Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth

Author(s): Hukamchand Bharilla, K C Lalwani
Publisher: Kundkund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust

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TIRTHANKARA MAHAVIRA AND HIS SARVODAYA TIRTHA
nanda, out of fear, he fled and took shelter on a Kaitha tree. When prince Visvanandi uprooted the tree, he jumped down and took shelter beneath of stone pillar When Visvanandi smashed the stone pillar with a severe blow, Visakhananda begged for his life with folded hands and saved it with difficulty.
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Although out of compassion Visvanandi released him, but the event cast a deep shadow on his mind. He became indifferent to worldly life and became a nude monk.
When he saw the outcome of his misdeed, king Visakhabhuti became immensely sorry and penitent. He also realised futility of the mundaue life and gave it up and became a nude monk
By practising severe penances, both external and internal, Visvanandi was emaciated. One day he was out on a begging mission in the city of Mathura. While on the street, he was hit by the leg of a cow who had just calved and he fell on the spot. Just in front was the residence of a prostitute wherefrom his brother Visakhananda saw him. Visakhananda who lost his kingdom because of his misdeeds, lack of vitality and unjust behavior was currently employed in the diplomatic service of some king and had come to Mathura on business He recognised his brother in monk Visvanandi and to ridicule him, he shouted, “Where is gone thy strength with which you uprooted the tree and smashed the stone pillar with a single blow ?" The monk could not bear the insult and was deeply upset. He decided to teach him a lesson, and ended his life by a trance and was born in the tenth heaven called Mahasukra.
From that heaven, he descended to the land of Bharata in Jambudvipa and was born as Tripristha, son of king Prajapati of Podanapura, who was a descendant of Bahubalı, by his wife Mrigavati, and the soul of his uncle Visakhabhuti was born as Vijaya, the son of the same king by another queen named Jayavati.
Vijaya was the first Balabhadra and Tripristha the first Narayana. This was the time when Tirthankara Sreyansanatha