Jain Journal 1984 07

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

Page 19

JAIN JOURNAL
families, miserly families, begger families or brahmin families... (they) are born in high families, noble families, royal families, in families belonging to the race of Iksvaku, or of Hari or in other such families of pure descent on both sides." Then he asked Harinegamesi, commander of the infantry to transfer the embryo from the womb of Devenanda to that of Trisala, wife of king Siddhartha, a scion of the clan of Jnatrs. The order was soon carried out. Probably the original Jaina inventor of the embryo story had in mind the story of Krsna's birth as told in the Vaisnava devotional literature. According to both the Acārārga and Kalpasūtra, Bhagavan Mahavira was born on the 13th day of the bright half of the month of Caitra when the moon was in conjuction with the Uttara Phalguni. King Siddhartha celebrated the birth of royal prince with great joy which was even witnessed by the Kinnaries who came down on the near by hills from the heaven. He was christened Vardhamana 'the increasing one' because the family treasure went on increasing from the moment of his birth. We are told that he was called Samana by the people because he remained always engaged in penances and Mahavira because he was steadfast on fears and dangers. At the age of only thirty years he abandoned his royal place reached the park of Nayasanda, which was situated near his home town. There under an Asoka tree, he took all his ornaments and finery and then plucked out his hair in five handfuls. Then he came down to Kumara Sannivesa and next day he reached Kollaga Sannivesa. From Kollaga he went to Mauraka and again came back to Kollaga after eight months. Thereupon, he visited Atithyagrama and again came back to Mauraka. He spent his first rainy season at Atithyagrama, second at Mauraka and third at Campa. On way to Campa he visited the Suvarnakhala also. During eight years of his wandering, he reached the Lohagalla town where he was taken into the police custody. The news of his imprisonment however, reached to his friend Uppala, an inhabitant of Atithyagrama who at once went to Lohagalla and got prince Vardhamana free. After completion of the eleventh year he left Campa and reached Jambhiyagrama. Then he travelled twelve yojanas (about forty eight miles) and reached Pavapuri. He again came back to Jambhiyagrama and sat in deep meditation under a Sala tree in the field of one Samaka by the northern bank of river Rijuvalika. He spent as many as fourteen rainy seasons at Rajagrha and twelve at Vaisali. He died at the age of seventy two only at Pavapuri. The news of his demise reached Ksatriya Kundagrama soon and his brother king Nandivardhana, reached there at once.
Let us cross examine the above mentioned literary facts with geological, geographical, historical and linguistic evidences. The claim of some western scholars such as V. A. Smith, Hoernle, Jacobi, Jarl Carpentier