Sudha Sagar Hindi English Jaina Dictionary

Author(s): Rameshchandra Jain
Publisher: Gyansagar Vagarth Vimarsh Kendra Byavar

Page 260

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of nose, he spent his time in meditation and in reflecting on the Atman and in cultivating the attitude of equenimity towards one and all. His routine involved not even a trace of violence to living beings, not to deprive others of even a 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 to 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 pari saha, like hunger, thirst, cold, heat, mosquito-fly bites etc.
Mahavira spent twelve years as an ascetic, practising these various austerities. One day, while he was seated, plunged in meditation, close to the village Jṛmbhika by name, on the bank of river Ṛjukula, 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 six substances (Dravyas) and seven principles (Tattvas) whereby gets explained the nature of all objects and activities.
After attaining omniscience, lord Mahavira came to Rajgṛha, the Capital of Magadha, and took a worthy seat on the mount Vipula cala. The audience hall and Pandal were constructed and the royalty and the subjects flocked to him to hear his religious sermons. He
propounded to the audience the principles noted above and also the Anuvatas for the laity and Maha vratas for the monks whereby the blissful ideal of life can be reached. Lord Mahavira had eleven chief disciples such as Indrabhuti Gautama, Sudharma, Jambu etc; and they were known as Gaṇadharas. They have incorportated all his teachings in twelve Angas. Mahavira was born in Kundapura. This Kundapura was located in the territory of Videha, in the Bharatavarsa. In more than one place Mahavira is called Vesaliya = Vaisalika in the Aradha ma gadhi canon. It means that he was the citizen of Vaisali. After attaining Kevalajana Mahavira reached Rajgṛha and his Samavasara na was organised on the mount Vipula cala nearby. There his Divya-Dhvani, or voice divine flowed out and that was on the first day of the black half of the month of Sravana. Mahavira gave his first sermon when 66 days had passed after his attainment of Kevalaj π a na. Having attained omniscience (Kevala Juana) on the bank of Rjukula and after preaching the principles of Jainism through his divine voice, lord Mahavira toured over different areas of the country and propounded the religious doctrines. Afterwards he reached Pavapura and seated himself on a clean or pure slab of stone in a park studded with many ponds. He did not move out for two days and plunged in pure medi
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