T o be h a d o f

( )
1 T HE M A N A GER ,
T HE J mu Gu m s,

A llah aba d .
 Li ves of great men all remin d us

We can make our li e

v s su blime ,

A nd , dep arti n g leave b ehi n d

,
us

Footp ri n ts on th e san d s of ti me .

LON GFE LLOW .

mm m m
m
fit
m
z
!

W ‘
mm
ifi ’
z n
 C O NT E N T S .

P re face

I ntrod uction
I ntrod uctory re marks , an d th e histo ricit y of M ahav ira
Source s of i n for mtio mythologi l
a n, ca storie s

Fa mily— e lr a tions — b irth

Chi dl hood e d ucation marriage

— — an d poste ri t y
Re nou n c i n g th e —
world D istri b u tion of —
we a lth San y as
ce re mo y— Ke sh aloch an a— Re sol
n u tion

Se ve re pe n a n ce for twe l ye a
ve rs

H is trav e ls an d pre a c h ing s h yy

for t i rt e ars

A ttai n me n t of N irva n a

H is d isc i ple s a n d ear ly followe r s

H is ch aracte r —te a ch in gs

Approximate d ate of H is N irva n a

A ppen d ix
 P REFA CE .

r HE p rimary co n dition for th e formation of a

Nation is Pride in a common Past ”
Dr . .

A rn old h as righ tly asked How can th e pre sen t

yield fr u it or th e fu tu re h av e p ro mi se except th eir
, ,

roots be fixed in th e p ast ? S miles lays mu ch

”

stre ss on t h i s p oi n t wh e n h e says i n h i s Ch aracter ’

, ,

“
N ation s like i n di v id u als deriv e stre n gth an d
, ,

su p p ort from t h e feeli n g th at th ey b elo n g to an

illu striou s race th at th ey are th e h eirs of th eir
,

g reat n e ss an d o
,
u g h t to be perpet u ator s o f th eir
glory It i s of momen tou s i mportan ce th at a n ation
.

sh o u ld h av e a great p ast to look b ack u po n It .

s teadie s t h e li fe of th e p re sen t elev ate s an d u p h old s

,

it an d ligh ten s an d lifts it u p by th e memory of

,

th e great deed s th e n o ble su fferi n gs an d th e v ariou s

, ,

ach ie veme n ts of th e men of old ”

In d ia s Past
.
’

h as bee n as gloriou s as or ev e n more glorio u s th a n

, ,

—
th at of an y oth er n ation In dia Ci v ilized A n cien t
.

In dia may aptly be called a cradle of great men

— .
’

T h e n am es an d me mories of th ese great me n form

a dowry of wh ich t , h e I n dian Natio n is as p rou d as
oth er n ation s are of t h eir own In h e r Glorio u s
.

”
Past In dia h as displayed greatn e ss in ev ery li n e ‘

of life an d of h e r great m e n Mrs A nn ie Be san t

’

, .
 PRE FAC E .

h as tru ly said
M ak ers of I n d i a were th ey, an d h u n d red s more , an d

ev e r y In d i an h eart sh ou ld ch e rish th e m all , an d b e prou d

of mall and glory in th emall as Ind ia s ch ild ren
th e ,
’
.

O f great men t h e p oet says ,

T hrou gh su ch sou ls alon e

God stooping sh ows su ffici en t of Hi s ligh t

”
For u s in th e d ark to ri se by .

Lo n gfello w h as well d e scribed th e adv an tage s

-

ari sin g fromth e stu dy of th e liv e s of su ch me n

Lives of g reat me n all re min d u s
We can make o ur liv es su bli me ,

A n d , d eparti ng , leav e b eh in d us
Footprin ts on th e san d s of ti me .

G reat meays E merso n

n,
”
s are th e col lyri u m
to clear ou r eyes fromegotism B u rke h as righ tly .

called man a c reat u re of h i s own maki n g

,
“ ”
An .

examp le of a n oble life i s n ece ssary to a man for

h i s own maki n g Example i s th e sch ool of man
.

”
ki n d an d th ey learn at n o oth er
,
Sh ake speare .

say s of n ob le m en ! For m i n e own p art I sh all be

glad to learn of n oble men ”
A n d wh o h as n ot .

su ch a n ob le de sire i n h im? U n fortu n ately i n

A n cie n t I n dia to record th e deed s of great m e n with

red u n dan cy of p artic u lars was n ot th ou gh t of mu ch

importan ce as it i s n ow don e Hen ce a writer h as .

to u n dergo mu ch h e sitatio n before h e u n dertake s

to write th e life of an In dian worth y .
 E
PR F A C E .

In th e followi n g page s I h av e tried to gi v e a fe w

tic lar s of th e lif e of M ah av i ra on e of su ch
p a r u ,

In d ian Worthi e s wh o se l ife h as late ly be e n brou gh t

,

to l i gh t i n th e Historical World afte r dis p elli n g ofi

th e dark n ess of m yth an d mi th olog y wh ich cove red
i t for so m an y c en tu rie s M ah av ira accordin g to
.
,

th e J ai n a traditio n was th e l ast of th e twe n ty

,

fou r Ti rth an karas or th e dei fied p erson ages wh o ,

are said to h av e attai n ed Nir v a n a after h av i n g

comp le te ly d estroy ed th e ka rmas or th e world
ly b on d s . H i s n am e sh ou ld n ot be con fou n d
e d with th at of Han u m an a th e Com ,man der in -

ch ief of th e A ry an arm i e s of A yod h y a wh o carried ,

i nv asio n again st Rav an a th e ru ler of Lu n ka

,
'
.

( C e ylo n )
, u n der th e i r h eroic ki n g R am a C h an dra .

It is v ery likely th at th e greatn ess of M ah av ira

'

may b e dou bted by th e critical readers of th is book ,

for th ey woul d n otfin d on hi s p art th e p erforman c e

of th ose g re at deeds wh ich th ey are a cc u sto m ed to

ofte n fin d i n t h e li v e s of g reat me n of oth er cou n trie s .

—
Bu t i n A n cie n t I n dia i n an cie n t religiou s In dia
g r e atn e s s did n o t li e i n th e per for m a n ce o f great
dee d s b u tin p ossessi n g a greatm
, i n d an d Mah av ira s
,
’

min d was great to a remarka ble deg ree To perform .

g re at deed s i s u n d o u bt e dly great bu t a ,s u p erior

ki n d of greatn ess lay i n con qu eri n g on e s own min d ’

-
’
in su b du i n g o n e s own passion s He wh o h as
.
,

Oon u e re d h is self h as co n qu ered all

q , T hi s .i s rea l
 PRE FA C E .

g reat n e ss a,n d i n th i s s e n se M ah av ira was really

great . T h e great in flu en ce th at hi s n am e still

exercises ov er th e min d s of a large n u mber of me n
is an u n m istakable proof of h is greatn e ss Like h is .

g reat co n te m p ora ry B u ddh a h e exerci

, sed great
i n flu en ce over th e mi n d s of men of h i s ti me .

Thro u gh th is in flu e n ce h e co n v erte d th e wh ole of

North ern In dia an d a greater p art of So u th ern
,

In dia to J ai n ism I h av e tried to gi v e a sh ort

,
.

description of th is relig io u s co n qu est of In dia b y

M ah av ira in th is book .

Th i s book is n ot th e resu lt of an y lon g ch eri sh ed

i dea on m y p art In. th e year 1 9 05 I h a d gi v e n

a sh ort sketch of th e life of Mah av ira i n th e En g

lish J ain a Gazette at th e i n stigat ion of i ts th e th e n
editor Mr Jag man d er Lall J ai ni It was based
, . .

u p on a sh ort Gu j arati pam ph let wh ich itself was a

,

tran slation of a Be n gali p am ph let My frie n d .

