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46: Śramaņa, Vol 64, No. 1, Jan.-Mar. 2013
community existed. He is accredited with introducing the work and knowledge based culture in India by bringing order in the society, imbibing work ethics in them, making them prosperous in worldly comforts and later renouncing all his wealth to realize the true nature of his self i.e. infinite knowledge and bliss. He propagated the doctrines of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possessiveness. We find many references to Ṛsabha in Śramanic, Vedic and other texts along with those of 22nd (Neminatha) and 23rd (Pārsvanatha) ford-maker as well as linkages of 20th Jain tirthankara Muni Suvrata with Rama and 22nd tirthankara Neminatha with Kṛṣṇa. Thus we see continuity in the existence of Jainism since Rṣabha's time todate. Mahāvīra, the twenty fourth ford-maker, is the most recent ford-maker of Jains. Many historians consider him erroneously to be the founder of Jainism.
Today's historians, based on excavations of Mohanjodaro, Harappa and Gujarat have gone back as far as 4000-8000 BC. Some images and writings found there make Jains infer that Jainism existed at that time. There are other textual indications that suggest the existence of Jainism from 4000 to 2000BC. Historically Jainism can be traced to 1000BC when Pārsvanatha, the 23rd ford-maker of Jains was born in Varanasi in a royal family, attained omniscience and rejuvenated Jainism. Parents of Mahāvīra are said to be his followers. The practice of Jainism as it is now, goes back to 600BC when Mahāvīra, the 24th ford-maker attained omniscience and established the Jain canons, church, philosophy and practice to attain liberation.
Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara ‘
Mahāvīra was born to Siddhartha and mother Trisala on 13th day of rising moon in the month of Baisakha around 600 years before the Christian era. His father was a district chieftain of Vaiśālī, a prosperous district in the present state of Bihar. He had royal lineage. His family practiced the religion of Parsvanatha, the 23rd ford-maker of Jains. Since the day his mother conceived him, there were unusual and auspicious indications like enhanced prosperity of all in the state. He displayed superior knowledge and bravery since childhood
