Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

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HIS WAY OF LIFE In his thirteenth year Mahavira married Yasoda, a Kshatriya lady, who belonged to the Kaundinya gotra and had by her a daughter named Anavadya or Priyadarsana. Anavadya was married to Yamali; a Kshatriya. In his thirtieth year Mahavira lost his parents. Afterwards with the permission of his elder brother he fulfilled his promise of going out to establish a universal religion of love and amity. After 12 years of penance and meditation he attained omniscience at the age of forty-two and lived thereafter for thirty years to preach his religion in Northern India For a year and a month since he renounced the world Mahavira did not leave off his robe. Then he gave up his robe and became unclothed. Even while he used robe he used it only in winter. More than four months many living beings gathered on his body, crawled about it and caused pain. He shunned the company of female sex and all householders. He wandered about disregarding all sights, not being attracted by any worldly amusement. For more than a couple of years he went without using cold water. He realised singleness, guarded his body, obtained intuition and became calm. He carefully, avoided doing injury to the meanest form of life,
He used to eat only clean food He did not use