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was Mahāvīra's divine influence that his teachings evoked a tremendous turbulence in the human psyche. People started despising violence in name of religion. The practice of animal sacrifice in yajñas came to an end. Old beliefs started shattering and new values took their place. Consequently, people started speaking and understanding the language of ahimsā. It was the far reaching influence of Mahāvīra's ahimsa that all the post-Mahāvīra religions in India were evolved on the basis of ahimsa. The values of ahimsa were so deeply embedded in the psyche of people that they are still evident in the attitude of even the modern day Indians. There is no other example in human history except Mahāvīra where a single person brought about such a drastic change in the established social beliefs of masses.
MAHĀVĪRA'S INFLUENCE OVER RULING CLASSES
Mahāvīra was a preternatural great man. His personality and teachings equally influenced the destitute and kings and they became his followers along with their families. The rulers who became his devotees and formally accepted his religion included Cetaka, the president of the Vaiśālī union of republics, Siddhartha, the president of the Kundagrāma republic, Śreņika Bimbasara, the king of Rājagriha, Udayan, the king of Sindhu Sauvīra, Śatānika, the king of Vatsa, Dasaratha, the king of Daśārņa, Jīvandhara Kumāra, the king of Hemāngada (modern Karnataka), Vijaya Sena, the king of Polāśapura, Kuņika Ajātaśatru, the king of Campā, Jitaśatru, the king of Kāśī, Jitaśatru, the king of Kalinga, Uditodaya, the king of Śūrasena, Jaya, the king of Kampilya, and Ārdraka, the prince of Parasya (Iran). This shows the countrywide influence of Bhagavāna.
THE NIRVĀŅA
At an age of 72 years in Majjhima Pāvā (modern Pāvāpurī) on the morning of Kartika Kṛṣṇā fourteenth Bhagavāna Mahāvīra destroyed all his karmas and got liberated. Gods and humans lit lamps at that time. On the same day at the beginning of the moonless night his chief Gaṇadhara, Indrabhūti Gautam, attained omniscience. During that night gods lit lamps made of gems. Humans said The spiritual light has been extinguished now we will do physical light. And they lit rows upon rows of lamps. Indebted masses started celebrating the annual
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