BHAGAWAN MAHAVIRA
FIRST BIRTH NAYSAAR (HUMAN):
King Shatrumardan ruled over Jayanthi town of Jambudeep Mahavedeh kshetra. Naysaar was the minister of the village,’Prithvi Pratishthan’. One day Naysaar with the permission of the king went to the forest to fetch firewood; along with a few other people.
In the afternoon Naysaar and his men sat down under a big tree for lunch. At that time, he saw a few sages walking towards them. Leaving his lunch he went to pay respect to the sages. During his conversation with them, he understood that the sages had lost their ways in the jungle in the scorching heat. The sages were hungry and thirsty too. With a lot of respect and devotion he offered his food and water to them.
After lunch he went along with them and showed them the right path. After reaching the right path, Naysaar once again paid his respect to them.
The sages blessed him with a few words of wisdom. This had a deep impact on Naysaar. During this birth of lord Mahavira as Naysaar, because of his devotion to the sages he got ‘SAMYAK DARSHSAN ‘.
SECOND BIRTH AS GOD:
After completing the duration of his life as a man, the soul of Naysaar, took birth as a god in first heaven.
THIRD BIRTH AS HUMAN:
After completion of celestial life, Naysaar was born as prince mariachi, son of Bharat Chakravati. Once after listening to lord Rishabh’s speech’ prince mariachi felt like giving up all worldly desires and look Diksha.
FOURTH BIRTH AS GOD:
After completion of life as mariachi, the soul of Naysaar’s tool birth as god in fifth heaven.
FIFTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
WHEN THE LIFE AS GOD CAME TO AN END, Naysaar’s soul took birth as Brahmin named Kaushik. In the twilight of his life, he became a Tridandi Tapas.
SIXTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
In the sixth birth, Naysaar’s soul was reborn as PUSHPAMITRA BRAHMIN. Eventually he gave up his family and renounced all worldly desires.
SEVENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
In this birth Naysaar’s soul was reborn as god in Soudharma heaven.
EIGHTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
The completion of his life in heaven the soul of Naysaar was reborn as AGNIHOTRA BRAHMIN. Towards the end of his life he gave up his family and renounced the world.
NINTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
He was born as god in Inshaaan heaven.
TENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
The soul of Naysaar took birth as AGNIBHOOTI BRAHMIN. He renounced the world and family towards the end of his life.
ELEVENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
He was born as god in the third heaven Sanath kumar.
TWELVENTH BIRTH AS HUMAS:
AFTER HIS CELESTIAL LIFE, Naysaar took birth as Bhardwaj Brahmin, in Swetambika town and took Diksha.
THIRTEENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
He was born as god- MAHENDRA
FOURRTEENTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
In the town of Rajgard, he was born as Brahmin named Sthavar. In the twilight of his life, he gave up his family and renounced the world.
FIFTEENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
He was born as god in the fifteenth brahma heaven.
SIXTEENTH BIRTH AS HUMAN:
Naysaar took birth as vishwabhuti, son of vishakhabhuti . vishakhabhuti was the brother of king vishwanandi, who ruled the city of Rajgraha. Once vishwabhuti was deceived by his uncle, king vishwanandi and his son vishakhanandi. In anger, he struck a tree with his first. The tree shook and many fruits started falling down. Vishwabhuti was shaking with anger. After some time his temper cooled down, and he felt an awakening of thoughts of renunciation. With these thoughts he approached a muni named sambhut and took Diksha.
After realizing his mistake, the king along with his family approached muni vishwabhuti and asked for forgiveness. The king requested him to come home. But muni vishwabhuti decided to serve his guru and continue chanting and meditating. Because of continuous meditation and fasting his body became very thin. Once after ending his one month long fasting muni vishwabhuti went to Mathura. On his way, he was hit by a cow and he fell down.
Vishakhanandi was watching this from his in-laws palace. On seeing his fall, vishakhanandi commented sarcastically –“where is that strength you used that could make the fruits fall of the tree?”
Muni vishwabhuti saw him and recognized him. He got angry and forgot his duty for forgiveness. He said –“I may look thin due to continuous meditation but I am still power full.” To demonstrate his power he lifted the cow with her horns and threw her in the sky. In his anger he called out that,” if his meditation has been worthwhile, then he may be granted so much power that he could kill vishakhanandi”. He never atoned for this lapse.
