________________
Mabăvira
576
as he remained always engaged in penances with spontaneous happiness and never entertained attachment and aversion. Since he sustained all fears and dangers and patiently tolerated all hardships and calamities, he was called Mahāvīra by the gods.23 Vīra,24 Viravara, 25 Mahābhäga, 26 Mahāmupia? Mabātavassi, 2 Nātaputta,29 Videhadinna,30 Videhajacca, 31 Jiņavīra,32 Vesālia,3 Kusala, Ņāyamoni, Videhasumala34 etc. also form some of his other names.
Mahāvīra's father had three names : Siddhattha(1) Sijjaṁsa(6) and Jasasa. His mother also had three names: Tisalā, Videhadinnā (Videhadattā) and Piyakāriņi. His wife Jasoyā belonged to the Kodiņpa(2) lineage. His daughter had two names : Anujjā and Piyadamsana. His grand-daughter who belonged to the Kosia lineage also had two names : Sesaval(1) and Jasavai(2).35 His parents were followers of Påsa(1), the twenty-third Titthařkara.36 Supăsa(7) was his paternal uncle.87
Mahavira lived thirty years as a householder. When his parents died and his pledge was fulfilled, he distributed, with the permission of his elders, all his wealth among others during a whole year and made up his mind to renounce the world. On the tenth day of the dark half of the month of Mārgasirsa when the moon was in conjuction with the Htthuattară constellation and the shadow had turned towards the east in the second quarter of the day (pauruși) after observing fast for two days without taking water and having put on one garment, Mahāvīra left for the park of Nāyasamda in palanquin named Caṁda ppabhā(4). There he caused the palanquin to stop under an Ašoka tree, decended from it, took off his ornaments, with his own hands, plucked out his hair in five handfuls, and with one divine garment (devadūsya)" he entered the state of houselessness, i.e. took to asceticism. He was alone when he renounced the world.3 23. Aca. 2. 177, Kalp. 108, AvaN. 539, 36. Aca, 2. 178. Vis. 1758, AvaCu. I. p. 245..
37. Ibid. 2.117. 24. Nan. v. 3.
38. Aca. 2.179, Kalp. 110, 112, Bha. 25. Pras. 4, Sur. 108, AvaN. 472.
541, Sam. 30, AvaCu. I. pp. 249ff., 26. AvaN. 81.
AvaN. 299. 27. Ibid.
39. Chattheņam bhatteņam apāņaenam. 28. AvaCu. I. p. 322.
40. Aca. 2.179, Kalp. 113-5, Sth. 531, 29. Aca. 2. 179, AvaCu. I. p. 262, Kalp
AvaCu. I. pp. 258ff., Sam. 137. 110.
41. According to AvaCu. I. p. 268 he 30. Ibid.
put it on his left shoulder. 31. Ibid.
42. Kalp. 116, Aca. 2.179. Here the word 32. SutN. 199.
kataka (i.e. garment) is used in stead 33. AvaCu. I. p. 262.
of devaduşya (i.e. divine garment.) 34. Aca. I. 157, 166, Pras. 23, Aca. 2.
Bha, 541, AvaN. 224ff., AvaCu. I. 179.
pp. 265ff. 35. Aca. 2. 177, 179, Kalp. 109, Vis. 43. Avan. 225, Tir. 393.
1873-5, AvaCu. I. p. 245, AvaBh. 77, 80.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
