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Bhagwan Mahavir ]
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many others of higher or lower status, together with gods and goddesses celebrated this Nirvana Ceremony of the Lord with great rejoicings. The Dipavali Festival which is observed every year in the month of Kartika is the result of the sanie rejoicings. At the time, when Lord Mahavira attained salvation, the fourth Ara (era) was nearing its close and wanted only three years and eight months and a half for its completion.
In the mean time, Gautama Svami had returned after imparting Knowledge (Jnana) to Deva-Sharma, the Brahmana. Conscience is just like a mirror in which all external events and feelings are reflected in due time. But for the reflection of such events and feelings it is necessary that the conscience should be pure. The purer and truer the conscience, the better and clearer the image of external events and feelings which it produces. On the other hand, the mere impure and more deceitful the conscience, the uglier and dimmer the image which it produces. Gautama Svami was great Saint, and naturally his conscience was pure beyond any doubt. As he was coming back, the event of the Lord's attainment of Liberation, reflected in his conscience. As he proceeded further, he learnt from the people that Lord Mahavira had really departed for salvation. This made him stagger his legs. He could not move even one step forward. His heart fell and was darkened by grief and sorrow. Numberless feelings rose and fell in his heart. He said to himself, “ I regarded you, O Lord, as my Guru, as my well-wisher, as my protector from worldly fears, as my preceptor and what not. If it was destined that you were to attain liberation, could you not do this in my presence ?. What
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