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An Outline of Lord Mahâvîra Philosophy
99 as Jnatriputra (scion of the Jnatri clan) or Sasana-nayaka (head of the order). He was also called Nirgrantha because he was outwardly unclothed and inwardly free from all bonds and worldly ties.
In his thirteenth year Mahâvîra married Yasoda, a Ksatriya lady, who belonged to the Kaundinya gotra and had by her a daughter named Anojja or Priyadarsana. In his thirtieth year he lost his parents.
After the death of his parents, he fulfilled his promise of going out to establish a universal religion of love and amity. After 12 years of penance and meditation, he attained omniscience at the age of 42 and lived thereafter for 30 years to preach his religion in Northern India.
For a year and a month since he renounced the world Mahâvîra did not leave off his robe. Thereafter he gave up his robe and became unclothed. He shunned the company of the female sex and of all householders. He wandered about disregarding all slights, not being attracted by any worldly amusements. He used to eat only clean food and observed moderation in eating and drinking.
He meditated day and night undisturbed, unperturbed, exerting himself strenuously. He never cared for sleep for the sake of pleasure. Well controlled he bore all dreadful calamities and different kinds of feelings, ill-treated he engaged himself in meditation, free from resentment. He endured all hardships in calmness. Well guarded he bore the worldly pains. Abandoning the care of his body he cainly endured pain, free from desire. He lived on rough food : rice pounded. Sometimes he did not drink for half a month or even for a month; sometimes he ate stale food. He himself did not commit any sin. He meditated persevering in some posture without the smallest motion. He meditated in mental concentration on the things above, below, beside. He never acted carelessly. Thus as a hero at the head of a battle he bore all hardships and remaining undisturbed proceeded on the road to deliverance. Understanding the truth and restraining the impulses for the purification of the soul he finally liberated himself from the bondage of this world.5
Mahâvîra renounced the world at the age of thirty. According to the Jaina Bhagavati Sutra, he came in contact with
| SR No. | 023277 |
| Book Title | Lord Mahavira Vol 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | S C Rampuria |
| Publisher | Jain Vishva Bharati Institute |
| Publication Year | 2001 |
| Total Pages | 244 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 21 MB |