Jain Journal 1972 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 39

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JAIN JOURNAL
years as a householder, he renounced the world. Undergoing a preliminary period of eightythree days of hardships and bodily mortification, he led the life of a monk for nearly seventy years, and finally attained nirvāna on the Sammeta Sikhara.
Among his royal followers may be mentioned king Pradesi who was converted by Kesi, a disciple of Parsva, prince Aksobha, and the parents of Mahavira. Besides these, some of his distinct disciples were Kalasavesiyaputra, Gangeya, Udaya Pedhalaputra, Pundarika, Parsva the nun, Mehila, Anandaraksita, Kasava and others.
Apart from the Jaina references to the followers of Parsva, the Buddhist texts also refer to them. It may be noted that on these references Jacobi finally proved the pre-Mahavira antiquity of Jainism.
Among the chief cities which he is said to have visited were Ahicchatra, Amalakalpa, Hastinapura, Kampilyapura, Kausambi, Rajagrha, Saketa and Sravasti. From this it seems that he wandered chiefly in the modern provinces of Bihar and U.P.
It also seems that his contact and connections with the powerful ruling magnets must have helped him a lot in the spread of his religion.
The interval between Pārsva and Mahāvīra :
Of the interval of 250 years between Parsva and Mahavira, we have no knowledge, and it is very difficult to say whether, after Parsva's death, his religion was in a flourishing condition or otherwise. One thing, however, is certain that the followers of Parsva even existed in the time of Mahavira. Among the various important disciples of Parsva mentioned before, many came in contact either with Mahavira himself or with his chief disciple Gautama Indrabhuti. It is interesting to note that at Tungiya as many as five hundred disciples of Parsva met Mahavira, and accepted his five-fold dharma.
Mahāvīra :
Vardhamana ‘Mahavira' was born at Kundapura or Kundagrama near Vaisali. His father's name was Siddhartha who belonged to the Jnatr kșatriyas. His mother was Trisala who was the sister of king Cetaka, the ruler of Vaisali and belonging to the Licchavi kşatriyas. Thus on father's as well as on the mother's side he belonged to the royal ksatriya stock. This put him in a very favourable position in winning