Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth

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

Page 49

BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA : PRESENT LIFE
that he is upstairs and the father said that he is downstairs." Said Vardhamana, “Both are correct. Being at the fourth floor, I am upstairs as told by my mother and downstairs as told by my father. For my mother is at the first floor and my father at the seventh Don't you understand this ? Upor down is a relative position When relativity is not there, the whole question of being up or down loses significance. Although each object is independent of 'others', when it is spoken of, it is relative." In this way, young Mahavira explained in an intelligible way some of the philosophical riddles to his fellow companions.
He was gentle by nature, but when he entered his youth, his seriousness increased. He preferred to live in solitude in a pensive mood and think of deeper things. When he accepted anything, he did so only after a thorough argument and realisation. When intellectuals came to him to discuss things they were not clear about, he solved their difficulty through ordinary conversation and they went convinced. The difficulties of many people were resolved even on seeing his impressive figure This happened to many monks and group leaders In fact, he did not resolve the difficulties, but was himself the solution.
Once the difficulties of two Carana monks who were pretty advanced got resolved at his very sight and they addressed this prodigy as Sanmati.
When his friends discussed this matter with Vardhamana, he said, “One's own soul is the giver of all solutions because the soul by its nature is all knowledge. To see others or to talk with them is only an instrument. As the monks set their eyes on me, they found the solution within themselves, their seeing me was a mere instrument. Had they got the solution by talking with me, then the conversation would be the instrument. Knowledge arises from within, and never from an outside object.”
Continued he,
"Another thing, if I am a Sanmatı, it is because of my intellect which is right, because I can correctly interpret the funda