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The Founders of Jainism
145 and was herself the sister of the Licchavi king Chetaka of Vesali, whose daughter Chellana later married King Bimbisara and become the mother of King Ajatasatru. Prior to her son's birth Trisala learned, it is said, through fourteen dreams that she was to be the mother of a great saint. In these dreams she saw a white elephant, a white bull, a white lion, the goddess Sri, a garland of flowers, the white moon, the red sun, a banner, a vase, a lotus lake, a milk ocean, a celestial abode, a heap of jewels and a blazing ghee-fed fire.
At the birth of the son, it is declared, "there was a divine luster originated by many descending and ascending gods and goddesses, and in the universe, resplendent with one light, the conflux of gods occasioned great confusion and noise.35 In Kundagrama, the parents and the townsfold jointed in extended celebrations of the auspicious event.
The personal name bestowed upon the son was Vardhamana which is explained as follows: "In the night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvîra was brought into the family of the Jnatris their silver increased, their gold increased, ... the intensity of their popularity and liberality highly increased. At that time the following personal, reflectional, desirable idea occurred to parents of the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvîra: 'From the moment that this our boy has been begotten, our silver increasesd, our gold increased,...the intensity of our liberality and popularity highly increased. Therefore when this our boy will be born, v.. shall give him the fit name, attributive and conformable to his quality-Vardhamana (the Increasing One).”36
It may also be noted in the foregoing passage that the family bore the name of Jnatri (Prakrit, Naya or Nata), and on this account the masculine members were designated as Jnatriputras or Nataputtas. Thus is explained the name Nataputta by which Mahâvîra is often called.
For thirty years Vardhamana lived the life of a householder, and then his parents died. We are told that the parents "were worshippers of Parsva and followers of the Sramanas (or Samanas; 'ascetics'),” and that at the end of their lives they fasted to the death as Parsva himself had done.37 Upon the death of his parents Vardhamana resolved to renounce the world, and first disposed of his treasures as gifts to the poor. Then "he, after fasting two
