________________
Bhagawan Mahavir,
[ 507
women who sincerely believed in the creed of the Lord and acted according to it.
Nine of the Eleven Ganadharas ( chief disciples ) of the Lord had attained Moksha by this time. Indrabhuti and Sudharma-charya only remained. Lord Mahavira now went to Pawapuri with the intention of imparting the last instruction of his life on this earth. He stayed for his Chaturmasa in the Yana-Sala (Chariot-House ) of King Hasti pala. Indra, the King of Pawapuri, Nine Kings of Lichchhavi Dynasty, Nine Kings of Malli Dynasty, and many other small and big kings came to listen to the last sermon of the Lord.
On the night of Amavsya ( New Moon Day) in the month of Kartika, when Lord Mahavira was sitting comfortably, Indra came to him, bowed to him with due respects and sincere devotion and adored him in high terms. Then the King of Pawapuri rose, prostrated before the Lord, and read verses in his praise. Other Kings followed suit. Then the Lord gave his last message to the world. Speaking on Dharma ( Religion ), Artha ! Riches ), Kama ( Desire ), and Moksha ( Salvation ), the four main objects of human life-he said, “There are four main objects of a man's life viz., Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Of these four, Artha and Kama are such with which every one gets familiar from his birth. Not only this, his familiarity increases day by day as he grows. The rest two-Dharma and Moksha-are inter-connected as cause and effect. Dharma is cause, Moksha is its effect. Every cause must bring about its effect; and as such Dharma is sure to lead to Moksha. That Dharma is no Dharma which cannot lead its devotee to the state of salvation.
Dharma ( Religion ) has ten Angas (Divisions ) viz:;
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org