,

B Ch aitan Das J aini th e Ge n eral Secretary of th e

.
,

J ain a You n g M en s A ssociation of In dia expresse d

’

hi s desire of p u bli shi n g it i n th e form of a pam

p h let b u t as it was a v ery small article h e aske d
, ,

me to make a few addition s to it He also adv i se d .

me to con sult Prof J ia Ram M A of Lah ore th e

.
,
. .
, ,

P residen t of th e said A ssociation on thi s poi n t , ,

wh o v e ry ki n dly p oi n ted ou tto m e a n um ber of b ooks

on t h e su bj ect for whi ch I amv ery m
,
u ch i n de b ted to

h im Th is book i s th e ou tcom
. e of th e readi n g of all
 PRE FA C E

th ose books T h e sou rces of my i nformatio n are

.

few an d lim ite d T hese can be div ided i n to two

.

parts th e Digamb ara an d th e Sh v etamb ara Sh as

' ‘

tras T h e A ch aryas b elo n gi n g to th e se two sects

'

h av e g i v e n di ffere n t v ersio n s of th e story of hi s

l ife Th ey ag ree i n man y p oin ts a n d wh ere v er
.
,

th ey d ifler th eir differe n ce i s on e of degree

,

an d n ot of k i n d T h e on ly di ffere n ce of ki n d
.
,

whi c h i s striki n gly a v ast on e i s i n co n n ection ,

with h is m a rriage an d p o sterity T h e Shv e tam b ara

.

A ch aryas say th at M ah av ira was m arried to a b eau

tifu l ch armin g p ri n cess Yashod a led th e life of a
, , ,

h ou se h older for th irty years an d h ad a dau gh ter ,

or P riyad arsh ana Th ey fu r th er say th at

'

A n oi .

th i s P ri yad arsh an a was m arried to J s mall a p u pil ,

of M ah av ira a n d h ad a dau g h ter called Sh e sh av at

'

, i
or Ya sh ov ati O n th e oth er h a n d th e Digam
. b ara ,

A ch aryas stau n ch ly u ph old th e v ie w th at M ah av ira

'

was n ev er married an d led th e life of a Brah m ach ari .

Th is su bj ect h as n otbeen i n v estigated as yet by th e

an tiqu arian s ; an d as far as I k n o w it h as n otbee n
, ,

d eterm i n ed wh ich of th e se v ersion s i s a correct on e .

I t is n ot my in te n tio n to e n te r i n to an y di sc u ssio n in
th i s book con cern i n g th e se poi n ts an d h e n ce I ,

h av e giv e n th e two v ers io n s as th ey are av oidi n g

th e sectarian v ie w wh ich so m an y of u s are acc u s
tom ed to take O ccasion aly I h av e tak e n th e liber
.

ty of m a ki n g a fe w com men ts i n certai n places .

 PRE FA C E .

I amafraid th ese comme n ts an d th e i n terpre tations

wh ich I h av e pu t on certain p ortion s of th e story ,

are likely to b e di sli ked by th o se co n se rv ati v e reade rs

am o n gst u s wh o th i n k th at n o criticism o u gh t to b e
,

made on religiou s writi n gs an d wh o are opp osed

to free t h i n k in g i n religiou s m
-
atters Th ey wou ld
.

n ot perh ap s like m y h a v i n g rej ected certai n por

ti on s of th e traditio n s giv e n b y our A ch aryas as

‘ '

myth ical or legen dary Th ey wou ld perh ap s call it

.

a di sobedie n ce on my part of th e word of Sarvagya ;

b u t th ey sh o u l d kn ow th at i n orie n tal writi n gs
H i story h as always bee n i n terpolated with myth ,

an d it i s b y b ri n gi n g th e se writi n gs u n der critici sm

an d free i n v e stigation th at the acc u mu la ted fro th

of m yth s an d miracles i s remo ved from tru e Hi s
’

tory T h e modern age i s on e of free th i n kin g an d

.
-

cri tici sm I t i s by callin g i n to qu estion th e reality

.

of e v ery tradition th at tr u t h i s e stabli sh ed Th i s

.

sa m e spirit h as been followed i n th e follo wi n g

p age s an d th ose wh o are opp o sed to th is sp irit
, , ,

sh o u ld co n te n t th e mselv e s with wh ate v er t h ey learn

fromth o se wh o are of t h eir way of th in kin g It i s
.

for th e m e n of m odern ligh t an d spirit th at th ese

p ages are written .

A t th e e n d of th e book I h av e gi v e n th e San scrit

te rms u sed i n th i s book i n Nagri ch aracte rs Th i s .

will h elp th e readers i n correctly p ron ou n ci n g th e m .

My origin al obj ect was to make it a sort of Glossary

 PRE FAC E .

of T echn ic alitie s by addin g a sh ort expla n atory

n ot e to each word bu t to d o so was beyon d th e
,

scope of this book Hen ce I hav e d ropped th e i de a

.

of it .

It will n ot be ou t of place to make a fe w remarks

on t h e d iffere n t sou rces of my i n form ation A lmost .

e v ery J ai n a Sh astra con tai n s someth i n g abou t

M ah a vira b u t it i s i mposs ible to refer th em all i n
,

th i s sh ort biograph y I sh all th erefore con ten t

. , ,

myself with a fe w re marks on t e Ka pa su tra h l —

an d th e Mah av ira Pu ran a whi ch exclu si v ely ,

d escribe h is career T h e former i s a Sh v e tambara

.

work i n th e Prakrit lan g u ag e f i

Its co m p ositio n i s “

a ttrib u ted to Sh ree B h ad rab ah u Swam i wh o i s said

to h av e li v ed from B o 4 33 to 3 57 T It i s still . . .

ope n to dou b t wh e th er t h i s Bh ad rab ah u i s th e

sam e wh o i s sp oke n of in th e Digambara Sh astras as
Bh adr ab ah u I an d wh o i s said to h av e attai n ed h is
,

s al v atio n 1 6 2 years after M ah av ira i e in B C ,

. .
, . .

3 65 . T h ere i s on e more Bh ad rab ah u spok en of i n

th e Digam b ara Sh astras as Bh ad rab ah u II an d ,

sa id to h av e h eld th e pon ti fical c h air fro m A D . .

1 3 4 to 1 5 7 E v ide n tly th i s Bh ad rab ah u II of th e Di

.

g a m b ar as c an n ot h av e b e e n t h e a uth or o f K alp a

I h a ve c ons u lte d on ly l
th e tran s ati on of t i s wor h k by
fessor Jac obi i
P ro n k
th e Sac re d B oo s of th e East, for w i c h h I
am

m
v e ry m

m
uc h i n d e b te d to h i m
m
.

w w
m m mw fi fi
r -

a fi fi ll firsfiffie wfi l
 PRE FA C E .

su tra Th u s we in fer th at eith er Bh ad rab ah u I of

.

th e Digam baras or some oth er Bh ad arb ah u wh o

liv ed i n th e 4th cen t u ry B o mu st h av e bee n th e
. .
,

first b iograph er of M ah av ira T hu s we se e th at .

th i s b iograph y i s a v ery old on e written abou t ,

som e 1 50 ye ars after th e salv ation of Mah a v ira ,

an d h en ce it i s a more reliable sou rce of ou r

in formatio n th an an y oth erfi Bh ad rab ah u i s said "

to h av e been th e au th or of Samu d ri ka S h astra ,

T e erth a Yatra P rab an d h a Bh ad rabah u Sa m

—
,
h ita an d
Uv asagg ah a su tra A ccordi n g to th e Sh v e tam
-
. b ara
writi n gs it was u n der h im th a t th e P u rv as were
redu ce d to writin g for th e first time He liv e d .

4 5 ye ars as a h ou seh older 1 7 years as a Yogee , ,

1 4 ye ars as a ch ief pon tiff an d i n all 7 6 years

,
.

A mo g th e Digambaras
n th e
Pu ran a i s M ah av ira
more kn o wn th an an y oth er biograph y of Mah av ira .

I t is a Hi n di epic p oemwritten by a certai n Nav al

Sah u of K h atolapu ra i n B u n delk h an d i n th e reign
of Ki n g C h atrasala in Sambat 1 8 25 Th i s too like .
, ,

th e K alpasu tra i s m ore like an ep ic p oem or a

,

roman ce th an a h i storical work i ts au th or often ,

i n d u lgin g in th e myth ic al de scription s of th e In dras ,

In dra n i s god s godd esse s an d th eir abodes

, , T he .

au th or s min d i s more of a poetical th an th at of

’

f J fi h
P ro e ssor acob i n d s t atth e b i o ra of g p hy M h
a av i ra i v e n g
K lp
i n th e a a su tras i s on
-
ly
an a d optati on ro t at i v e n i n th ef mh g
h h m h l
A ch aran g a Su tra w i c i s u c o d e r t an th e or e r wor h f m k .
 P RE FAC E .

h i storical ten de n cy He sp eaks of h imself as a

.

tran slator rath er th an th e real au th or of th e book .

