Siddhachalam NJ 1990 04 Mahavir Jayanti

Author(s): Siddhachalam NJ
Publisher: USA International Mahavir Jain Mission Siddhachalam

Page 23

MAHAVIRA'S PENANCES
MAHAVIRA HIS TIMES
AND PENANCES
Bharata had a son Marici by name. Even this prince Marici represented the soul of a hunter, who, giving up his usual profession of killing animals, had accepted the vow of Ahimsa i.e., abstention from harm unto living beings. He had taken diksa, i.e, renunciation, from Rsabhadeva; but he could not carry out the severe practices of a monk prescribed to him by the first Tirthankara, so he ceased to maintain the status of a monk. He possessed, however, the potential seed of religion and consequent incentive for its pursuit. He passed, therefore, through various births of gods and men; and he was born, at last, the Tirthankara Mahavira. Thus it will be easily seen that the spiritual heritage of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara, stands firmly linked with Rsabhadeva, the first Tirthankara.
The succession of Tirthankaras does not come to an end with Mahavira. Mahavira had a disciple in one of the then kings of India, Srenika Bimbasara, in whom he invested the seed of religion. Though Srenika was destined to go to hell on account of his past sins, still like Marici he would, in his next birth, head a new series of Tirthankaras of the future; in fine, he would be born as Mahapadma, the first of the twenty four Tirthankaras of the future. Thus, taking an overall view, the fact stands firmly founded in the Jaina tradition that just as Mahavira, as a historical person, is the last Tirthankara of the pre-Puranic tradition, he is, as well, the first to inaugurate a new succession of Tirthankaras.
Mahavira accepted renunciation at the age of thirty. It means that he left home, retired to the park, Jnatrhanda-vana, close to kundapura, and relinquished his ornaments and clothes. He pulled out his hair by his hands, observed fast for three days, and then plunged himself into meditation. After some time, he started touring various parts of the country. He lived in guardians and parks; but, as required by the rules of his vows and fasts. He entered a town or village once in a day and accepted the food offered to him. In a standing or squatting posture, and with his eyes fixed on the tip of nose, he spent his time in dedication and in reflecting on the Atman and in cultivating the attitude of equanimity towards one and all. His routine involved not even a trace of violence to living beings, not to deprive Others of even blade of grass belonging to them, not to speak lie even remotely, not to entertain any sex appetite, even in mind, and not to have any possession of worldly goods. These were his five Great Vows. Along with the practice of these negative vows or restraints, he got himself habituated to endure with peace and patience all such physical and mental tortures, known as parisaha, like hunger, thirst, cold, heat, mosquito-fly bites etc. which naturally a monk, who has no home, no shelter, no clothes on body and no worldly poovisions, has two face.
DR. A. N. UPADHYE RETIRED PROFESSOR OF JAINOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MYSORE
MAHAVRA'S OMNISCIENCE
Life of Mahavira: Birth and Boyhood
Background of Mahavira's Tirthankarahood. Bhagavan Mahavira is a Tirthankara in Jainism. According to Jaina historical tradition, he is neither the first promulgator of Jainism nor the last for all the time to come.
There have been Tirthakaras from beginning-less time, and they will be there in future too. There would be specialities of they will be there in future. There would be specialities of the Dharma preached by them to suit the time; and, at the same time, there would be consistent continuity of the same. The first Tirthankara of the present age is Rsabhanatha. He is mentioned, as a rule, not only in all the Jaina Puranas, but also in ancient scriptures of India like the Rigveda etc. in different contexts. The lives of twenty four Tirthnakaras, beginning with Rsabha and ending with Mahavira are described in due details in the Jaina Puranas. As though to maintain uniformity and to express common spirit of religious, doctrinal and philosophical ideology, the series of Mahavira's earlier births are linked with Rsabhadeva. Bharata, son of Rsabha, was the first Chakravartin; and it is from him that our country got the name Bharatavarsa. This is unanimously accepted in all the vedic Puranas. This very
The biography of Mahavira found in Jaina literature may be presented thus in short. Mahavira was born in a royal family of Ksatriyas, his father was Siddhartha and his mother, Priyakarini or Trisaladevi. Siddhartha's gotra was kasyapa, and the paternal Gotra of Trisala is mentioned as Vasistha. Trisala was the eldest daughter (and according to another tradition, sister) of king Cetaka of Vaisali. Mahavira spent his childhood and boyhood in such caresses and taking such education as was common in contemporary royal families. Among his sports of boyhood, there is even a traditional story that he brought under control a teriffic serpent. Consequently and symbolic of this feat of bravery, he go the title Mahavira and Viranatha. This episode reminds one of Krsna overpowering the serpent Kaliya.
Mahavira spent twelve years as an ascetic, practicing these various austerities. One day, while he was seated, plunged on meditation, close to the village, Jrmbhaka by name, on the bank of the river Rjukula, omniscience or all-knowledge (which has no limitations of time and space) dawned on him. In simple terms it means that he got satisfactory solutions for all those problems and questions, connected with the life and the Universe, which occur to any inquisitive soul. He fully comprehended the Six Substances (dravya) and Seven Principles (tattva) whereby gets explained the nature of all the objects and their activities. The Six Dravyas are; Jiva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma, Akasa and Kala; and the Seven Tattvas are; Jiva, Ajiva, Asrava, Bandha, Samvara, Nirjara and Moksa. The very basic principle of life is Jiva or the atmatattva which is different from matter, it is
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