SEVENTEENTH BIRTH AS GOD:
When his life as man ended, Naysaar’s soul became a god in the SEVENTH Mahashukra heaven.
EIGHTEENTH BIRTH AS HUMAN
After completion of his life in mahashukra heaven, Naysaar was reborn as son of king Prajapati of potanpur town. He was named as Triprishth. He was very strong. His power was incomparable. In the kingdom of king Ashwagreev, a lion was terrorizing the people of shaliketh. Even after numerous attempts to control him, they could not succeed. Many king were asked to take turns in order to secure the area. When it was the turn of king Prajapathi and he was about to leave, his son Triprishth along with his brother Achal, decided to go instead. After reaching the lion den, they blew the trumpet loudly. This angered the lion and he came out. Triprishth saw the lion was unarmed and walking on his feet. He also shed his arms and started walking towards the lion. The lion roared loudly and leaped towards Triprishth, but with electric speed. Triprishth held the lion by his jaws and split like an old bamboo. This ended the reign of the lion’s terror.
King and all citizen praised the bravery and courage of prince triprishth. Later prince triprishth became vasudev, the ruler of triloka. Prince was a cruel ruler. He did not like violation of rulers and discipline.
One night music was being played. Vasudev TRIPRISHTH instructed his assistance to stop the music lover himself did not stop the music once he slept. However, the triprishth had fallen asleep. After sometime when triprishth woke up and found that the music was still playing, he got very angry. He ordered to pour molten zinc assistance’s for having disobeyed his instruction. The assistance died in great pain.
NINTEENTH BIRTH IN HELL
Due to his cruelty and violence in his previous birth as triprishth vasudev, the soul of Naysaar went to the seventh hell in the present birth.
TWENTIETH BIRTH AS ANIMAL:
HE WAS BORN AS A LION IN THE TWENTIETH BIRTH
Twenty first birth in hell:
He went to fourth hell in his birth.
TWENTY SECOND BIRTH AS HUMAN:
In this birth naysaar’s soul was born as king vimal of RATHANUPUR TOWN. KING vimal was a simple, compassionate, result oriented man of principles. One day when he had gone for a particular task to the nearby forest, he saw a herd of deer trapped in a hunter’s net. This sight brought his compassion to the force. He called the hunter, spoke to him and made him give up hunting. All the animals thus received Abhayadan.
TWENTY THIRD BIRTH AS HUMAN:
He took birth as the son of king Dhananjay, in Mookanagari of western Mahavideh kshetra at the conceiving, his mother Dharini saw 14 dreams. The boy was named priyamitra. This boy later became a renounced king. During the last part of his life, he renounced the throne and lived the life of an ascetic.
TWENTY FOURTH BIRTH AS GOD:
After completing his life as a man in the form of priyamitra chakravarty, Nayaar’s soul in the seventh heaven became a Mahridhik god in the celestial vehicle sarvarth.
Twenty fifth birth as human:
AFTER COMPLETION OF LIFE IN THE SEVENTH HEAVEN, HE TOOK BIRTH AS PRINCE Nandan in chatra town of Bharat region. At a young age, his father Jeetashatru appointed him as a king. Towards the end of his life, he entered the life of an ascetic. In the one lakh years of his life as a monk, he did eleven lakh sixty thousand Maskhaman and became sage of the first order.
TWENTY SIXTH BIRTH AS GOD:
After completing his life as a human, Naysaar took birth in the tenth heaven as god in Pushpotar viman (celestial vehicle).
TWENTY SEVENTH BIRTH AS MAHAVIRA (HUMAN):
In a village called Brahmin kund in Bharat region, Naysaar’s soul entered in the womb of Devananda, wife of Brahmin Rishabdutta.
Once the Indra, shakrendra of the first heaven saw, thought his power of avadhi darshan, the developing body of the lord in the womb of devananda. He thought,” a great soul should take birth only in a powerful dynasty. It is very surprising that the god had entered the womb of a Brahmin. Thirthankars always take birth in powerful clans. At present Kshatriyas are influential people”. Thus he thought of changing the child from the womb of Brahmin kul to Kshatriya kul.
It was the 23rd night of Devananda’s pregnancy. God Harinigameshi did Namaskar to god and took permission for changing the womb. Very respectfully he took the developing body of the god and kept in the queen Trishla’s womb. He completed the exchanging of children. That night undistributed sleep was given to both the mothers.
