Agam 08 Ang 08 Antkrutdashang Sutra Sthanakvasi

Author(s): Amarmuni, Shreechand Surana, Rajkumar Jain, Purushottamsingh Sardar
Publisher: Padma Prakashan

Page 445

In various incidents of Shrikrishna's life these qualities become clearly evident. This is the working style of a Vaasudev.
These differences in the working styles draw a clear dividing line between the fields of work of Tirthankar and Vaasudev.
Both are epoch-makers—Tirthankar as well as Vaasudev. With their unique qualities they influence masses and this influence continues for hundreds and thousands of years. their stories are embedded in the memories of masses.
Tirthankar Arishtanemi and Vaasudev Shrikrishna were two such great epoch-makers.
BHAGAVAN MAHAVIR The sixth, seventh and eighth sections of Antakriddasha Sutra contain in formation about Tirthankar Mahavir. 39 seekers became Antakrit Kevalis during his period of influence.
This is also true that the available Agam literature is made up of the preaching of Bhagavan Mahavir. Therefore this eighth Anga is also credited to Bhagavan Mahavir. The Circumstances at the Time of Birth
When Bhagavan Mahavir was born India was in a turmoil. From the moral and religious viewpoint it was a period of darkness. The social, political and economic conditions were passing through a period of depression.
A long span of time had elapsed since the nirvana of Bhagavan Arishtanemi. Numerous ethnic groups of people from Central Asia, Asia Minor and polar region in the north and Africa (at that time all these geographical areas formed a single land mass. Africa was separated from Asia when Suez Canal was dug) had entered India. They all had their own cultural, social and religious thinking, totems, tattoos and dogmas.
The Tapas (hermits) considered five types of tempering with heat as religious. The Yajniks considered performing yajnas as religious. In the form of human sacrifice and horse sacrifice the vajnas had become violent. Castes and clans had become the order of the day. The condition of women was worst than animals. Like animals women had become commodities of trade and were openly auctioned. Ignorance was being spread in the name of knowledge. From all angles India was undergoing a cultural dowufall.
Bhagavan Mahavir was born in such adverse and complex circumstances.
Parents and Birth
The modern state of Bihar was then famous as Vaishali republic. In that republic the ruler of Kshatriyakund village was Siddharth; his queen was Trishla. Mahavir was born to this couple. Parents named him Vardhaman.
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Antakriddasha Mahima