Jainthology

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

Page 87

Now let us again look to the story connected with the Lord Mahāvira's nirvāņa. It is said that gods celebrated the occasion by making divine illumination in the sky and displaying divine fireworks. The practice has since been followed by the followers of Mahavira upto this date by making illumination and using fire works in celebrating the the festival of Dipā vali.
The Dipāvali or the day of Mahavira's nirvana generally falls in the months of November, but once in three years cycle it comes in the last week of October also. Suppose it so happened that Kärtik Krşņā Amavasyä 526 B C. fell in the last week of October and there are evidences to support this belief and the Orioniod coincided with it, the meteoritical shower starting from the mid-night and lasting upto the day break played the role of 'heavenly fire works' and the appearance of a bright comet with its millions of kilometres long tail of divine light'. It was surely an unique and spectacular event to remember, This spectrum lasted right from mid-night to day-break. Probably this may be the reason of starting the nirvāṇotsava from mid-night.
From what we have discussed above the appearance of Halley's comet on the night of Lord Mahavira's nirvāṇa was not only a conjecture but a fact accomplished based on scientific and historical datas.
The Halley's comet is supposed to be in its infancy or it might have been its first ever visit in the year 526 B.C. (no earlier sighting was recorded so far) then its brilliance would have been much pronounced. Certainly it would have been a very romantic and awe stricken sight to watch and it was rightly dreaded by the people at large due to superstitions prevailing in the country.
Our readers will be fortunate enough to watch this long awaited sight in very near future just 13 months hence. It will be its 34th visit since its first ever historical sighting in the year 526 B.C., the origin of the Vira Nirvana Samvat.
Had Shakespeare been alive today he would have been much happier to learn about this historical discovery which establishes the truth of his famous 'adage' given in the beginning of this article.
( January 1985 )
60 / JAINTHOLOGY