A ccordi n g to h i m th e story of M ah av ira was first

told to Ki n g Sh re n i k a by Gau tama In d rabh u ti It .

w as redu ced to writi n g by Sh ree Sakal Kirti Mu n i raj

He wrote it i n San skrit an d th e au th or tran slate d it
e

i n B h ash a . I h av e co n su lted all th e P attav alis

p u b li sh ed fromtime to time i n th e In dian A n tiqu ary ,

b u t I did n ot fin d an y men tio n of Sakal Kirti as th e

b iograph er of Lord M ah av ira Howev er Dr Bh an .
,
.

d ark e r tells u s of a certai n Sakal Kirti i n hi s report

on t h e search for San skrit M an u scripts He giv es
.

an an aly si s of h i s work T at tv arth ad ipi k a b u t h e

, ,

does n otsay an yth in g as to h is h av i n g writte n a life

of M ah a v ira .

Th e se are in sh ort th e sou rce s of my i n formatio n

,

on wh ich I h av e based t h e presen t sketch I am

.

v ery m u ch i n debted to all th e se au tho rs co n su lted ,

specially to P ro fe ss or J acobi f or h i s tra n slatio n s of

th e J ai n a S u tra s i n th e sacred Book s o f th e Ea s t ,

an d to Dr H .oe rn le for h i s n ote s i n th e U v as ag

d asao .

I h av e also to ofl e r my h earty th an ks to Mr .

J gm
a a n d ar Lall J ai n i M A fo
,
r h.i s.h av
, i n g s u b scri b
ed an i n trodu ction at my req u e st an d h av i n g
made certain correction s i n th e book I am also .

th an kfu l to Pan dit Ram Lal of Kh an dwa an d ,

 PREFA C E .

B ab u s J ain en d ra K e sh ore Kirori Ch an d of

an d

A rrah for th eir h av i n g made ce rtain su gge stion in

c onn ec tio n with th i s book an d la stly to B S ure n dra
.

N ath Gho se of A llah abad for his h av i n g gon e

.

th rou gh th e p roof sh eets of th i s book wh ile it was

i n p ress
.

M C JA IN I
. . .

IN DO RE ,

1 2 th September ,
1 907 .
 I N TRO D U C T I ON .

e n ormou s i n flu e n ce th at h is v ery n ame still exerci ses

u po n a co n siderable portio n of h u m an ity p u ts th is
fact beyo n d th e least dou bt W i th Bu dd h a hi s
.
,

gre at co n tempora ry with Ch ri st an d M ah omet th at

,

fl o u ri sh e d ce n t u rie s after hi mi n Syria an d A rab ia ,

an d m an y oth er great re ligiou s reformers of th e

world h e h old s a su re n ich e i n th e gallery of th e
,

Great I mmort als M y pre se n t p u rpose i s n e i th er

.

—
to e astab li sh h i s gre atn e ss a su p e rflu ou s task n or ,

to desc an t u pon th e details of h i s n oble th eological

an d oth er doctri n e s
— to do wh ic h i s ou t of place
b u tto bri e fly i n dicate th e way i n wh ich th e pre se n t
may practically take a le af ou t of th e book of th e
p ast an d we by i mitati n g th e pri n ciple s ( n ot th e
, ,

de tail s man y of wh ich we do n ot kn ow) of M ah a

v ira s li fe
’

,
may make ou r l iv es su blime T h e .
’

etern al su n of h i s great example is sh i n i n g ov er all

of u s ; an d h ow mu c h we b e n e fit by it obv io u sly
dep e n ds u po n ou r in d iv id u al me n tal moral an d ,

sp iritu al e v olu tion an d n ece ssitie s T h e ligh t an d

.

lo of th i s h ero i s e n v elopi n g t h e Eart h a n d h ow

g r v

we p artake of i ts bli ss will e n tirely de p e n d u p on

h ow th e so u ls of e ach on e of u s se n d s
A swe e t an d poten t v oi ce of i ts own birth
, ,

O f all swe e t soun d s th e life an d ele m

”
en t .

O n e gre at le sso n of J ai n i sm sh ou ld n ev er b e
forgotte n th at we are wh at we h av e made u s an d
,

th at ou r fu tu re i s to be made by u s n ow Th is ,
.
 I N TRO D U C T I O N .

c ardi al doctri n e of self h elp i n v ol v e s th e percep

n -

tion of th e great respon sibility of life Life i s a .

serio u s affair ; an d alth ou gh i t s v i sible d u ratio n in

ti m e i s bu t three or fou r scores of years i ts con ,

ti n u i ty before b irth an d after death m ake s it a

g ran d th
,
o u g h a m y stic a n d p u z zli n g a,
f
f air T h e .

d octri n es of M ah av ira h elp u s in th e solu tion of th i s

p re n atal an d p ost mortem my stery ; an d h i s li fe
-

sh o ws u s t h e li n e of su cce ss i n th e p rese n t We .

are co n cern ed h ere on ly w ith th e last .

T h e first p ri n ci p le th at u n derra n th e life of

M ah av ira seem s to h a v e b ee n h i s i rrepress i ble d esi re

to kn ow th e ca u se of thi n gs of a ll thi ngs By stu dy

, . .

ob serv ation steady th i n ki n g an d tapas wh ich i n

, ,

th e I n dia of th o se days was a n e sse n tial p art of th e

li fe of a tru e sch olar h is i n qu irie s led h i m to an
,
—

e n tire satisfactio n of h is desire He attai n ed Nir

.

v an a . T h e p u rsu it of kn o wledge i s a v ery lo n ely

road ,
an d dou b ts an d dej ectio n s of v ariou s ki n d s

beset it at e v ery step Bu t th e b rav e h eart an d

.

keen eye of ou r last Lord ov ercame all an d h e ,

reach ed th e etern al fields of ligh t an d learn i n g A ll .

th e m ean i n gless su perstition s an d c u sto ms to wh ich ,

th e Jai n as b ow i n th e 1m won te d com pan y of oth e r

se ctio n s of t h e In dia n people wou ld fade away i n
,

a gen era tio n s ti me if ev e n fifty p er ce n t of th e

’

, .

profe ssed Jai nas were to u n dersta n d th eir tru e

relatio n to th e o u tward world a n d th e p u rp ose of
 I N TRO D U C T I ON .

th eir brief soj ou rn i n it In deed it h as stru ck me

.

a t ti me s as a fu tile th ou gh fasci na ti n g spec u lation ,

h ow Lord M ah av ira w o u ld h av e li v ed h i s l ife i n

th is age i n accorda n ce w i th h i s own teach i n g of

re spect for place time an d occas ion ( aw m m) .

,

l . .
,

A n yh o w th e le sso n i s clear Stea d y pu rsu i tof k n ow

.

ledge throu gh books a nd pe rson a l obse rva ti on a n d

md i t ti doe s n ot mean a v erbal ch an tin g
m
e a on ( wh ic h
of i i M i ii wh ile th e eye s are ga z i n g i n to
, ,

v acan cy an d t ,
he mi n d i s b u s ily sc h e mi n g th e n e xt
i n v e stme n t of you r t h ou san d s i n Bomb ay cotton or
C alc u tta sil v er ) .