THE LIFE OF MAHAVIRA:
Life of Mahavira: Birth of mahavira
At the end of the pregnancy period, on the 13th of Chaitra Shukla month at midnight, Mahavira was born. Sixty three Dikkumari’s came to complete the birth ceremony. For the birth celebrations, firstly Indra came from Soudharama heaven. Keeping a model of the baby next to the mother, he took the new borm Mahavira with him to the pundarik forest on the Meru mount. He then sat facing east on the stone seat with the infant on his lap. By then the next sixty three Indra and thousands of gods also came. Just before the Abhishek, Soudharamendra had doubts about how the tiny body of Mahavira would tolerate the huge force of water during Jal Abhishek. Tirthankaras are eternally strong. The size of the body doesn’t make any difference to their strength.in order to make Indra understand this fact, Mahavira lightly pressed the Meru mount. With the big toe of his left foot. The entire hill began to tremor, which caught Indra by surprise. Using Avadhi Darshana, Indra realized that the lord himself had shaken the hill by his big toe in order to make Indra understand the Lord’s eternal strength. Immediately Indra’s doubts vanished and he bowed before the lord.
Thereafter the 64 Indra’s and all the gods and goddesses processed with the Jal Abhishek with enthusiasm and joy, celebrating the birth. After the ceremony the child was taken back to his mother.
BIRTH CELEBRATION:
King Siddhartha celebrated his son’s birth with lots of joy and enthusiasm for 10 days. The decoration in the town matched that of Indrapuri. Citizens were given exemption for taxes. Prisoners were forgiven and released.
NAMING CEREMONY:
On the day of naming ceremony, a feast was organized for the family. All the members of the family came and blessed the child. When the discussion for the name of the child was going on, king Siddartha said – “from the time of the baby’s conception, the treasury has been filled with money and grain like never before, so the child’s name should be ‘VARDHAMAN’. “ ALL THE PEOPLE HAPPILY STARTED CALLING THE CHILD VARDHAMAN.
CHILD HOOD:
The child, Vardhaman was full of incomparable courage. In his, eight years, one day he was playing a game called Aamalki with his friends. At that same time Soudharama was praising Vardhamana’s imtelligency and courage, in a meeting of the gods. He said that no one was comparable to Vardhamana in courage among the mankind of animals and not even among the gods.
One of the god raised objection to this and came down to earth to defeat Vardhaman. When he came down to the place where Vardhaman and his friends were playing, the children were all atop a tree. The god then took the form of the terrible snake and perched on a branch of the tree, on which the children were playing. Looking at the hissing snake, the children were frightened and started shouting- “help! Help!! Poisonous snake on the tree! “.
Vardhaman was neither scared nor shouted. He stepped forward, simply lifted up the snake and threw it far away.
Once again the children began play. They were playing a game called THINDUSAK. The game was to touch a predetermined tree and child to reach it first will be the winner. The god now took form of a child and lost in the game to vardhaman. By the rule of the game, the child who lost was to carry winner on his back. Accordingly to the god carried vardhaman on his back and began to grow bigger. Seeing his Demonish and growing body of the god, the rest of the children started shouting and running helter-shelter.
Vardhaman understood the illusionary power of the god and started hitting him on the back with his fist. The god could not take the fast paced hitting by vardhaman and he immediately sat down. He finally believed that defeating vardhaman was beyond his power. Quickly he returned to his original form and said- “Indra was right and there is no one like you. You are truly Mahavira (very brave).
IN SCHOOL:
When Vardhaman was eight years old, king Siddartha took him to the school. Shakrendra was very surprised that a Trigyanagya (one who had knowledge of all three worlds) was being sent to school. What will Kalacharya teach a specially learned person? Indra came down in the form of an old Brahmin. The teacher himself sat on a seat and Vardhaman was made to sit on the floor.
When the tutoring began, Indra in the form of old Brahmin asked the teacher (kalachara) a few grammar related questions. Kalacharya was unable to answer them. The Brahmin then asked vardhaman the same questions. Vardhaman easily answered all the questions. Kalachariya was astonished and wondered how can I teach one who is already learned.
