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LIFE OF BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
that his younger brother was not an ordinary person Nandivardhan requested him to postpone his decision for two years, as he was still grieving for their parents' death.
perfect "Aparigrahatva' - Freedom from attachment for possession. He was now fully prepared for the life of a monk. His elder brother made elaborate preparations for the initiation. There was great excitement and enthusiasm throughout the country. Indra and other heavenly gods participated in the ceremony. Gold and silver pitchers filled with water from various holy places were prepared. The prince was anointed with perfumed pastes and bathed with holy waters. He was dressed in royal garments and decked with precious ornaments. They carried him in a palanquin in a grand procession on the tenth day of the dark half of month of Märgashirsh. On this day at an auspicious moment Prince Vardhamän left the palace forever. Indra and the other gods carried the palanquin on their shoulders.
3.3 Renunciation
Vardhaman asking his brother's permission to take Diksha
Prince Vardhamän led a very simple life for one year. When he had exactly one more year of a householder's life left, Prince Vardhamän started donating all his belongings and wealth to the needy and to all those who came to him. Everyday, he would donate many gold coins, jewels, precious stones, and clothes. This unique and unprecedented charity impressed on the minds of the people that Charity is a double blessing - it blesses those who give and also those who receive'.
After alighting from the palanquin, Prince Vardhamän removed all the garments and ornaments and handed them over to Indra. He stood under an Ashok tree and in the presence of thousands of people took the solemn vow of renunciation. He plucked all the hair on his head in four handfuls and the hair on his chin and lips in one handful. This is known as Panchamusthi loch. Mahävir solemnly recited the words, “I bow down to all the liberated souls”, and accepted life-long renunciation. He took the five great vows of non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possession in order to avoid accumulation of any new Karma in the future and to annihilate past Karma. Indra then placed a divine piece of K
At the end of the year that was marked by generosity, Prince Vardhamän had attained
THE FIRST STEP OF JAINISM
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