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Past Lives of Lord Mah v ra
According to the Jain scripture, every soul has the ability to become the supreme soul. Through special deeds and conduct; some souls are born and become a T rthamkara or a Jina thereby attaining liberation (Godhood). Since liberated souls (popularly referred as God-like or Bhagay na or Siddha), being free of karmas are not born in human form again, they do not come down. Thus, it is possible for each human being to rise higher in status and ultimately attain liberation. Thus, Jain religion is not about avat ras (various forms of reincarnations of god in human form) but about rising higher (transcendence). Lord Mah v ra's soul in the past life as Nayas ra sowed seeds of good deeds and cultivating the same successively, obtained the T rthamkara status, which is described below:
Once upon a time, the village overseer Nayas ra went to collect wood from the forest. When he sat down to eat in the afternoon he saw a monk who had lost his way and come there. He gave faultless food and water to that hungry and thirsty monk and gave him correct directions. The monk too gave religious teachings to Nayas ra and told him the path to self-progress. As a result, Nayas ra obtained right belief and he limited his worldly existences. His various births are indicated below:
Birth
2nd
3rd
5th
7th
gth 9th
Heavenly being in Saudharma-kalpa Mar ci, the son of king Bharata Heavenly being in Brahmaloka Brahmin Kau ika Brahmin Pu yamitra Heavenly being Saudharma Agnidyota Heavenly being in the second kalpa BrahminAgnibh ti Heavenly being Sanatkum ra Bh rady ja Heavenly being in Mahendrakalpa Brahmin Sth vara Heavenly being in Brahmakalpa
10th
1th 12th 13th
14th
15th
263
