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ghagavān Mahāvira
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After he left the house, he has not accepted even a single piece of cloth. On account of this, he put up with equanimity with all hardships and troubles caused by intense cold, scorchings heat, mosquitoes, gnats, and other small insects. He never made others' house his own. Cametery, dilapidated buildings, and shades of the trees became his places of shelter. Because he moved about naked, the playful boys turned Mahāvira into a plaything and threw stones and pebbles at him. However, he remained unaffected. Instead of sleeping at night he remained absorbed throughout in meditation. When he found that sleep is about to overtake him, he walked about a little to avoid it. Sometimes, the watch men also harassed him much. He pulled on with hot water and whatever little he got in alms. But he never accepted food and drink specially prepared for him. During twelve years of hard austerities, the tradition has it, he did no: take his meals for more than 350 days. This self-aborbed extra-ordinary man, Mahāvira, saw his good in silently and unaffectedly tolerating insults and humiliations. He was so much temperate in his habits and daily conduct that he was never in need of medicines whatsoever. When he undertook wanderings in NonAryan places the uncivilized and uncultured people living there let loos: hungry dogs of hunt on him. Even then this magnanimous being did not mind these tormmentations but on the contrary, he became all the more self-indrawn. At the age of forty-two, Bhagavān Mahāvira shedded off his love and hatred, became a real conqueror and having realized the essential goal became the supremely enlightened being and also earned the epithet of Tirthankara by spreading illuminating light amongst people. In order to achieve all these things, he first brought under complete control his passions and reduced his faults to nothingness.
His Teachings
After Mahāvira became Tirthankara the first event that occurred was that he had eleven pupils, who were, all without exception, learned Brāhmins. They were well-versed in the studies and the art of interpreting the Vedas in the light of the traditions. But they had their own doubts regarding their real significance. When the revered Mahavira revealed the inner core of their meanings to them and thus dispelled their doubts, they could get at the real nature of the religion of the spirit. Which is the true sacrifice ? Which is the sacrificial fuel? Which is the sacrificial hole ? To whom the oblations are offered ? How should the ablution be performed ? When Mahavira supplied answers, quite rational and spritual, to these questions and when he offered explanations removing contradictions inherent in traditional meanings, those erudite Brāhmin scholars of the Vedas had unerring glimpses of Mahavira's genius and gifted intelligence. They surrendered
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