MARRIAGE:
Vardhaman reached his youth, his fatherKING SIDDARTH STARTED PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARRIAGE. ONE DAY MOTHER Trishla told kumar Vardhaman-“you are not interested in marring but I wish you to get married. That is why you will have to marry.you have never disobeyed me or hurt me and I believe you won’t do it now either.” vardhaman knew his destiny and therefore remained silent at his mother’s urging. His mother immediately announced his wedding. He was married to yashoda the daughter of king samarvir of basantapur. But vardhaman led a very disinterested and unattached life as the flame of renunciation had already alighted inside him. When Mahavira was 28 years old, his parents gave up food and water and accepted samadhimaran. The oath taken by Mahavira, in his mother’s womb of taking renunciation only after his parent death was nearing completion. So he appropriate his brother Nandivardhan for permission to take Diksha. Nandivardhan asked Mahavira not to take renunciation so soon after his parents death and instead to wait for a couple of years. For 2 years, he lived a simple and frugal life at his palatial home.
The Navalokanthik gods requested him to take Diksha after the completion of one year. So Mahavira started Varshidaan. With God grace, everyday Mahavira donated 1 Crore 8 lakh gold coins. In this way he totally donated 388 Crore 80 lakh gold coins for one year.
ABHINISHKRAMAN:
When Mahavira was ready to take Deeksha, all the gods and all the people celebrated the Deeksha ceremony. Mahavir was laden with rich clothes and Jewellery and seated in a huge and heavily ornamented ‘Chandraprabha’ palanquin was then lifted up together and carried on shoulders by the people and the gods. The royal parade by the many gods and goddesses, thousands of men and women and kind Nandivardhan reached the Ashoka tree in the Gyatkhand forest. After getting down from the palanquin Mahavira removed all his clothes and Jewellery. On Margashirsh Krishna Dashmi in the third Prahar of the day, Mahavira facing east, performance panchmushti lochan. Shalrendra collected the hair and immersed it in an ocean of milk. Mahavira saluted the learned men and accepted deeksha and took oath. Soudharmendra then put a celestial cloth on lord Mahavira’s shoulder. Mahavira went from one place to another. People followed him to a certain distance and then returned to their homes.
LIFE AFTER DEEKSHA
First trouble:
Bhagwan Mahavira started mediating in the outskirts of kumri village. Some cowherds came there and left their bulls with Mahavira and went to the village. After the cowherds left the bulls wondered into the forest. After some time, the cowherds returned and asked Mahavira-“Baba! Our bulls were grazing here, where are they?” the lord remained silent. The cowherds searched for their cattle all night but in vain. By a coincidence, in the night the bulls returned to where the lord was mediating and sat down. The cowherds passing by in the morning saw their bulls. They were as it is irritated by the long search, the sight of the bulls near Mahavira angered them. They shouted- “what Baba! You are a cheat! The bulls were with Mahavira. Lord Indra was seeing all this through Avadhi Darshan. He came there and claimed the cowherds by explaining the identity of lord Mahavira. Thought the entire incident lord Mahavira, a model of tolerance was engrossed in deep meditation.
FIVE PROMISES:
Lord Mahavira reached Morak sannivesh. There was an ashram for hermits. The chief of the ashram was a friend of king Siddhartha. When he saw Mahavir. He welcomed him and requested him to say. The chief’s requested to spendthe chaturmasin the ashram was accepted by Lord Mahavira. Mahavira began meditating in the straw hut. The other guests complained to the chief by saying-“what kind of guest you have got, who does not protect his own abode.” The chief went to mahavir and politely said-“kumar! Even a bird protect its nest, you are a kshtriya prince, and you should safe guard your hut wit alertness.”
Mahavira thought,” when I don’t care for my body, how will I care for my hut? It is not suitable for me to stay here anymore.” At this thought Mahavira left after completing only 15 days in the ashram. He also took 5 oaths there:
1. I will not stay in unsuitable places.
2. I will be always meditating.
3. I will remain silent every day.
4. I will take food only in my hand.
5. I will not have attachment towards householders.
TROUBLE BY SHULPANI YAKSHA:
Moving from the ashram at Morak Sanivesh, Mahavira reached Asthigram. Mahavira sought permission from the villages to stay at the temple of shulpani yaksha, location in a secluded place outside the village. The villagers Said,” Baba, you can very well stay, but the temple is in Habitated by a yaksha who is cruel by nature. He does not leave anyone alive at night. That is why it is better that you do not stay there”. Knowing all, Mahavira still stayed in the temple, in the night when the yaksha saw a man in the temple, he was outraged. He laughed terribly with madness. He took the form of elephant, demon etc… and gave Mahavira trouble in varied ways. He gave terrible pain in lord Mahavira’s eyes, ears and seven such places which would have been the death of an ordinary man but Mahavira did not budge. At last seeing the lord determination and unlimited tolerance the yaksha gave up. Calmly he fell on Mahavira’s feet and asked forgiveness for his misdeeds and then left the place. The rest of the night was spent without trouble.
