Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 36

[.29.).
Like a hero at the head of a battle he proceeded on the road to deliverance. Understanding the truth and restraining the impulses for the purification of the soul he finally liberated himself from the bondage of this world
"KEVALA” ACQUIRED He acquired the highest knowledge and intuition called Kevala (Pali aparisesa) which is Infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and full. He was then lost in deep meditation in a squatting position with joined heels, exposing himself to the heat of the sun after fasting two days and a half even without drinking water. At the age of foriytwo Mahavira became a Jina (conqueror) and Arhat (saint), a Kevalin, omniscient, all seeing, and all knowing. He knew and saw all conditions of the worlds of gods, men and demons,
During thirty years of his career as a teacher he spent four rainy seasons in Vaisali and Vanijagrama* fourteen in Rajagriha and Nalanda. six in Mithila, two in Bhadrikat one in
* Vanijagrama, a suberb of Vaigali ( modern Besarh
in the Muzaffarpur Dist. ) + Bhadrika, an important place in the kingdom of
Anga (Bhagalpur Dist. probably inoluding Monghyr.)