A n oth er po i n t i s Lord Mah av ira s broa d m i n d ed

’
-

n ess . Th at h e started a mov e me n t wh ich embraced

person s of all caste s an d creed s a n d of all d egree s
o f ci v ilization i n th at h oary p ast v ery am ply attests,

th e breadth of v i e w with wh ich h e co n ceiv ed J ain

,

i sm J a i n i smwas n e v er mea n t to be th e n arro w

.

o r excl u si v e t h i n g t h at it appears to h av e becom e

n ow .Ki n gs warriors ! u ee n s Brah man as S u dras
, , , , ,

th e aborigi n e s ( wh o m o st probably are sy mbolise d

by the b easts an d bird s th at atte n ded th e Samav a
s ar an of Lord Ma h a v i ra) all pro fited by h i s teach

in gs Like Bu dd h ism i n i ts firs t ce n tu ries it al so

.
,

too k u p th e c au se of th e masse s wh o were bein g

de moralised an d tyran n i sed by th e excl u si ve priv i ,

le g e d an d i n flu e n tial prie stly classe s B u t it is .

c u riou s th at Jai n i smitsel f h as beco m e p rie st ri dden -

 IN R T O D U C T I ON .

an d i g n ora n ce flood e d i n th e
-
. i mmediate past A n .

i n term i n able mass of rite s an d ceremon ie s h as re

p lac ed i ts pri sti n e simplicity a n d mi n or det ail s of
,

e ati n g befo re su n set an d d ri n ki n g strai n ed wat e r

an d co n d u cti n g big ra th —y a tra p roce s s io n s a n d

,

figh ti n g big co m mun al cases gav e all bu t mad e

p eople forget th at beh in d t h ese co mp arati v ely u n
i mportan t details the re lie s a wealth of prin ciple s
of cos m opolitan app licatio n T o defen d th e abov e
.

p ractices by sayi n g th at th e se th i n gs are good for

th e m asses i s to assu me th ese latte r to be far far
, ,

b eh i n d th eir time s an d u n able to u n d erstan d th e

righ t road to th eir salv atio n M ore liberali smof a
.

tru e stamp n amely th a tli bera lismwhi ch wi ll i n sist

, ,

u pon t he grea t a n d fru i tfu l pri n ci ples of J a i n i sm ,

as di sti n g u i sh ed fro mi ts m i n or p ractice s i s badly ,

n e eded by ou r com mu n ity ; an d if a stu dy of th e

li fe of M ah av ira does n ot i n sp ire u s with i t my ,

idea i s th e fau lt is i n u s
,
.

A th ird le sso n t h at th i s life teac h e s u s i s a

rea d i n ess for ch a n ge . A co n serv ati v e s pirit i s

more prev alen t all ov er th e world th an it seems .

O u r actio n s c h an ge soon er th an ou r ideas Th i s i s

.

wh y we still i n n am e adore th e teach i n gs of ou r

Tirth an karas wh ile i n fac t we all kn ow h ow far
,

ou r actio n s ru n from th ese teach i n g s Bu t th e

.

Jai n as alon g with oth er I n dian s see mto hav e for

, ,

ot te th at too rigid co n ser vati smi s a sign of decay

g n
 I NTRO D U C T I O N .

an d u ltimate r u i n a n d th at c h an ge i s an e ssen ti al
,

c o n ditio n of p rogre ss My c h ie f h op e for th e Jai n a

.

c au se i s th at I ob serv e e v e n t he m ost stau nch opp o

sers of E n gli sh ed u catio n a n d of th ose wh o h av e

recei ved it are th e msel ve s ob v io u sly su ccu mbi n g to

,

i ts sire n ch arm s Bu t my re g ret i s o n ly th i s

. We .

a re m ov i n g too slowly ; an d becau se we h av e , i n

th eory determin ed n ot to ch an ge we are walki n g
, ,

with large logs of p rej u dices th at we pu t before u s

a t e v e ry ste p It i s rath er a cu riou s meth od of
.

walkin g T h e work of reformi s do u bled i n di ffic u lty

. .

Before we can take ou r frie n d s an oth er step with

us t
,
h e log th at th ey h av e pu tbe fore th e mh as to be
remo v ed first Wh a te v er ou r merits th e readi n e ss
.
,

to se e stern facts in th e face i s n ot th e most marked

of t h e m . B u t it was oth erwi se with Mah av ira He .

s aw a t o n ce th at t h e followers of Lord P arsv an ath ,

h ad fallen off fromth e h igh sta n dard th at was e x

p e c te d of th e m ; a n d th a t if th ey w ere let alo n e ,

th i n gs wou ld n oti mprov e He th ereu p on added th e

.

v ow of n ake d n e ss to t h e fo u r great v o ws of P arsv a

n ath an d oth e rwi se m ade th e r u le s of con d u ct for
J ai n a a scetic s h arder T h e ti me s de m
. an ded stri n
g e n cy an d h e adopte d it T h e te n de n cy of ou r
.

times i s sligh tly di fferen t Th ey too deman d p u rity

.
, ,

an d stre n gth i n social an d re ligio u s affa irs bu t n ot ,

a lon g ascet i c li n es O u r ascetici sm i s to be of a

.

d i ffere n t ty p e We are n ot to leav e temp tatio n s

.
 I N T RO D U C T I O N . X V II

an d distraction s b eh i n d u s to prey u pon ou r weaker

bre th ren an d si sters i n th e town s we h av e to stay ,

an d figh t an d de stroy at leas t weake n th e se foe s of ,

hu m an ity Th is i n v olv es con tact with h u n dred s of

.

p eople n ot of ou r way of th in ki n g an d feelin g an d ,

we mu st t h erefore be prepared to h av e n ot a few

, ,

of ou r an gularitie s th at we m ay be ap t to co n sider
,

to be di sti n cti v e m ark s of Jai n i sm ru b bed off i n ,

ou r work of social an d religiou s re form .

A fou rth poi n t wh ich perh ap s coul d b e g iv e n

,

th e first p lace i s th e grea t fr eed omtha t Ma h a vi ra

,

ga v e to wo m en In th eory J.a i n i sm n e v er den ied

equ ality of sp irit u al righ ts to women ( Exce p t th at .

th e Digam b ara J ain a wo me n can n ot go to Nirv an a

In p ractice th ey h av e bee n pu t down lower th an
men as a matter of co u rse B u t wh at is more im
,
.

p ortan t i s th at th ey h av e be e n gi v en v ery fe w i f ,

an y ch an ce s of c ul ti v a ti n g th e ir m
,
i n d s an d bodie s .

It i s on e of th e mo st scan dalou s featu re s of ou r com

mu n ity an d can n ot be reme di e d too soon Mo ve .

men ts for disp ellin g th e ign oran ce of ou r ladies are

already afoot i n th e n orth an d sou th of In dia an d ,

th e du ty of th e tru e follo wer s of ou r last Lord i s to

make th ese mov eme n ts a gloriou s su ccess We
i ’
"
.

Of mea th F e ml Ed cati o De p a tm tof th e

cou rse I n e a e u n r en

Jai a Yo g M e s Associ ti o of In d i a ; d th e lad i wo k

n un n
’
a n an es
’
r

o ga i se d b y th e So the
r n M ah a tta J i na Sabha und r th e
u rn r a , e

g u i d a ce o
nf M A B L atth
r. e . . .
xv iii I N TRO D U CT I ON .

sh ou ld n ot fear th at ed u c atio n an d k n owle dge of

ri gh t s w ill m ak e ou r women di sobedie n t or u n
se xed or i mmoral Th ese fallacie s h a ve bee n e x
.

lo d d o er a d o v er agai n a d I sh a ll o n ly ad d
p e v n n ,

th at we mu st look to th e v ery great gai n th at we

will h av e by th e excelle n t early trai n i n g th at e d u
os ted m oth ers will giv e to J ai n a c h ildre n an d more
c u lt u red an d e n j oy able h o m e li fe t h an i s fo u n d i n
J ai n a fami lies n ow .

A fifth poin t sh ou ld appeal to t h ose of th e

you n ger spirits wh o wi sh to ri se h igh e r an d h igh er
so th at t h e cro wn of fame may re st on th eir h ead s .

To su c h th e li fe of ou r last Lead er te ach e s the g reat

lesson of a d evoted pu rsu i t of on e ce n tra l i d ea l of
li fe . I do n ot k n o w if th ere i s a more p ain ful or
si n fu l li fe th a n a p u rpo sele ss exi ste n ce Hu n dred s
.

of ou r you n g m e n h av e n oble a spiratio n s b u t th eir

ambition s are t h ick sigh ted -

”
. Th i s blin d n ess to a
ce n tral p u rpo se of li fe cau se s man y a n oble wreck
a n d an h on e st atte m pt mu st be made to remov e it .

