Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 218

VARDHAMANA MAHĀVĪRA
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trees etc. Thus he was quite free from any hindrance in his independent activity of continuous accomplishment--sādhanā.
He was quite fearless. Fear leads to so many untoward actions and destroys the very instinct of freedom. Despite the cowherd's request Mahāvīra who was quite confident of his
did enter the terrible forest near Uttarayacala. There he faced the calamity caused by the poisonous Candakausika snake, with all the patience and courage and emerged victorious.
He possessed forbearance and tolerance, magnanimity and forgiveness. As a monk he had embraced the vow of equanimity towards all living beings. During his wanderings he silently tolerated various hardships. In the Rādha country (Bengal) people pelted stones at him, beat him with lathis and set dogs after him but he did not swerve from his path. As a stranger he was sometimes caught by the city guards as if he was a spy or a secret agent of their enemies. Quite strange and peculiar were his ways of life and naturally people looked at him with suspicion. Sometimes dacoits and thieves on being caught red-handed tried to involve Mahāvīra for their own safety. And as Mahāvīra remained in contemplation he did not answer any question addressed to him by the king's men and naturally the latter rounded him up. His silence invited many troubles for him. At Karmāragrāma a cow-herd beat him simply because of the suspicion that he had stolen his bullocks. At Chammāni another cowherd struck wooden nails into his ears as he did not answer when the former enquired about his bullocks.
After passing twelve years in deep meditation and severe austerities he attained perfect knowledge at Jşmbhikagrāma on the northern bank of the river Rjupālikā in south Bihar. It was not possible for common men to understand his doctrines. Therefore he walked over to Pāvā-madhyamā to deliver his first sermon to suitable persons like eleven great Brahmin scholars of different places who had gathered there with their hundreds of pupils to attend the celebrations of a great sacrifice. They put a number of enquiries to Mahāvīra and the latter explained