his resolve, they could not make him sway from his pious resolve Ultimately, he abdicated and enthroned Bharata in Ayodhya and Bahubali at Podanapura, and became a monk
Along with him, about four hundred kings joined the Digambara order as monks They followed the king because
| SR No. | 011113 |
| Book Title | Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Hukamchand Bharilla, K C Lalwani |
| Publisher | Kundkund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust |
| Publication Year | |
| Total Pages | 155 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 17 MB |