________________
Life of Lord Mahāvīra
21
public followed him with moist eyes. There, under an Aśoka tree at the auspicious Vijaya Muhurta, with two days of fasting, Vardhamana removed his princely attire and ornaments and wore white robes and prepared himself for initiation. Facing the eastward direction, he bowed to Siddhas, the liberated souls and initiated himself in the holy order. He renounced all sinful activities of the past and vowed to remain equanimous throughout his life. He resolved to bear whatever hardships and afflictions which may come in the path and remain steadfast till he realised his final goal ( Ava. Cü. 267). The people gathered there bowed to Vardhamana with deep reverence for the monkhood he had just embraced. And now the prince of Kundagrāma became a Śramaņa ( mendicant) determined to progress alone steadily on the path of perfection. On the Path of Sadhana
Mahāvīra (Vardhamana was now called Mahāvīra because of the great vows he had taken following the ascetic order) entered into a new phase of his life. He was free from attachment, affection and personal ties without any worldly care and anxiety. They had no effect on him any more. He could see only his goal of helping the people suffering from their miserable lot. He went on foot from one place to another unmindful of hunger and thirst, cold and heat and rough and rugged pathways. He observed rigorous austerities for twelve and a half long years till he achieved Kevala-Jñāna ( omniscience), which was his aim behind initiation in the ascetic order.
Silent Sufferings
Śramana Mahāvīra faced many adversities and calamities brought upon him by natural and supernatural forces. It is difficult to find in history a personality who had suffered such severe hardships as faced by Mahāvīra. He proved to be an incarnation of forbearance and forgiveness. The scriptures say: "uggaṁ ca tavokammam visesao vaddhamāṇassa" ( Ava. Nir. 240 ), i. e., the austerities practised by Mahāvīra were more rigorous than the
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
Jain Education International
