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PART I TIRTHANKARS
Previous Lives
Depicts Bhagawän Mahävir's past lives from Nayasär to Nandan Muni
day King Siddhärtha asked the dream interpreters and scholars the meaning of the dreams, they proclaimed that Queen Trishalä would give birth to a Tirthankar. While in the womb, once Bhagawän Mahävir remained still (without any movement) so as not to disturb or cause any pain to his mother. Not feeling any movement, Queen Trishalä was very worried that something was wrong with the baby in the womb. Realizing how worried his mother was on his behalf, he decided not to take the religious vow of renunciation and leave his family as long his parents were alive.
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The lives of Bhagawan Mahavir are counted from his life as Nayasär, when he attained self-realization (Samyaktva). Jain literature accounts indicate 27 lives of Bhagawän Mahävir. The significant lives are Nayasär (life no.1), Marichi (life no. 3), Vishvabhuti (life no. 16), Triprushtha Väsudev (life no. 18), Priyamitra Chakravarti (life no. 23) and Nandan Muni (life no. 25).
In the life of Nandan Muni, he attained Tirthankar Nämkarma. At the end of that life, he was born as a Deva. In the third life after Nandan Muni, he was born as Vardhamän Mahävir.
Chyavan (Conception) Kalyänak
Jain tradition believes that all Tirthankars are born in the Kshatriya (warrior) royal family because it provides an environment that helps the Tirthankar experience the fact that that there is no permanent happiness in material comfort.
Lord Mahävir's parents were queen Trishalä and king Siddhärtha. Queen Trishalä, like the mother of all other Tirthankars, saw 14 objects in her dreams as per Shvetämbar tradition: lion, elephant, bull, Lakshmi, garland, full moon, sun, flag, vase, lotus lake, ocean, celestial plane, heap of jewels, and smokeless fire. According to Digambar tradition, she also saw two additional objects a pair of fish and a lofty throne. The next
Dreams of Trishalä mätä
JAIN STORY BOOK
