Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth

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

Page 57

BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA : PRESENT LIFE
On receiving the order from Indra, Kuvera exhausted all his resources and skill in the construction of the congregation hall He erected a circular platform on which the Tırthankara was to take his seat. All around the platform there were seats for the members of the audience. In a Tirthankara's congregation all are seated alike, a king or a pauper, a well-to-do or a humble and it is open to all. Thus even animals, birds and beasts take their seat along with monks and nuns, men followers and women followers, even gods and goddesses. Such a motley audience is difficult to find on any other occassion.
The organisation of a Tirthankara's congregation is the most amazing thing, the more so when the speaker is no less a person than Tirthankara and its organiser is Indra himself. Words are not enough to describe this But still the Jaina texts contain an elaborate description of the occasion, and interested readers may refer to them.
All the districts on the two banks of Rijukula got the notification of the coming event with the beating of the heavenly drums. A huge crowd of people assembled to hear the divine voice of the Tirthankara The hall was full but the Tirthankara did not speak a word. When the scheduled time was up, the disappointed people departed. They had, however, seen the Tirthankara, though they could not hear his words.
All this was not over in a day; it was repeated for several days People assembled day after day, but the divine voice did not come out. After a few days, Bhagavan Mahavira moved out from that place. The people of that place remained insatiated They could not benefit from the divine sermon.
No sooner did the Tirthankara move out than the congregation here came to an end; but where he next stopped, a similar congregation came up. People came, saw the Tirthankara but did not hear his words This went on repeating from place to place, till, in the course of his wanderings, he reached a mountain named Vipula near Rajagriha Here also a vast congregation was held, a vast audience assembled, but the silence did not end Thus 65 days were over. Along with the other members of the audience, the patience of the principal organiser