Tulsi Prajna 1993 02

SR No.: 524574
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Parmeshwar Solanki
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 166
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India
File Size: 7 MB

Page 111

Mahavira Era
4. The Shaka Era :
According to both the traditions of Jains-Svetambara and Digambara, the shaka era commenced 605 years and 5 months after Mahāvīra's Nirvāna.11 According to history, the Shaka era started in 78 A D.15 Hence, the date of Mahāvīra's Nirvana, comes out to be 605-78=527 B.C.
5. Astrological Calculations :
The learned Ācāryas of Terapantha have also accepted 527 B.C. as the date of Mahāvīra's Nirvāna. They have supported their belief by the astrological calculations. According to the Jain scriptures, at the time of Mahāvira's death, an asterism of ashes (Bhasma-graha) entered into the sign of Zodiac under which Mahāvira was born (the birth-rāśi) and it continued to stay for 2000 years.16 According to the fourth Ācārya of Terāpantha, Srimaj Jayācārya, that asterism left the sign of Zodiac of Mahavira's birth in the year 1531 of Vikrama era 17 Again, the scriptures have predicted that a comet (Dhūmaketu) of duration of 333 years, will set in, 1990 years after Mahavira's death.18 According to Srimaj Jayācārya, 19 the comet left the sign of Zodiac of Mahavira's birth in the year 1953 of Vikrama era. On the basis of the above two astrological evidences, we reach 527 B.C. as the date of Mahavira's Nirvāna as follows: To al duration of asterism of ash
2000 years Date of its leaving the birth-rāśi - 1473 A.D. Date of Mahāvīra's Nirvāņa
- 527 B.C. Similarly, 19907-333 years after Mahāvira's death, the comet left the birth-rāśi, so that total duration of comet is 2323 years-Date of its leaving the birth-rāśi 1796 A.D. and date of Mahāvīra's Nirvana527 B.C.
But anyhow the date is negligent and we shall point out that the date arrived at by us for the Mahāvīra Era is 1761 B C. and it is supported by a mass of evidence, which we shall now discribe.
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6. A New Approach :
The traditional date of 527 B.C. is based on the assumption that Mahāvīra attained Nirvāṇa 470 years before the beginning of Vikrama Era (i.e. 58 B.C.) which is erroneous on the basis of the ancient chronology described in the Purāṇas and older Jain works and substantaited by epigraphic evidence. The new approach shows that Mahāvīra attained Nirvāna 1703 years before the beginning of the Vikrama era (i.e. 58 B.C.) and hence the date of Nirvana of Bhagawan Mahāvīra should be 1761 B.C. The date of the Mahābhārata war,