Tirthankar Mahavir

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

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Having passed through twenty-six previous births in its transmigratory journey, Mahavira's soul attained tirthankarahood in its twenty-seven birth. However, in the last three previous births, the soul had made great spiritual efforts. The soul of a Tirthankara possesses the spiritual capability of attaining tirthankarahood from time immemorial. And in the last three previous lives his Soul actually was bound through the practice of the strictest of austerities and attained the special karma called tirthankara-namakarma. This definitely resulted in the attainment of tirthankarahood in his twenty-seventh birth.
In the twenty-fourth previous birth Mahavira's soul was born as a god in the seventh heavenly world. In the twenty-fifth previous birth it was born as prince Nandana, the son of the universal king Jitashatru of Chatra city and his queen Bhadra. Prince Nandana renounced the world and became a pupil of Acharya Pottilla. He observed a month-long fast and while breaking this fast at the end of one month, he again took a vow of observing another month-long fast. The lustre of austerity, the efficacy of knowledge and his friendliness towards all beings gradually grew. In the twenty-sixth previous life, his soul was born as a god in the tenth heavenly world called Pranata.
After a long transmigratory journey, the glorious time for the event of Tirthankara Mahavira's birth arrived. There arrived the opportune time for the spiritual practices observed by Tirthankara Mahavira's soul in his lives as Vimalakumara and Nandanakumara to yield its auspicious fruit. The world was shrouded in darkness and there rose the gladdening sound of a divine musical drum heralding the arrival of the Light of the world. The soul of Mahavira descended into the womb of Devananda. She was the wife of Rushabhadatta, the head of Brahmankundapura, a region of the ancient and famous city of Vaishali in the Bihara province, a region charged with religious fervour. It was midnight of the auspicious sixth day of the bright half of the month of Ashadha, of the 544th year, before the commencement of Vikrama Era. The position of the moon was associated with Uttara Phalguni constellation heightening the greatness auspicious occassion. Joy and happiness throughout the three Worlds and divine light pervaded the three worlds.
The life of a venerable tirthankara offers spiritual benefits to all beings, it inspires people to tread the path of liberation. Hence the events of his descent (conception), birth, renunciation, attainment of pure perfect knowledge and liberation are regarded not only significant but also spiritually uplifting. At the time of descent of Lord Mahavira's soul into the womb of Devananda, it possessed