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Celebrating Jain Society of Houston Pratishtha Mahotsav 1995
BHAGAWAN HISTORY
Mahavira
Tirthankara 24 : Mahavira
Mahavira the last Tirthankara, is a fully historical person, the senior contemporary of the Buddha. As per records, he first entered the womb of a Brahmin lady Devananda, wife of Rishabhadatta who lived in Magadha. But a Tirthankara could not remain in the womb of an inferior being which a Brahmin was by dint of his being a professional seeker of gifts and donations. So Indra before long arranged the transfer of the embryo to the womb of a Kshatriya queen Trisala, wife of Siddhartha who was in the Ikshvaku line and who ruled at Kshatriyakunda. The embryo of a girl that Trisala was carrying was placed in the womb of the Brahmin lady. When in her sleep Devananda saw the fourteen dreamobjects moving out of her mouth, she cried out but was helpless. Mahavira was born of Trisala on the 15th day in the second half of Chaitra with the emblem of a lion and was named
Vardhamana because of the growing affluence of the state treasury. He was married to princess Yasodhara and had a daughter by her named Priyadarsana. He lost his parents by 28 and renounced the world by 30 with the permission of his elder brother. He broke his fast by accepting offering from a Brahmin named Vahula. He wandered for 12 years, 6 months and 15 days and then settled on the bank of the Rajuvaluka where he attained the knowledge of the free. He lived a full life of 72 years visiting many a place all over the country initiating and enlightening the living beings. He organised the orders, named 11 ganadharas and predicted the disappearance of the knowledge of the free after Jambusvami who would be a disciple of Sudharmasvami, one of Mahavira's own ganadharas. The curtain of his life was at last drawn at Pawapuri (in Bihar) on the 15th day of the dark half of Kartika. On the occasion of passing out of the beaconlight, which was the light of knowledge, nine Malla and nine Lichchhavi kings who were present in the throng burnt earthen lamps to prevent total darkness from enveloping the world.
The day is still commemorated by all the Indians irrespective of religion by the burning of lamps and is named Dipavali or the festival of lights.
"upon reading the doctrines of Jainism, I wonder how I could ever have eaten meat
(Dr. Wagnus Erons)
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