Bhagvana Mahavira

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 38

Bhagavan Mahāvīra
spiritually minded people identify their interests with Truth and as a result they are not interested in worldly affairs. The image of Bhagavan Mahāvīra which Nandivardhana had in his mind was that of a prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth and of a brother living in the midst of the comforts of the palace. Now he saw his brother wandering alone and unknown with no certainty of a shelter and food. He could not relish the prospect of people criticising him for having abandoned his brother in difficulties. But Bhagavan Mahāvīra lived in a different world. He did not think; he saw. While "thinking" always involves consideration of external situations, "seeing" is related to reality. Mahāvīra, when he saw, found that while an extrovert was bound by external ties, an introvert was always free. He experienced freedom within himself; he experienced Truth within himself. It is true that once we get attached to the external world, we lose sight of the Existence within and also that once we become absorbed in the Existence within, we become free from the worries of the external world. Mahavira had now attained this state. Therefore, he did not care a fig for anything including his body, life and death. Absolutely contented and carefree, he began to lead the life of a wandering
ascetic.
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Most of the sadhakas, during the period of their sädhanā, like to live at one place only. Contrary to this, Mahāvīra wandered from place to place. He was of the opinion that one whose mind is not stable will not be able to concentrate even if he did not wander. On the other hand a wandering state will have the least effect on him whose mind is fixed. Also, how can one who has renounced possessiveness remain confined to any place?
An aspirant to freedom cannot tie himself to a particular place. Mahāvīra had not yet transcended the body and as such its motion was inevitable in accordance with the laws of nature. Although he remained motionless during the greater