Tirthankar Mahavir

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

Page 30

Acharya Shri Kailassagarsur Gyanmandir
three types of knowledge, viz. mati, shruta and avadhi. He was also aware that he had descended from the celestial existence.
The unborn tirthankara is regarded as a tirthankara the moment he enters the womb of his mother, and therefore, Indra and the other gods herald the event through well known devotional songs such as 'sakrastava' (Namotthunam) sutra.
A Tirthankara establishes uirth (Ford), which enables beings to cross the ocean of transm.gratory existence. Only the Bharata, Airavata and Mahavideha regions are blessed with tirthankaras. Tirthankaras having attained pure perfect knowledge, preach Religion and establish a dynamic tirtha (Ford) by firmly formulating major ard mini form of conduct in the form of total refrainment from violence for major code and partial refrainment from violence for minor code. The world submerged in sensual pleasures and materialism is awakened to the spiritual zenith of the lives and gospels of the venerable tirthankaras. All beings receive the light of universal love and compassion from them.
Devananda's Dream and Problem faced by Indra
The arrival of a great soul of a tirthankara is a highly auspicious event and is ce.ebrated as such. The manifestation of such light, the birth of a saviour to the world, groping and faltering in the darkness of igrorance can enlighten, rejuvenate and uplift the entire surroundings. A Brahmina
wcman, Devananda of the Jalandhara KEREREREKREFTENEN
lineage, was married to Rushabhadatta
Brahmana of the Kodala lineage. Indra Sabha
Devanarda experienced a sequence of fourteen auspicious visions as she lay half asleep. She dreamt of:
(1) an elephart, (2) a bull, (3) a lion, (4) Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, (5) a gar and of flowers, (6) the moon, (7) the sun. (8) a flag, (9) a jar filled with water, (10) a lotus-lake, (11) an ocean, (12) a celestial aerial car, (13) a heap of jewels. (14) smokeless fire.
The heart of Devanarda, awakened by the vision of these fourteen auspicious symbols, bloomed like a kadamba flower, and like the raised of this