Bu t i n man y case s th e obj ect of life can be seen

with a little exertio n a n d th ere th e beh older m
, u st

kn ow th at h av i n g seen h e i s to follo w O u r Lord .

M ah a v ira saw th e ligh t an d followed it to Nir v an a .

Th at as th e Sh astras say can n ot be attain e d n ow

, , ,

u n le ss we are born i n t h e Vi d e h as b u t still by

,

p u rsu in g on e great ideal we may be n earer th e

goal an d wh o k n o ws b u t th at a stre n u ou s an d
,
 L O R D M A H A V IR A .

CH A PT ER I .

I n trodu ctory re marks an d th e h i storicity

,

of M ah av ira .

It is a pate n t fact th at e v ery man i n ord e r to ,

lea ve som e su b stan tial work after hi s sh ort worldly

c areer sh ou ld h av e some ideal of h i s own ; an d in
,

accordan ce with t h i s pri n ciple t h e Jai n as regard

N ir v an a or th e perfectio n of sou l as th e o nly
, ,

ideal of h u man life Nirv an a as explai n ed i n

.
,

th e Jai n a Ph ilo soph y i s th e goal of a m

’

,
an s li fe at ,

wh ich ev ery man sh ou ld ai m an d wh ich i s attai n ed

,

rarely an d with di fficul ty It i s wh at god s an d

.

a n gel s an d m en are stru ggli n g to attai n i n repeat

ed birth s Wh at e v ery man sh ou ld aim at i s th e

’
.

ac h ie v eme n t of a tru ly n oble life an d i mitation of ,

th e greate st m e n of t h e world sec u re s th i s to a large

exten t . Noth i n g i s more i mportan t says Blackie
”
, ,

towards th e ach iev e men t of a n oble life th an an

imagi n atio n well decorated with h eroic pictu re s ; i n
-

oth er words th ere i s n o su rer meth od of b ecomi n g

,

good an d grea t th an an early familiari ty with th e

li v e s of good an d great m en No sermon i s so e ffec
.

tiv e as th e examp le of a great man Here we see .

 2

th e th i n g d on e before act u ally do e u s,

— th i n g n ,
— a

of wh ich we w ere n ot e v e n dream i n g an d th e v oice ,

spe ak s forth to u s with a pote n cy like t h e v oice of

man y wate rs Go th o u an d do like wise Let u s
,
.
’

th erefore tu rn ou r i magin atio n i n to great pictu re

,

galle ri e s of th e h e roic sou ls of th e gloriou s past a n d ,

fix ou r id e a] u pon on e of th e m
”
T h e Holy bo oks .

of t h e Jai n as abo u n d i n example s of su ch h eroic

sou l s ; b u tth ere are t wen t y fo u r stars sh i n i n g abov e
-

all wh o go by t
,
h e n am e of th e T irth an karas or th e
A rh atas an d i n th i s book an atte m pt h as bee n made
to famili ari se th e reader with an accou n t of th e
word ly care e r of Lord M ah av ira th e last of th e m ,
.

T h e n ob le appellatio n A rh at i s applied to a so u l
, , ,

wh o h as a perfect k n owledge of all th i n gs wh o h as ,

co n qu ered th e word ly passio n s wh o i s worsh ipped

by all Wh o h as preach ed th e tru th ; an d wh o i s
h i mse lf th e S u p re m e Bei n g i n h i s perfect state .

Vard h aman a or Mah av i ra as h e was common ly

’ ‘

, ,

kn own was th e last or th e twen ty fou rth of th e se

,
-

A rh atas .

For a lo n g time Mah av ira was looked u pon as

a sort of myth ical person age b rou gh t i n to sacred ,

exi ste n ce by th e imagin ation of some seceders from

or oppon en ts of Bu dd h i st faith on th e an alogy of i ts
well kn ow n fo u n der Gau tam
-
a u n til 1 8 84 wh en
, , ,

F or fu rthe r ex plan ati on of h

t i s te r mse e Dr . Hoe rnle
’
s

trans lati on of th e Uv asag d asao, p . 12 3 , n. 276 .

 b
3

th at G er man sch olar of wide v ie ws an d cau tiou s

j u d g me n t P rofessor Herman n Jacobi after re mov
, ,

i n g th e acc u m u lated froth of m yth s an d miracles ,

an d sceptic m i srepre se n tatio n of th e Jai n a Gran th as

w ith wh ich th e e arly li fe of M ah av i ra was cov ered
a n d wh ic h h ad le d M Barth to cal l i n t o qu e stion
.

th e i n tri n sic v al u e of H i s traditio n cam e to th e con ,

clu si on th a t e n o u gh i s k n own of h i m to i n v alid ate

th e su spicio n th at h e i s a sort of m ystical perso n ,

i n v e n ted or se t u p by a yo u n ger sect so me ce n tu ries

after th e preten ded age of th eir assu med fo u n der ’
.

D u ri n g th e last twe n ty years mu ch more i s kn own

abou t h i m; an d a c areful stu d v of th e Pali a n d
th e Prakrit work s of th e Jai n as an d th e B u ddh i s t

writers h as e stabli sh ed th e h i storicity of M ah av ira

a s an u n i v ersal tru t h .

W h at c hiefly led th e sch olars to su spect h i s h is

toric i ty for so lo n g a ti m e were th e di ffere n t n ame s
by wh ich h e i s kn own i n di ffere n t works T hu s i n .

Digambara Sh astras be side s M ah av ira h e i s al so

, ,

called Vardh aman a Vira Sanmati an d A tivi ra In

, , , .

Sh v e tamb ara Jai n a work s like th e Kalpa su tra th e -

A ch ara n g a su tra th e Uttarad h y ayan a th e S u tra

-

, ,

K ratan g a an d oth er works h e i s spoke n of as a

, ,

G n a tri pu tra T h ey fu rth er te ll u s th at h e was

.

called Vard h aman afi becau se fromth e mome n t

i i

I . e. T h e i n cre asi n g on e a n d n ot th e Inc re ase r as is

ex pe cte d .
 ( 4 )
th e boy h ad b een b egotte n th e silv er an d gold , ,

th e i n te n sity of li berality an d th e p op u larity of h i s

p aren ts h ad i n creased ’
Nor are we by an y
.

mean s says Professor Jacobi forced to rely on

, ,

th e tradition of th e Jai n a s on ly sin ce for som e p ar ,

ti cu lars we h av e th e testi m on y of th e Bu ddh i sts also

i n wh ose writi n gs M ah av ira i s m en tion ed u n der h i s
well k n o wn n am
-
e N atapu tta as th e h ead of th e,

N ig an th as or J ai n a mo n k s an d a riv al of B u dd h a
”
, .

Th ere i s n o di fferen ce betwee n Natapu tta an d

G n atripu tra b y wh ich th e Sh v e tam b ara Sh astras
call h imexcep t th at the former co me s from Prakrit
an d t h e latte r from San scrit He was so called
.

b ecau se h e belon ged to th at clan of th e K sh atriyas

wh o were k n o wn as th e G n atri k as In B u dd hi st .

works th ese G n atri k as are kn o wn as th e

Th u s we se e th at h e i s sometimes n amed afte r h i s
cou n try sometimes after h is Gotra someti mes afte r
, ,

hi s birth plac e an d someti me s after hi s meritoriou s

,

qu alities It was th i s v ariety of n ame s wh ich led

.

to th e con fu sio n bu t it h as bee n n ow remov ed an d

,

M ah av ira h as b een recogn i sed as a h i storical reli

gion s an d sp iritu al h ero wh o liv ed an d p reach ed i n
th e sixth cen tu ry B o . .

Se e Sac re d Books of th e East v ol XX II p x foot ote

, .
, .
, n .
 C HA PT ER II .

Sou rces of i nform atio n — myth olog ical stories .

