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Mahāvira and His Life
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inonths. From Kośāmbı, he set out for Sumañgalgāna and then for Pālayagāma. Finally, he reached Champā for spending the twelfth rainy season. THIRTEENTH YEAR
From Champā Mahāvira came to Jambhiyagāma. KALYANA Vijaya identifies it with Jambhigaon near the river Damodar in the Hazaribagh District, but it must be located somewhere near modern Pāvāpuri in Bihar.? From this place, he reached Mendhiyagāma. Then he visited Chhamāņigāma where a cow-herd is said to have thrust iron nails into his ears, In this condition, Mahāvīra is said to have reached Majjhima Pāvī where the nails were removed from his ears. MAHĀVIRA'S PENANCE IN A CEMETERYAT UJAN
According to the Svetāmbaras, Mahāvīra was born with three kids of knowledge: Matijñāna, Śrutajñāna and Avadhijñāna. He also gained the fourth kind of knowledge, Manahparyāyajñāna, by which he knew the thoughts of all sentient bcings possessing the five senses in the two and a half continents till some time after his initiation to asceticism. According to the Digambaras, Mah"vira failed to gain it, though he performed meditation for six months, sitting absolutely motionless. At the end of the six months, he went to Kulapura where its ruler, Kulādhipa, camc and did him honour, washed his fect with his own hands, and, having walked round hiin three times, offered him rice and milk. These Mahāvīra took as his first mcal (Paranum) after fasting for six months. He returned to the forest and wandered about in it performing twelve kinds of penance, but still the knowledge was withheld from him. Al last le visited Ujjayini and did penance in a cemetery there when Rudra and his wife tried in vain to interrupi him. li was only after overcoming this temptation and again cmbark. ing upon his forest life of medication that, according to the Digambara belics, hc obtained límrahparjārajnära.s KETULAJDING
The period of twelve years spent in prepare and installinncdita1. Krsnu. pp 377, 5:0. 2. JLINJC, p. 239. 3. Ssuj, p. 33.
