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THE ORIENT
Dushmasushma era of Jainism in 599 B.C.* On the twelfth day, the child was named Vardhamana because "from the moment that this our boy has been begotten, our silver increased, our gold increased -(Vardhamana). Now our wishes have been fulfilled, therefore shall the name of our boy be Vardhamana, (i.e. the Increasing)”.!
Vardhamana, according to Svetambara Jains renounced life after the death of his parents at the age of thirty. Until then he lived the life of a householder. Being married to Yashoda he had a daughter by name Anuja. But according to Digambaras he did not enjoy the wedded bliss. However, both agree that the great initiation of Mahavira into asceticism took place sometime in 570 or 569 B.C. while he was thirty years of age.
Initiation
Before Initiation he fasted for two and a half days and did not touch even a drop of water. He gave up all his property and stripped himself of all ornaments. As a proof of ascetic endurance he tore off his hair by the roots which became a most painful custom of the Jainas. It indicates that they have no love for flesh or bones. According to the Swetambara Jainas Mahavira was born with three degrees of knowledge, viz. Mati Jnana, Sruta Jnana and Avadhi Jnana. After Initiation he gained the fourth kind of knowledge, Manahparyaya Jnana. He had to attain only the last, Kevala Jnana. But the Digambaras contend that he did not attain the fourth jnana until some time after Initiation. After Initiation Mahavira wandered homeless from place to place lost in meditation. He became indifferent to sorrow, joy, pain and pleasure, eating and drinking occassionally. He was so unconscious of his physical body that he cared little for it.
Mahavira felt that a true monk must conquer all his emotions, even shame: Being rid of clothes one is rid of lot of other worries. Digambaras believe that he abandoned clothes at the time of Initiation while Svetambaras believe that he abandoned his clothes after 13 months of Initiation. He patiently bore all physical pain without a murmur.16
Keval Jnana
These wanderings of Mahavira, coupled with the practice of severe asceticism, lasted for 12 years. At the end of the period he was fit to attain Keval Jnana or Omniscience. In the thirteenth year after his renunciation of the world Mahavira stayed
and death.
* There is a controversy about the dates of his birth
According to some his birth date is taken as 540 B.C.
