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लाइफ एण्ड टीचिंग प्रॉफ लार्ड महावीर
and his wife Pushya from Kampilyapura, Kundakolita and his wife from Kampilyapura, Sardala putra and his wife Agnimitra from Polasapura, Mahasataka from Rajagriha, and Nandinipriya and his wife Asvini, and Salatipriya and his wife Phalguni were the most well known lay disciples of Mahavira. Royal patronage :
Not only the rich bankers and merchants, but even kings, queens, princes and ministers became lay disciples of the Jaina Tirthankara Mahavira. His personal connections with the various rulers were through his mother, Trisala, the Lichchhavi princess and his maternal uncle, Chetaka, the king of Vaisali. According to Jaina traditions, kings like Srenika, Kunika, Chetaka, Pradyota, Satanika, Dadhivahana, Udayana, Virajaya. Virajasa Sanjaya, Sankha, Kasivaddhana and others are said to be his followers. Queens like Prabhavati of Udayana, Mrigavati and Jayanti of Kosambi, queens of King Srenika and Pradyota, and Princesses like Chandana, the daughter of the king of Champa followed Jainsm. Princes called Atimukta, Padma, grandsons of Srenika, Megha, Abhaya and others are said to have joined the Ordre of Jainism. The royal patronage must have facilitated the spread of Jainism.
The Uttaradhyana Sutra relates how Srenika (Bimbisara of Magadha) the lion of the Kings, with the greatest devotion visited the other ‘Lion of homeless ascetics' (Anagara-Siham) at a chait ya with his wives, servants and relations, and become a staunch believer in the Law. R. K. MOOKERJI and other historians have indentified this ascetic with Mahavira. His Jaina leanings may have been due to his wife Chella na who was a daughter of Cheta ka of Vaisali. · His son Kunika was also a follower of Mahavira. He is known to have appointed a special officer known as Pravritti Vaduka Purusha to inform him about the wanderings and daily routine of Mahavira. He was a frequent visitor to Mahavira with his queens and royal retinue. Chetaka, the ruler of Vaisali, became a devotee of Mahavira. It was only due to his influence that Vaisali became a stronghold of Jainism and that Mahavira visited this place from time to time. Looking at the great importance of Champa in the Jaina annals, there is nothing strange if one assumes that its ruler Dadhivahana followed Jainism and held Mahavira in high esteem. The ruler of Kausambi named Satanika and his wife Mrigavati were devotees of Mahavira and followers of the Jaina Order.
Influence on Contemporary Clans :
Not only the rulers but also several contemporary clans were the followers of the religion of Mahavira. There are many stray references in the Jaina Sutras which prove that the Lichchhavis followed the Jaina faith. Their capital, Vaisali one of the headquarters of the Jaina community during the days of Mahavira. Out of the fortytwo rainy seasons of his ascetic life. Mabavira spent twelve at Vaisali. Like the Lichchhavis, the Vajjis, who in fact cannot be strictly differentiated from the Lichhavis, came under the influence of Lord Mahavira, for Vaisali seems to have been regarded also as the matropolis of the entire Vajji Confederacy, The Jnatrikas of Kundagrama, who formed one of the most important glans included in the Vajjian confederacy, were also his followers. The other clans of the Vajjian confederacy must have been naturally affected by the doct. rines of Nataputta. It is among these confederate Kshtriyas that Mahą.
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