________________
13
doctrines and organising his order of the ascetics. In this work, as we have already said he was powerfully assisted by his mother's relatives especially the kings of Videha, Magada and Anga i. e. those of North and South Behar. In this long period of his ministry although he occasionally took long journeys, at times as far north as Sravasti and as far south as the Parasvanath hill, he generally restricted his work within Bebar. Mahavira died at the rather advanced age of 72 in 527 B. c. irr the small town of Pâpâ or rather Pâwâ in the Patna district.
Now we will speak a little about the immediate disciples of Mahavira. The Jain sacred books seem to attach great importance to the fierce hostility of Gosâla Mankhaliputta towards Mahavira's order. This Gosala was the founder of an order of monks called the Ajivikas or Achelakas. Prof. Jacobi considers this Gosala to be an independent founder of a sect with whom Maha. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
