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The Co-travellers and the Odyssey
Lord Mahavira's odyssey was for the infinite Hence he tackled those issues only which pertain to be infinite The subjects of topical interest he let go His subject was neither sociology nor statecraft He came like a traveller who moves ahead till the goal is reached. When the journey was launched he was alone Thanks to the achievements on way that thousands clustered around him Fourteen thousand monks and thirty-six thousand nuns along with a lac and fifty-nine thousand male and three lac and eighteen-thousand female devotees followed him To boot, many more followers were there But the numbers recorded here represent those who were his co-travellers and who had taken partial or complete Vows The vistas of inner knowledge were opened up by the Lord He inspired all with self-confidence Numerous aspirants attained their aims and moved ahead Thirteen hundred of his monks were Pratyakshagnani (Awadhi gnani) with intuitive and transcendental knowledge Seven hundred monks and fourteen hundred nuns attained enlightenment Each day the journey attained new heights of glory
His co-travellers along the journey of the infinite hailed from different regions, different castes, communities and situations
1 Jindeo was a trader of Saket He travelled along to Kotivarsha Its ruler was Kırat (Chilat) Jindeo* presented to him precious jewels Kırat enquired of him where such gems
• The seers
