Tirthankar Mahavir

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaybhikkhu Sahitya Trust

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Acharya Shri Kailassagarsun Gyanmandir
the Sanskrit language. He said "Knowledge is not for the knowledgeable but for the ordinary person, too, and one must speak the language that they understand." Ardhmagadhi was the language used by the masses and so he began to preach in that language. He expounded the mysteries of existence and religion in a language that was easy comprehensible. In earlier times, people did not understand the pundits; now they did.
In Mahavira's time, women were denied social and religious rights and were dependent on men. Treated as slaves, they were bought and sold, bargained for like a commodity. In short, they were denied a fulfilling existence. Mahavira ushered in a revolution in defence of women. He brought about reforms. He laid emphasis on the importance of celibacy, saying if a woman became sadhvi's observing this virtue, she would be entitled to liberation. Mahavira paved the way for women to reach spiritual heights, a path closed to her for centuries for she was considered impious and urchaste.
The rigidity of the caste system and the adherence to it made life terrible for the Shudras. Bhagwan Mahavira succeeded in removing the caste system, emphasising the importance of character. He said, "Your karma (action) determines whether you are a Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaishya or Shudra”, the four main castes of those days. Rituals and procedures were meaningless to him while the character remained supreme. A shraman was one with excellent character, who did not pride himself on his achievements of caste, beauty, knowledge or even penance - this was the ideal. He brought about social revolution, transforming society through his reforms concerning women and the untouchables. Since Mahavira had overcome passions like ill-will, attachment, malice, greed etc. he was called Jin and the followers of Jin are Jains.
His concept of a sadhu was a person with open mind, one who is generous and believes in non-viclence, is not lazy and is free of complexes. He will not depend on others, will undertake journeys on foot only, and that too barefooted. He will be, in short, self-reliant, will be indifferent to pains and pleasures. He will, said Mahavira, continue to walk on the path of liberation.
Mahavira emphasised celibacy for he considered it an act of supreme self-control, dictated by one's soul. Similarly, penance also helps one to get
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