TROUBLE BY CHANDKAUSHIK TO LORD MAHAVIRA AND DELIVERANCE OF CHANDKAUSHIK BY LORD MAHAVIRA:
Lord Mahavira was going towards north vachala. The road going thought the kanakakhal ashram was abandoned, lonely and dangerous. Lord Mahavira instead of using hurdle less path walked towards the ashram road. He met some cowherds on the way, who requested him not to go by the dangerous road. They said that a dangerous snake with a poisonous vision lives there and the snake can burn a person to his death. Mahavira did not hear them nor did he answer them. He kept walking and began meditating in front of the snake hill. When the snake return back to its hole in the evening, after a day of moving around the ashram region, he saw the meditating mahavira and came into a rage. He return on his poisonous vision on the lord. An ordinary man would have burnt to ashes by just a glance of the venomous vision of the snake. But on lord the vision was wasted. Even after three attempts of torture and ferocious vision, when it did not have an effect on lord the snake was beyond himself in rage. The snake then bit the lord on his foot and a white liquid OOZED out. Chandakaushik was astonished to taste milk instead of blood. He kept looking at the peaceful and serene facial expression of the lord. Seeing chandakaushik silent, lord Mahavira said-“Avasam bho Chandakosiya.”-“be calm Chandakaushik!” chandakaushik…. This name sounded very familiar to him. He suddenly got Jatismaran knowledge. He remember his three previous births. In the first one he was a meditating hermit. One day while going to end his fast, he stamped a toad to its death. His disciple reminded him two-three times to do alochana (apologise) for his deed, but this only made him angry and he got up to hit the disciple. In his anger he lost control and hit his head against a pillar, resulting in his own death. In his second birth, he became a god. After his life in heaven in the third birth he was born in the household of the chief hermit of the kanakakhal ashram, who had five hundred meditating hermits in his care. He was named kaushik. Once a few princes came to the ashram and began to pluck fruits and flowers. When this news reacted chandakaushik fell into a ditch and the sharp edge of the axe cut his body. From then on chandakaushik lives in the same ashram as venomous snake.
Now chandakaushik reformed his ways. He promised to stop troubling others and refused to eat or drink anything. He put his head into the hole and left the rest of his body out. Seeing his changed from people worshipped him with offerings of milk and ghee. This attracted ants on his body. By tolerating the immense pain, the snake was reborn in the 8th heaven as a god. By mahavir’s small intervention chandakaushik was absolved from his sins and redeemed. After chandakaushik redemption, lord mahavira proceeded to north vachala. There he ended his 15days of fasting with kheer at the house of Nagasen.
STORY OF THE SEA VOYAGE:
While travelling from shwetambika to surabhipur, river Ganga came in the way. To cross the Ganga lord Mahavira got into a boat. When the boat reached the middle of the river, god sudanshtra created a terrible strom and tried to wreck the boat. But disciple Nagakumar god kambel and shamble did not let his efforts succeed.
SECOND YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
IN THE SECOND YEAR OF SADHANA (spiritual practice) Goshalak, the son of Mankhali was impressed by lord Mahavira and became his disciple.
THIRD YEARS AFTER DEEKSHA:
The third year of Sadhana was spent by lord Mahavira in spiritual practice.
FOURTH YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
In the fourth year, lord Mahavira entered chorak area. This area was terrorized by thieves and dacoits. Hence, the guards in the area was terrorized by thieves and dacoits. Hence, the guards in the area were very alert. When the guards saw lord Mahavir and Goshalak they were suspicious of them. When guards asked for their identity, Mahavir kept quiet. This angered the guards. They started beating Mahavira and Goshalak. In the same area lived two Sisters, Jayanti and soma. When they got to know of this incident, they came immediately and gave the true introduction of Mahavira. The guards then asked for forgiveness and released both of them.