It h as b ee n stated i n th e last ch ap ter th at th e

g r eater part o f th e li fe of M a h a v ira as de s cribed i n

th e Jai n a Gran th as i s i m b u ed with myth s wh ich

mar th e real v alu e of th ese works So me of th ese .

myths are rath er cu riou s an d a few of th em are

,

g i v e n belo w as ty p ical o f th e re s t .

T h e firs t of th e mrelate s to hi s p re v iou s birth s .

T h e M ah a vira P u ran a gi v es a lon g an d a cu m

‘ i”

bro u s li st of h is i nn u merable prev io u s birth s with a

de tailed descriptio n of so me of th e m T h e v al u e of .

thi s de scri p tio n i s i n co m preh en sible u n less it be

o n ly to illu st rate th e Karma ph ilo soph y of th e
J ai nas or it o n ly sh ows th e bitter h atred of J ai n a
,

writers to ward s Brah man s . He i s said to h av e

e xis ted e v e n before S wa m i A di n ath He h ad th e .

fortu n e of b ei n g the son of B h arata Ch akrav arti an d

a d o n of S w a m i A di n at h T h i s made h i m pro d
g r n s . u .

Throu gh p ride h e began to preac h falseh ood an d ,

co nse qu e n tly h ad to u n dergo se v e ral existe n ce s .

T hi s myth sh ows h ow on e is re warded for the

g ood o r t h e b ad acts of h i s p re v iou s b irt hs I t .

may be on ly to thi s en d th at th is myth h as been

* Se e P re face .
 6

con n ected wi th th e li fe of so great a p erson age as

Mah av ira i
T h e Kalpa su tra on th e oth er h an d ‘ ’

-
.
,

say s n oth i n g abou t th i s It on ly asserts th at M ah a

.

v ira lea v i n g h i s lo n g an d h appy di v i n e life

,
o n ly ,

for th e good of th e world an d th e attai n m e n t of

Nirv an a c ame to th i s world as a T irth a nkara d e s
, ,

ce n d i n g fromt h e great Vi man aj th e all v ictoriou s

‘

an d all prosp ero u s P u sh pottara to take t

-
h e for m of ,

an e m bryo i n th e womb of h i s mot her Both th e .

abov e qu oted Gran th as state th e date of h i s e n t e r

i n g th e wo m b of h i s moth er as th e sixth day of th e
latte r h alf of A sh ad h a
'

T h e seco n d m yth of th e tran sfer of e mbryo i s

also co n n ecte d with th i s It ru n s th u s both i n th e .

A ch aran g a su tra a n d th e K alpa su tra

-
Here -
.
,

forsooth i n th e co n ti n e n t of J am
,
b u d v ipa i n Bh a ,

rat v arsh a i n t h e sou th ern p art of it i n th e sou th

, ,

e rn Brah m an ical part of th e place K u n d apu ra h e ,

took th e formof an e mbryo i n th e wo mb of De v a

n a n da of t
,
h e Jalan d h arayan a Gotra wi fe of th e ,

Brah man a Rish ab h ad atta of th e Gotra of K o ,

dala .

Th e n i n th e th ird mo n th of th e rain y season ,

th e fifth fort n igh t th e dark ( fort n igh t ) of A swi n a

, ,

on i t s th irtee n th d ay w h ile the m oo n was in con

,

j u n ction with Uttaraph alg u n i after th e lapse of ,

See P re face .

T Vi man as are p al aces of god s .

 l 8

Usabh ad in n a i n stead of Usabh ad atta Be sides th e

.

n am
,

e is su ch as cou ld be giv en to a J ain a o n ly n ot ,

to a Brah man a I th erefore make n o dou b t th at

.
, ,

R ish ab h ad atta h as b ee n i n v e n ted by th e J ai n as i n

order to pro vide Dev an an d a with an oth er h u sban d .

N ow Siddh arth a was co n n ected with p erson s of

h igh ran k an d great i n flu e n ce throu gh h is m arri age
with T ri sala . It was th erefore p robably t hou gh t
, ,

more pro fitable to g ive ou t th at M ah av ira was th e

son an d n ot m
,
erely th e stepso n of T risala for th is,

reaso n th at h e sh ou ld be e n titled to t
, h e p atron age
of h e r re latio n s .T h is story coul d all th e more
easily h av e gai n ed crede n ce as Mah av ira s paren ts ’

were dea d m an y years wh e n h e came forward as a

proph et Bu t as th e real state of th in gs coul d n ot
.

tot ally h av e bee n e rased fro m th e memory of th e

people th e story of th e tran sfer of e mb ryos was
,

i n v e n ted T h e latter idea was n ot an origi n al

.

con ception of the Jai n as b u t it was ev ide n tly

,

borrowed fro mth e P u ran ic story of th e tran sfer of

emb ryo of K rish n a fro m th e womb of Dev aki to
th at of Roh i n i
N ow it i s certai n th at th i s lege n d i s th e i n v en
f —
tio n of th e au th or o th e Kalp a su tra b u t th e ,

assu mption made b y J acobi to gi v e an explan ation

of it doe s n ot see mto be fo u n ded u pon so u n d reason .

T O assu m e t hat Sidd h arth a h ad two wiv e s a Brah ,

m a n i a n d a K sh a tri y an i a nd
, to say th at M ah av ira
 9

was th e son of th e for mer i s itself i correct ; fo a

n r

Brah man a girl was n otallo wed to m arry a Ksh triya

a

Jain a If it h a d bee n so th e Jain a law gi v ers wh o

.
,
-

h av e so closely follo wed th e carrier of M ah av ira

i n gi v in g social laws wo u ld n ot h a v e proh ibi ted
,

i n termarri age between a Brah ma n a girl an d a K sh a

tri y a boy . O n th e oth er h an d Mah av ira Pu ran a ,

clearly says th at M ah av ira was th e son of T ri sala .

If h o we v er I am allowed to o ffer my opi n io n I

, , ,

will attrib u t e th e i n v e n tio n of th i s lege n d to th e

bitter h a tre d of th e Brah man as by th e Jain as of th ose
ti me s an d to th e p refe re n c e th at th e K sh atriyas we re
g i v e n o v e r th e B rah m a n as by th e J a i n a A c h ary a s .

W e h av e th e te sti mo n y of a tra dition also It r u n s .

th u s Bh ad rab ah u i
th e au t h or of th e K alpa
,
i i

su tras , an d h i s broth er V arah am i h ira th e au th or ,

o f B ri h at sam
— h i ta were li v i n g togeth er i n th e co u rt
,

of t h e ki n g Dh ru v ase n a of Gu j rat B oth of t h e m

.

were great astrologers O n th e bi rth of a ch ild th e

.

ki n g co n su lted Varah amih i ra as to th e ag e of th e

ch i ld an d on le arn i n g fromh i m th at it wou ld li v e
,

for a lo n g ti m e h e h eld a Darbar i n orde r to

,

celebrate th e birth of h i s c h i ld O n seei n g th at .

Bh ad rab ah u was n ot pre se n t i n th e asse mbly of h i s

cou rti e rs h e c alled h im an d asked to explain th e
,

cau se of h is abse n ce Bh ad rab ah u told th at h e d i d

.

Se e P re face .
 10

n ot like to re j oic e fo r h e s h all s oo n h a v e to la m e n t

th e deat h o f t h e ch i ld a fter te n day s T h.e ki n g ,

bein g v ery mu ch an n oyed with th i s u n expec te d

reply se n t h i m to j ail b u t after te n days th e
, ,

ki n g lost h is c h ild an d ad miri n g th e fore sigh t of

,

Bh ad rab ah u n ot o n ly libera ted h im b u tgav e h i ma

, ,

seat n ear h i s th ro n e an d t u r n ed ou t Varah am

”
,
ih i ra
.

How far th i s traditio n i s tr u e ca n n ot be said ,

b u t it sh ows th at B h ad rab ah u an d Varah amih i ra

were n ot on good te rm s a n d on e h ated t h e religio n
of t h e oth e r. N ow can it n ot be th at Bh ad rab ah u ,

ou t of h i s h a t red for t h e Brah man as m igh t h a ve

,

i n v e n ted t h i s story of th e trasfe r of embry o s ?

