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Lord Mahâvîra
But to guard the virtue once acquired is very much difficult for a man who is not always vigilant, and this fact is clearly brought out by the birth-story of Marici. He was the grand-son of Rsabha, the very first Tirthankara of this cycle of ages, and the son of the first Cakravarti, Bharata. And when Rsabha prophesied that Marici is to become the first Vasudeva in his birth as Triprstha, the Cakravarti in his birth as Priyamitra and also the last Tirthankara Mahâvîra of this cycle of ages Marici became proud of his present accomplishment and future prospects and began to dance. This pride which is considered to be one of the prominent vices, was the cause of his first coming into the womb of a poor Brahmin lady and the gods had to change him from the womb of this poor lady to that of a rich and royal Ksatriya lady; this is according to the Svetambara version of his life story. Marici was initiated as an ascetic by Rsabha himself but he left the order, and it is said that he organised the Tridandi-Tapasa sect and in his various forthcoming births he became the Tapasa-Parivrajaka and took to wandering life and severe austerities; this trait can be regarded as the root-cause of his severe ascetic life in his last birth.
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His birth as Visvabhuti is also worth noting. It illustrates the fact that if the enmity is not removed entirely from the soul it bursts out even in the life of an ascetic. The same is the case with the sensual gratification or amorous sentiments. It they are not uprooted from the soul one will have to suffer the long train of miseries throughout many births to come. Visvabhuti, the elder brother of Visakhanandi, occupied a garden and spent days and nights there continuously in amorous sports; so, the younger Visakhanandi had no opportunity to enter the garden. His father was worried with this and found out a way. On false ground he sent Vigvabhuti to conquer his revolting vassal, king Purusasimha. But to his surprise he found a friend in Purusasimha who gave him well-planned welcome. When he returned to his garden he found his younger brother occupying it. He became angry when he found that he has been cheated. But ultimately he realised the evils of worldly selfishness and took to asceticism. Once when he was in Mathura in a narrow lane on his begging tour a cow hit him and he fell down. On seeing this his brother who had come there for his marriage made remark-'what a strong and powerful person you are? Even a mild animal like cow can hit you down'.
