Lord Mahavira Vol 01

Author(s): S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

Page 22

VARDHAMANA INITIATED HIMSELF
AS A MONK
-Hermanna Jacobi
In that period, in that age lived the Venerable Ascetic Mahâviîa, the five most important moments of whose life happened when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalgunî'; to wit: In Uttaraphalgunî he descended (from heaven), and having descended (thence), he entered the womb (of Devânandâ; in Uttaraphalgunî he was removed from the Womb (of Devânandâ) to the womb (of Trisalâ); in Uttaraphalgunî he was born; in Uttaraphalgunî tearing out his hair, he left the house, and entered the state of houselessness; in Uttaraphalgunî he obtained the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and perfect. But in Svâti the Venerable One obtained final liberation?. (I)
When in this Avasarpinî era, the Sushama-sushamâ period, the Sushamâ period, the Sushamaduhshamâ period, and much time of the Duhsamasushamâ period had elapsed, seventy-five years nine and a half months of it being left; in the fourth month of summer, in the eighth fortnight, in the light fortnight of Ashâdha, on its sixth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalgunî, the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira descended from the great Vimânaș, the all-victorious and all-prosperous Pushpottara, which is like the lotus amongst the best (and highest flowers), and like the Svastika and Vardhamânaka amongst the celestial regions, where he had lived for twenty Sâgaropamas till the termination of his allotted lenghth of life, (divine) nature and