Bhagvana Mahavira

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

Page 92

VIII NIRVĀŅA (LIBERATION)
Once Bhagavān Mahāvīra reached Pāvā after visiting various villages. King Hastipāla and his subjects assembled to pay their obeisance to him. Bhagavān Mahāvira expounded to them the concept of nirvāņa. He was the most effective exponent of the concept of nirvana. After his discourse, he called Gautama and said, "Gautama, a Brāhmaṇa named Somaśarmā lives at a little distance from here. He is a seeker after truth. He will certainly be enlightened if you instruct him. Go there and enlighten him."
In obedie nce to the instructions of Bhagavān Mahāvīra, Gautama proceeded to enlighten Somaśarmā.
Bhagavān Mahāvira had been fasting for the last two days. He had not taken even water. He had been delivering long discourses explaining the effects of karma in detail. After finishing his final discourse, he entered into silence, And he adopted the lotus posture of yoga. His body was completely motionless and relaxed. He became emancipated from his gross as well as subtle bodies and became free from the shackles of birth and death. The pure and serene light of his soul attained the perfect state.
He attained the state of nirvāņa in the early dawn of the fifteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month of Kārtika, when hardly an hour and a half were left for the sun to rise. Sudharmā and a number of other ascetics were by his side. Eighteen kings of the Gana (Republics) of the Mallas and Licchavis were also present there. They lighted lamps in honour of the Light of the soul of Bhagavān Mahāvīra.
The news of the nirvāņa of Bhagavān Mahāyira spread