FIFTH YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
For the purpose of reducing karmic burden, lord Mahavira started staying at uncivilized and unknown places. Ladh desh was one such uncivilized place, where he faced terrible incidence. As no suitable place was available he was forced to stay in scary forest. It was difficult to find food at all. Savage would beat him and their children would throw stones at him. Sometimes, they even encourage dogs to chase him and bit him. People used various ways to hit him, including lifting him up and throwing him on the ground. Lord Mahavira thus tolerate all this with equanimity and this helped to reduce his karmic burden. Later while lord Mahavira was returning to civilized area he stayed at a village called Purnakalash. He met thieves on the way. They tried to strike him with sharp weapons but Indra intervened and foiled their attack.
SIXTH TEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
Goshalak had separated himself from lord Mahavira for sometimes. But in the sixth year, he again return and started staying with lord Mahavira.
TENTH YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
Lord Mahavira has special spiritual knowledge and wisdom. One day he was travelling with Goshalak and they saw a sesame plant on the path which had seven flowers. On seeing the plant Goshalak asked “Bhagwan will this plant grow fruits.” Lord Mahavira sai-“yes, this plant will bear fruits and soul of the seven flowers will grow inside one pod as seeds.” Goshalak, wanting to prove the lord’s prophesy wrong, uprooted the plant. By chance, it rained at that time and the plant took root again. After some days when they were travelling that way again, Goshalak said “lord Mahavira your prediction was wrong.” Mahavira replied, “The plant that you threw away has come up again.” Goshalak could not Belive this. He went near the plant and shelled the pod, to see it had seven seeds.
ELEVENTH YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
STORY OF SANGAM GOD:
In the eleventh year of dadhana period, lord mshsvirs immersed himself in deep meditation. During this time, Indra saw mahavira through his Avadhigyan and praised him in front of the other gods. He said mahavira’s patience and courage is incomparable, nobody can distract him. Neither gods nor human.”
All the gods agreed with Indra but Sangam god didn’t agree. He said,”devendra! Give me six months and I will break his meditation. Do not falsely praise!” Indra had to give him permission unwillingly. Sangam god came down where lord Mahavira was doing meditation and he spread a net of difficulties. In one night Mahavira was giving twenty deadly troubles. For an ordinary man one such trouble is sufficient for death.
THE TWENTY DEADLY TROUBLE WERE:
- A dusty wind storm.
- Bitten by giant ants with sharp teeth.
- Blood sucking by sharp teethed mosquitoes.
- Attack and eating of skin by termites.
- Stinging by scorpions.
- Pinching and pulling out the flesh by Mangooses.
- Attack and bitten by giant snakes.
- Bitten by rats and urination on the wound to cause horrible burning.
- Throw up in the air by elephant’s trunk and also attacked by their tusks.
- Throw up in the air by cow elephant’s trunk and also attacked by their tusks.
- Taking the form of devilish souls and laughing shrilly.
- Taking the form of tiger and attacking the lord.
- Taking the form of Siddharth and Trishala and giving heart wrenching cries.
- Lighting a fire between lord Mahavira’s legs and cooking on the fire.
- Taking the form of demon and attaching birdcages on the lord’s body and encouraging the birds to attack with the beaks and claws.
- Creating terrible wind storm which would make Mahavira air borne.
- Forceful whirl wind which whirled lord Mahavira’s body like a wheel.
- Use of kaalchakra which submerged the lord’s body up to the knee in the earth.
- Sitting in a celestial plane, the god said, “Do you want heaven or hell?”
- Beautiful music and dance show by gorgeous angels.
God Sangam did not stop even after giving all these troubles. He continued to prey on lord Mahavira for six months. God Sangam followed Mahavira, and wherever lord Mahavira went he would conduct robbery and blame it on the lord. He would say that Mahavira asked him to do so. This angered the people against Mahavira and they used to beat him up. Once after stealing, he hid near Mahavira and kept his weapons also there. The law officers thought Mahavira was some famous thief and gave orders to hang him. Mahavira was taken to be hanged. When the lord was hanged the rope broke. This happened seven times. Surprised and impressed the law officer, freed Mahavira and bowed to him thinking that he is a great man.
Indra was very upset with Sangam. Indra banned all drama, performances and other Programmes in heaven. The time period given to Sangam god was about to come to an end. Sangam god asked Mahavira,”I trouble you so much! What do you fell about me?”Mahavira replied, ‘’like a broker who helps in the sale of goods, you have helped me reduce my karmic burdens that is why you are very dear to me.”
