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troubles befell him, he did not swerve from his true vow. Thereupon the devtâs (good spirits) named him Mahâvira. After his initiation, he renounced to commit or make others commit injury to living beings, he gave up speaking falsehood, theft, sexual intercourse, etc. He not only gave up all these sins himself but also prohibited others from doing them. He possessed threefold knowledge from his birth. Just at the time of initiation he obtained the 4th knowledge viz. manparyây. The blessed Mahâvira Lord practised great austerities for 121 years. It is fully described in Avashyak Sûtra and Kalpa sûtra etc. what different troubles befell him for 121 years and at what different places and how he calmly and quietly bore all of them. What by means of the practice of austerities for 123 years and full meditation of virtue he completely destroyed his four ghati karmas (those which obstruct the good qualities of soul), then in the last pahûr (a period of three hours) on Vaisâkh Sudi 10th he attained Keval jnúna (perfect knowledge)