Wh atev er it may b e it can be safely asserte d on
,

th e au th ority of M ah av ira Pu ran a th at M ah av ira was

th e son of T risala an d n otof De v a n an d a as Pro fe ssor

J ac obi h as assu med A s to h i s a ssu m

. p tion th at
th e story was borro wed fro mth e P u ra n ic story of th e

tran sfer of th e embryos of Kri sh n a fro mth e wo mb

of D e v aki to th at of Roh i n i it c an n ot b e said
,

wh eth er it were th e Jai n as or th e Brah m an a s wh o

borrowed it fromth e oth er .

A n oth er m yth i s th at of th e six te e n dre ams .

It is stated th at th e moth er of M ah av ira like th ose

of e v ery T irth an kara saw sixtee n dreams on th e n igh t
on wh ic h M ah av ira i s belie v ed to h av e e n te red

th e wom b of h is moth er Th e se d ream

. s were

1. A fin e e n orm, ou s ele ph an t p ossessi n g all

,
 11

lu cky marks with stron g th igh s an d fou r migh ty

,

tu sks Th i s was su pposed to foretell th e b irth of a

.

T irth an kara .

.2 A tam e l u cky b u ll of a wh iter h u e t h an th at

, ,

of t he m ass of petals of th e wh ite lotu s ill u min i n g

all arou n d by th e diffu sio n of a glory of ligh t Th i s .

w as su ppo sed to foretell th e birth of a great reli

g i ou s preac h e r .

3 . A h an d so me , h a n d so mely
ape d pl ayfu l sh ,

lio n j u m
,
pi n g fromth e sky to wards h e r face T h i s .

w as su ppo se d to foretell th e birth of a c h ild wh o will

b e a de stroyer of h i s ka rm as ( th e e n e mie s) an d a
p ossessor of li mi tle ss Vee ry a .

4 .Shr ee or Lak sh mi th e godde ss of wealth of

, , ,

famou s b e au ty with th e face of th e fu ll moon on

, ,

th e top of M o u n t Hi m a vat reposi n g on a lo tu s i n ,

th e lotu s l ake an oi n ted w ith th e water fro mth e

-

s tro n g an d large tru n k s of th e gu ardian eleph an ts .

Th is was belie v ed to i n dicate th at th e ch ild will be

an a n oi n ted k i n g .

5 garlan d c h armi n gly i n terwov e n with fre sh

. A
M an d ara flo wers co m i n g do wn from th e firmamen t .

Th i s mean t th at th e body of th e ch i ld will be a

fragra n t on e .

6 . T he brigh t radiati n g h is golden rays i n

su n

all direction s an d sh eddi n g hi s lu s tre all rou n d

M o u n t Méru . Th i s i n d icated th at th e ch ild will b e

 ( 12 )
a dispeller of th e mass of dark n ess wh ich is th e
sym bol of i g n oran ce .

7
. T h e cow milk wh ite fu l l m
-
oo n th e lov er of
-

Roh i n i ri sin g in th e h eav en s an d rai si n g th e waters

,

of t h e oc e an below T hi s porten ded th e b irth of a

.

great religiou s preach er .

8. T wo fish e s wh ic h m ean t th at th e ch il d will

,

be a h appy on e .

9. T wo golde n an d co stly v ase s filled with p u re ,

water an d i n dicati n g th e birth of a ch ild wh o w ill

be co n stan tly i mmersed i n sp irit u al meditatio n .

10 . A great lotu s lake adorn ed with water lilies

rou n d wh ich th e black bee s an d th e mad dro n es
were h ov eri n g T hi s was su pposed to foretell th at
.

th e body of th e ch ild will po sse ss all th e m arks of

a p erfect bei n g .

11 . T he m ilk ocean wh ite like th e breast of

-

Laksh mi i n dicati n g th at th e ch ild will be a

,

Kev ali n .

12 . A co stly thro n e of diam on d s an d ru b ie s

wh ich mean t th at th e ch ild will be a m aster of th e
th ree lok a s .

13 . A n excelle n t celestial abode sh in i n g like

th e di sk of th e m orn i n g su n .

14 . T h e great ki n g of th e god s re sidi n g b elow

th i s earth .

15 . A n e n orm ou s h eap of j ewel s re semb li n g

M o u n t M eru an d illu m in ati n g ev en th e sph ere of
th e sk y . Th is was pposed to foretell th e birth
su

of a ch il d wh o wi ll be a po sse ssor of righ t k n ow

ledge righ t in tu itio n an d righ t con du ct

, .

16 . A great fire fe d with mu ch sh i n i n g an d

h o n ey colou red gh ee an d i n v eh eme n t motio n
-

T h e Kalpa su tra says th at a large meeti n g was

-

c on v en ed by t h e ki n g on th i s occasion a n d le arn e d
,

me n were asked to in terpret th e dreams Bu tfrom .

M ah av ir a Pu ran a we learn th at i n th e morn i n g th e

qu een h erself came to th e co u n cil of th e kin g with
all h e r m aid s T h e ki n g affe ction ately asked h e r
.

to take h e r seat n ear h imon th e th ro n e ; an d th en

h e h i msel f i n terprete d th e dream . s

From th e se myth ical descriptio n s we proceed to

real facts i n th e life of ou r Lord M ah av ira wh ose
i deal an d su bli m e life i s to be writte n as far as
,

p o ss ible i n,
th e life o f eac h i n di v id u al
.
 C H A PT E R III
.

Fa mily relatio
— ns — b irth .

Siddh arth a ,
th e fath er of M ah av ira , al so k n o wn
as Sre yamsa J asamsa i n th e Sh v e tamb ara
an d

Gran th as was a K sh atriya ru ler of a p lace called

,

K u n d alpu ra situ ated i n th at part of North ern I n di a

wh ic h was called Pav an i n v e ry a n cie n t ti m e s an d
Vi d e h a or M ag ad h a i n later ti m e s He belon ged .

to th e clan of G n atri kas wh o are also k n own as

N ati k as i n th e B u dd h ist works an d wh o were a ,

powerfu l clan i n an cien t ti me s M an y of th e .

ru li n g dyn astie s of later ti m e s are said to h av e

sp ru n g fro mt h i s clan an d e v e n t h e rulin g ch iefs of
,

th ose time s wh o were also related to h im th ro u gh

,

h is wife belo n ged to th i s cla n It i s wh y M ah av ira

, .

h as bee n v ery often c alled G n atripu tra or Natapu tta

i n th e B u ddh i st works T h e Digam baras also call
.

hi m a Harib an si an d e ve n a N ath b an si A s to .

hi s gotra it is asserted on both h an d s th at h e was a

Kash yap a In B u dd h ist wo rks hi s gotra i s con
.

fou n ded with th at of h i s p u p il Su d h armaich arya

a n d i s th e refore said to be A g n i v ai sh ayan a
'

, , T he .

de scription of th e magn i ficen ce of h i s palace th e ,

ceremo n iou s rej oici n gs with whi ch th e birth of

Mah av ira was celebrated an d th e g ra n deu r an d
 16

h i s wi fe i s frequ en tly tyled De v i in th e Digambara s

Gra n th as an d Siddh arth a is said to be a wi se

, ,

v ir tu o u s i n d u strio u s
, an d a po werfu l ki n g M ore
,
.

ov e r Ch ete ks th e po werfu l ki n g of Vi d eh a wou ld

, , ,

n ot co n de sce n d to m arry h i s dau gh ter or si ster ,

as t h e case may be T risala to Sidd ha r th a a mere

, , ,

lan d o wn er as Pro fessor Jacobi su ppose s h i m to

-

be th i s b e i n g agai nst th e pop u lar c u sto mamon g

,

th e K sh at riya s of th o se ti m e s Siddh arth a too .

, ,

wo u ld n otgi v e h is ch oice to su c h a matc h Neith er .

it was a lo v e match All th e se re marks go to sh o w

-
.

th at Sid d h arth a if n ot a po werfu l mo n arch e xe r

, , ,

e les d at le ast a ki n gly a u th ority eq u al if n otm

, ,
ore , ,

to th at of C he tak a .

eems to be u n de n iable th at M ah a
A n yh o w t h i s s

v ira s fath er was a kin g an d a ru ler n o m at ter h ow

’

far h i s ru le an d po wer exte n ded .

