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Mahåvira and his Religion of Jainism
149 bird Bharunda, valorous like an elephant, strong like a bull, difficult to attack like a lion, steady and firm like Mount Mandara, deep like the ocean, mild like the moon, effulent like the sun, pure like excellent gold; like the earth he patiently bore everything; like a well-kindled fire he shone in his splendour.
After twelve years of wanderings, and spiritual struggles one evening when he was meditating in the Godohika posture (like one milking a cow), Mahâvîra attained Kevala jnana or Omniscience. It happened under a Shala Tree near the Rijuvalika river in Bihar. Thence forward, he was known as Jina (or conqueror of the effects of all accumulated karmas, the great enemies), from which Jainism derives its name. He was also known as Arhata or being worthy of veneration, Arihanta or destroyer of enemies and Arihanta or one who has killed even the roots of karma.
After enlightenment he felt inspired to preach. His first disciple was Gautama Indrabhuti who in turn became a perfected soul. After instructing Gautama, Mahâvîra went on his preaching tours and taught his Rule with great acceptance to all his warrior kinsfolk. Like Buddha, he preached first to the rich and the aristocratic. His earliest supporters seem to have been rulers and petty kings. A year after gaining Omniscience, Mahâvîra became a Tirthankara. According to Jaina tradition, Tirthankara or Tirthankara is one who shows the true way across the troubled ocean of life to his followers. These followers must become a member of one of the four Tirthas : (a) a monk (muni), (b) a nun (sadhvi), (c) a devout layman (Shravaka) or (d) a devout lay woman (Shravika). The first monk follower was Indrabhuti. The first nun follower was Chandana. The first Shravaka follower was Shankhaji, and the first Shravika was Sulasa.
The Digambaras claim that in thirty years he converted to Jainism Magadha (Bihar), Prayaga, Kausambi, Champapuri and many other powerful States in North India. They believe that he did not travel alone, but that wherever he went, he was accompanied by all the monks and nuns who had entered his order. Eventually these monks amounted to fourteen thousand in number, and the nuns to thirty-six thousand. Magnificent halls of audience were erected by the royal people wherever he went to preach. Mahâvîra preached in a language called anakshari, but later on he preached in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit which was the
