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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
106
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
equal. He had compassion for all and enmity towards none. Thus through selfrestraint and self-discipline he destroyed the soul-defiling karmas. Mahavira forged ahead with his spiritual efforts, facing challenges with firm conviction. The challenges faced by Mahavira can be classified into three groups - mild, severe and the most severe. The ordeal inflicted by Kataputana is included in the class of mild challenges. The ordeal inflicted by Sangama god is included in the class of severe challenges. And the ordeal of thrusting thick roots of darbha grass into Mahavira's ears is included in the class of the most severe challenges. Whatever the challenge - be it small or great, mild or intense- Mahavira faced and endured the ordeal firmly with an unagitated and calm mind. He equanimously endured. all ordeals and hardships, miseries and agonies to cultivate spiritual strength and to remove all defiling elements from soul.
The Kalpasutra, which gives an account of Tirthankara Mahavira's life, demonstrates his glory in glowing terms. It says: "He was as unstainable as a vessel made of an alloy of zinc, tin and copper. He was as spotless as a conch. His motion was as unobstructed as that of the soul that is liberated. He was as independent as the sky. He was as free from bondage like the wind. He was as strong as an elephant. He was as heroic as a bull. He was as formidable as a lion. He was as pure as autumn water. And he was untouched by worldly enjoyment as the lotus is untouched by water."
Other scriptures further state about Mahavira: "He was as unfathomable as a deep ocean. He was as cool as the moon. He was as brilliant as the sun. He was as lustrous as gold. He was as tolerant as the earth. He was as glowing as fire. And in enduring ordeals he was as firm as Mount Sumeru."
Having attained the highest stage of virtuous meditation, he entered the stage of pure meditation. His meditation and austerity were extraordinary. In his life of ascetic practice, out of 4515 days he took food for only 339 days and that too only once a day and whatever he could get. He never accepted food specially prepared for him. For the remaining 4166 days he observed fasts without taking even water. Once of his fasts lasted six-months, another five months and twentyfive days. In addition, he fasted nine times for four months, twice for three months and two and a half months, twelve times for one month, seventy two times for
a fortnight, once for two days and once for four days, once for ten days, two hundred twenty nine times for two days and twelve times for three days; three hundred forty nine days were break-fast days and one day was the day of renunciation rites. Such is the account of Mahavira's austerities.
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