Bhagavana Mahavira

Author(s): Chauthmal Maharaj
Publisher: Jainoday Pustak Prakashan Samiti Ratlam

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The twenty seven viras
'Samyag-Jnana' (Right Knowledge ), and go to heaven or attain Liberation in the end. There are other Chakravartins whose load of sins compells them to fall into hell after death.
THE TWENTY SEVEN VIRAS
OR HEROES.
NINE BALDEYAS, NINE VASUDEYAS, AND NINE
PRATI-VASUDEVAS.
The Baldevas, the Vasudevas and the Prati-Vasudevas are all Vira Purushas, i. e., heroes, and all are generally contemporaries. In every Sarpini, there are nine heroes of each class mentioned above. Baldevas and Vasudevas are brothers to each other. They are the sons of the same king born of two different queens. Prati-Vasudevas ( opponents of Vasudeva's ) are their antagonists.
The colour of the body of Baldevas is white and clear; and they always wear garments of blue colour. Their banners are marked with palm trees. And their chief weapons are four in number, viz. (1) the bow, (2) the mace, (3) the Musala' ( a kind of club), and 'Hala' (the weapon of the shape of a plough ). Their mothers see four dreams before conceiving them.
Vasudevas are younger brothers to Baldevas, but, although they are younger in age, they far surpass Baldevas in physical strength. They are great warriors; their mothers see seven dreams on the eve of their conception. They are generally black and wear garments of yellow colour. They have the mark of 'Sri-vatsa' on their breast and 'Garuda' ( king of the birds ) on their banners. Their weapons are