At this Sangam god became furious and was about to throw Mahavira on the ground. Indra appeared and told god Sangam that his time was over. Indra dismissed god Sangam from heaven for his atrocities and threw his weapon at god Sangam.
TWELFTH YEAR AFTER DEEKSHA:
STORY OF PRINCESS CHANDANA:
In the twelfth year after Deeksha, lord Mahavira entered kaushambi town. On posh Krishna ekam (first day) he took an oath which was in the following form:
- The girls should be princess.
- She should have been sold in the market.
- Her head should be shaven.
- She should have a wound on her head.
- Her hands should be in handcuffs.
- Her feet should be in chains.
- She should not have eaten for three days.
- Should be living in a mud hut.
- Meet her after half the day is gone by.
- Her one leg should be inside the threshold and the other outside.
- In the corner of the grain sorting vessel.
- Black grain used in the food.
- There should be tears in her eyes.
After taking the oath, lord Mahavira wandered around the town for bhiksha (food) but as the oath was not take any food that was offered. In this way four months had passed, one day he reached the house of the chief minister named Sugupt. His wife Nanda came forward with food offerings but lord Mahavira returned without taking the food as the oath was not completed. Nanda was very disappointed. Nanda’s maid told her that this was happening every day, with the lord returning empty hand. Nanda discussed her worries with her husband. King shatanik and queen Mrigawati also tried to find out the reason behind Mahavira’s not accepting any food but all in vain.
Five months twenty five days had been completed from the days had been completed from the day the oath had been taken. One day Mahavira was wandering for bhiksha. He reached Dhanavah shreshti’s house. As soon as chandana saw lord Mahavira she forgot all her unhappiness and requested Mahavira to accept food. But as the oath was not completed Mahavira turned away. Seeing him turn away chandana had tears in her eyes.
When Mahavira looked back and saw chandana in tears, his oath was fulfilled. He accepted the food given by chandana thus ending his fast. The gods made 5 elements to appear and also trumpeted. The handcuffs and chains turned into jewellery and chandana came back to her original form. Later on chandana became lord mahavira’s first disciple as well as became the chief in charge of the sadhavi society after lord attain KEVALGYAN.
LAST TROUBLE BEFORE ENLIGHTMENT:
Mahavira was meditating in the outskirts of the village. One evening a cowherd left his cattle with lord Mahavira and went to the village on some work. On his return when he didn’t find bulls, he asked lord Mahavira but Mahavira maintained silence. At this the cowherd got extremeiy angry and nailed wooden pieces into the lord’s ears. Lord Mahavira was in horrible pain. It is said this cowherd was the same person whom Mahavira had tortured by putting molten zinc in the previous birth as Tripristh vasudev. Wandering from there lord Mahavira, reached Madhyama. In search of food he reached the house of siddharth vanik. Siddharth was in conversation with his friend vaidyaraj kharak. They both bowed to lord Mahavira. Looking at lord Mahavira, kharak said- “Although he is healthy, his body has become thin.” Siddharath- “Friend! From where is he unwell?”
Kharak then noticed lord’s ears and said-“see! Somebody has put nails into his ears. “They both requested Mahavira to stay but Mahavira did not agree and he began meditating.
Siddhartha and kharak went to Mahavira with medicine and some other people. Using a plier, kharak pulled out the wooden nails. While the nails were being removed, a scream escaped from lord’s mouth which resounded all around the forest. Kharak applied the ointment (varna sanrohan) on the wound and bowed to the lord.
This was mahavira’s last and most cruel trouble. It was a coincidence that his first and last trouble were given by cowherds.
ENLIGHTENMENT (KEVALGYAN):
After bearing terrifying troubles and over helming difficulties lord Mahavira thought meditation and tapasya was purifying his soul. In this way he reached the outskirts of Jambhiya village.there on the bank of river Rijubaluka, in the fields of shyamak Gathapati, under a shadow tree, lord mahavira started meditation. Under the two day fast, Goduhika aasan, vaishak Shukla dashami, the last prahar of the day, uttara phalguni star, kshapak shreni aarohan, second part of Shukla dhyan, with shubh bhav, shubh adhyavysay, lord mahavira after destroying mohineya karma along with four deadly karmas, received enlightenment (KEVALGYAN) and keval darshan. Lord Mahavira could see all visible and invisible objects.
