Epics for children: Mahavira, bravest of the brave

Some people believe Mahavira to be the founder of the Jain religion, but it is not so. Jainism is believed by Jains to be an everlasting truth that has no beginning or end. It was not founded by anybody; only discovered by the Tirthankaras. The word tirtha means a ford or a crossing.

A Tirthankara is a person who can help others cross the ocean of Samsara—the worldly cycle of death and rebirth. Mahavira lived in the fifth century BCE and was the 24th Tirthankara. Mahavira was a re-discoverer of Jainism rather than its founder. The ascetic culture, which gave rise to Jainism and Buddhism, had started developing in north India from the eighth century BCE. It reached maturity under Mahavira and Buddha.

Mahavira was born to Trishala, the wife of king Siddhartha. The place of his birth was Kundagrama near Vaishali, the biggest town in eastern India at the time. His family’s prosperity increased after his birth, so he was given the name, Vardhamana—augmenter. When he grew up, he married a princess named Yashoda. They had a daughter.

When he was 30, Vardhamana left home and became a wandering ascetic. He discarded his clothes and followed extreme austerities for twelve-and-a-half years, enduring hardships, and attacks by humans and animals. In this period, Vardhamana endured 22 mental and physical afflictions. Even today, Jain monks and nuns try to replicate his afflictions, as far as they can. Finally, he attained enlightenment, called kevala gyana in Jainism, after fasting for two-and-a-half days without water in the full glare of the sun.

He received the title of Mahavira—bravest of the brave. Mahavira had developed immense physical and mental powers as a result of his austerities. He had a pupil called Makkhali Gosala who was jealous of his teacher. Once, Makkhali attacked Mahavira with whatever little divine power he had gained as a result of his association with Mahavira. Such was the strength of Mahavira that the power rebounded upon Makkhali, who later died after accepting Mahavira as a true spiritual teacher.

Mahavira was a shy person who shunned too much contact with human society, but he was a very convincing speaker. Jains celebrate Mahavira attaining nirvana on the same day that Hindus celebrate Diwali. He attained nirvana at the age of 72 in the town of Pava in modern-day Bihar. He delivered a six-day-long sermon to a large group of people. The crowd fell asleep and when they woke up, they found that the body of Mahavira had dissolved in the air like camphor (as happens with all Tirthankaras) and only his hair and nails were left behind. These were cremated by his followers.

<br /> Some people believe Mahavira to be the founder of the Jain religion, but it is not so. Jainism is believed by Jains to be an everlasting truth that has no beginning or end. It was not founded by anybody; only discovered by the Tirthankaras. The word tirtha means a ford or a crossing.</p> <p>A Tirthankara is a person who can help others cross the ocean of Samsara—the worldly cycle of death and rebirth. Mahavira lived in the fifth century BCE and was the 24th Tirthankara. Mahavira was a re-discoverer of Jainism rather than its founder. The ascetic culture, which gave rise to Jainism and Buddhism, had started developing in north India from the eighth century BCE. It reached maturity under Mahavira and Buddha.</p> <p>Mahavira was born to Trishala, the wife of king Siddhartha. The place of his birth was Kundagrama near Vaishali, the biggest town in eastern India at the time. His family’s prosperity increased after his birth, so he was given the name, Vardhamana—augmenter. When he grew up, he married a princess named Yashoda. They had a daughter.</p> <p>When he was 30, Vardhamana left home and became a wandering ascetic. He discarded his clothes and followed extreme austerities for twelve-and-a-half years, enduring hardships, and attacks by humans and animals. In this period, Vardhamana endured 22 mental and physical afflictions. Even today, Jain monks and nuns try to replicate his afflictions, as far as they can. Finally, he attained enlightenment, called kevala gyana in Jainism, after fasting for two-and-a-half days without water in the full glare of the sun.</p> <p>He received the title of Mahavira—bravest of the brave. Mahavira had developed immense physical and mental powers as a result of his austerities. He had a pupil called Makkhali Gosala who was jealous of his teacher. Once, Makkhali attacked Mahavira with whatever little divine power he had gained as a result of his association with Mahavira. Such was the strength of Mahavira that the power rebounded upon Makkhali, who later died after accepting Mahavira as a true spiritual teacher.</p> <p>Mahavira was a shy person who shunned too much contact with human society, but he was a very convincing speaker. Jains celebrate Mahavira attaining nirvana on the same day that Hindus celebrate Diwali. He attained nirvana at the age of 72 in the town of Pava in modern-day Bihar. He delivered a six-day-long sermon to a large group of people. The crowd fell asleep and when they woke up, they found that the body of Mahavira had dissolved in the air like camphor (as happens with all Tirthankaras) and only his hair and nails were left behind. These were cremated by his followers.<br />