YJA Convention 2002 07 NJ Fifth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

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Vardha...Who?
New Jersey Youth Group Satya
Who's
ho's the man? VARDHAMAN of course. You see, before Mahavir Swami attained nirvana, he was something close to your average boy growing up around the corner in a palace with everything he could ever wish for at his reach. So what makes him "The Man"? Well, imagine having a life like his, where everything is possible and there's not one thing you cannot have. Then imagine making the ultimate sacrifice, giving up such a comfortable life to set out on an unmarked trail lined with hardships unimaginable to you and me. Join us as we journey to his world and trace the everlasting effects of his teachings and principals through time in a quest to bring them to life in today's world.
Prince Vardhaman, even as a child, displayed extraordinary qualities that set him apart from everyone else. Curious of his apparent strength, many gods decided to put his courage and power to the test. They carefully plotted unusual obstacles in Vardhaman's life to see if he could overcome them. Ultimately, Vardhaman unknowingly proved himself by fearlessly getting rid of a snake and defeating a giant with ease. The next test came in school. Accused of not paying proper attention in class, Vardhaman was being reprimanded for his apparent lack of respect just as a Brahman came to
notes:
Jain Education International..2010.03
the classroom and presented the teacher with a difficult question. Realizing that the teacher was unaware of the answer, the Brahman suggested asking prince Vardhaman. The prince replied to the question correctly without any hesitation. As the teacher tried to fathom the young boy's ability, the Brahman explained, "Acharya! Please don't feel insulted. You are not aware that the sun of knowledge of this era is present before you as prince Vardhaman. He is the future Bhagavan Mahavir." With this began the path to prince Vardhaman's enlightenment.
Mahavir's religious venture consisted of 12 years of spiritual practice. He declared, "I take the vow of practicing equanimity all through my life and abandon all intentional sinful activities...I will tolerate every affliction of predicament caused by man, god, demon or animal equally, no matter how fearsome it is. As long as I do not attain omniscience, I will continue to tread the fire paved path of purity with unflinching and firm steps." Upon taking this oath, Vardhaman began his arduous journey to enlightenment.
With the simple use of our creative outlets we have put together a program of a different nature. Through our presentation we hope to allow the audience to not only learn more about prince Vardhaman's life, but also see how his values and principles can relate to today's world.■
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