As to th e
birth place of M ah av ira it is prob able ,

b u t n ot ce rt a in as Dr Hoe rn le su gge sts ” th at th e

, .
,

J ain a traditio n whi ch re pre se n ts K u n d alpu ra as a

,

large town may be c orre ct in asmu ch as K u n dal

, ,

p u ra i s take n as equ i v ale n t to Ve se li ( San scrit

V ai sh ali ) He p u ts h is birth p lac e at K ollag a
’ ’

.
,

an oth e r su b u rb of Ve se li of wh ich th e Nath a or ,

Naya ( Gn atri K sh atriyas were th e ch ie f i n h ab i

'

t an ts an d after wh omM ah a v ira i s called a Nath a

,

Se e Hoe rnle s Uvasag d asao p 4 n 8

’

, .
, . .
 17

ban si or a Naya Ku lin He su pp ose s th at th e city

.

co mmo n ly called Vesali occu pied a v ery exte n ded

area wh ic h i n cl u ded with in i ts circ u it ( at t
,
h e ti me of ,

H we n Th ean g ) of abou t 1 2 mile s ( se e C u n n i n gh am

’

A rc h aeo logical Rep or ts Vol I p ,

be sides Vese li
.
, .

proper ( n ow Be sarh ) se v eral oth er place s A mon

,
.

t h e se were Van iyag rama spoken of i n th e Uv asa g

d asao an d ,
Th ese two togeth er wit h
K ollag a m ake th e th ree s u bu rb s of Vese li spoken
‘

of as t h ree di stricts i n a Bu dd h i st trad itio n q u oted

by Rockh ill in h is life of B u ddh a N ow as to h is .

firs t su ppositio n th at Kol lega an d n ot K u n d alpu ra

'

w as th e birth pl ace of M ah a v i ra we can say t h at it ,

i s q u ite u n n ecessary an d wi th o u t grou n d for both

th e Digam baras an d th e Sh ve tambaras assert th at
K u n d alpu ra was th e place wh ere h e was born .

T h ere i s n o m e n t ion of th is p lace i n eith er of th e

au th oritie s Had it b ee n th e actu al birth place of
.

M ah av ira th e J ai n a s carefu l write rs as t h ey were

, , ,

wo u ld h av e n e ver left it u n m en tion ed Th ere does .

n ot see mto be an y good reaso n to p refer t he u n

a u th e n tic traditio n ary e v ide n ce of t he B u dd h i sts to
th at of th e Jain as th e mselv es Hi s seco n d su ppo si .

tio n th ou gh b ased on traditio n ary e vide n ce see ms , ,

i n all p robab ili ty a reaso n able on e ; an d we m

, ay

“
The se sti ll e xist as v i llage s u n d e r th e n ame s of Ba i ya n

and Basuk u nd ( se e th e m ap s p lat e X XI i n V ol

, I a d P late
, . .
, n

X VI N O ] . II , of th e A rchcelog .
—Hoe rn le .

2
 ( 18 )

re st assured th at K u n d alpu ra a su bu rb of Vesali , ,

as re a lly it was was th e birth p lace of M ah av ira

,
.

It may be added th at wh at led J acobi to call it a

h alti n g place was th e wron g e xpla n a tio n of th e word
-

Sa n n i v es wh ic h mean s a religio u s e stabli sh me n t .

Siddh arth a h ad on e you n ge r broth er too wh o was ,

called Su persv a abou t wh om we k n o w n oth i n g

fromeith e r th e Sh ve tam b aras or th e Diga m baras
exce pt th at h e was li v i n g with h i s elder b rot her i n
h is p al ace .

T ri sala or P riyak armr th e moth er of M ah av ira

, ,

was a bea u tifu l m eritoriou s a lo v i n g an d a v irtu ou s

, ,

lady wh o i s said to h av e posse sse d all th e go od

,

qu alitie s of th e h ead an d th e h eart In th e Sh v e tam .

bara sh astras sh e i s sp oke n of as si ster to K e taka

C h k h po wer fu l ru ler of Vi d e h a wh o belon ged
( e ta a ) t e

to th e Vashisth a gotra For th i s al so sh e i s called

.

Vi d eh ad atta In th e Digambara Sh astras sh e i s called

.

as dau gh ter of C h e t ak a th e ki n g of Si d d h ad e sh a
, .

It is n ot k n o wn wh eth er th e se two C h e tak as are th e

sa m e or differen t p erso n s Sh e was an a ffection ate
.

moth er an d wou ld n ot allo w h er son to become a

Sa n yasi wh en h e was a b oy
,
.

T h e Sh ve tamb ara Gran th as also say th at Mah a v ira

h a d an elder broth er , N an d i v ard h an a wit h wh o , m
he r re fe rences se e Dr
F or fu rt . Hoe rnle
’
s trans lati on of th e
Uvasagd asao p , n 8
. . .
 ( 19 )

M ah av ira i s aid to h av e li v ed i n h i s boyh ood

s .

Th ey al so assert th at h e h ad on e elder sister k n own

b y th e n a m e o f Su d a rsan a O n th e ot h er h a n d we
.

fin d n o m e n tio n of th e mi n th e Digambara sh astras .

M ah a v ira s pare n ts were bo th fortu na te me n i n

’

asm u ch as th ey li v ed to se e th eir son a grown

up m an of th irty two -
T h e M ah av ira P u ran a say s
.

n oth i n g i n co n n ectio n with th i s .

It h as b e e n s tate d by bo th th at Mah a v ira was

b or n on th e thi rtee n th day of th e latter h alf of
C h aitra abo u t 7 2 ye ars before th e e n d of th e fou rth
al i n th e Du sh am a su sh a m a p eriod O n th i s
‘ ‘
-
.

o cca sio n great per for m an ce s an d re j oici n gs took

e ki n g s p alace wh i ch la sted for te n day s
’

p lace i n t h .

Street s were illu mi n ated ch aritable deed s were

,

p erfor m ed ,
an d pri son e rs were liberated It
. i s in

su c h circ u m sta n ce s th at o u r Lord M a h a v ira was

b orn .
 CH A PT ER IV .

C h i ld h ood — ed u cat io n — ma riage

r an d p osterity .

Mah a v i ra
’
l ife may b e d i v id e d in to th re e pe riod s
s .

T he first di sco v ers h i m i n th e e n j oy m e n t of th e

royal g ra n de u r of h is fath er a n d le ad in g a pio u s
li fe of a Sh ravak a or a h o u se h olde r In th e sec on d
'
-
.

h e i s d ee p ly i m merse d i n th e re ligio u s meditatio n ,

Dh y an a a n d se v e re bo d i ly mortification of wh ic h
, ,

Yoga is b u t a form i n o rd e r to p rep are h i mse lf for

,

th e g re at work of a re ligi o u s pre ach e r wh ic h h as

gi v e n a lasti n g p e rma n e n cy to h i s n ame In th e b e .

g i n n i n g of th is peri od we fin d h imd i sgu sted w ith

th e world lv p le as u re s a n d determ i n e d to k n o w the
t ru th bv me d itati on A t th e e n d of it we fin d h i m
.

th e m aste r of th e tr u t h a Ke val in
,
In th e t h ird
.

p e riod we fin d h im preach i ng h is gosp el to h is

p u pils a n d th e me n of th e world an d h e ari n g all
th e h ard sh ip s t h at a religio u s preach er h as to su ffer ,

th u s reali si n g h is doctri n e s i n h is righ t co n d u ct ,

Sam y a
-
k ch ari tr a H
. i s birt h a nd Nir va n a bei ng

added to th e se make th e fiv e great poi n ts of h is life

de scribed so beau tifu lly in th e J ai n a Sh ast ras an d ,
'

kn o wn as th e five K alyan akas .

T h en we begin with th e early life of M ah av ira .

As a m atter of fact th e early liv es of great me n

, ,
 ( 21

great i n th e real sen se of th e word are al ways ,

wrapp ed u p i n m ystery Su persti tion s me n as we

.

are we are likely to i n v en t by ou r co n j e ctu re s

, ,

myth s an d miracle s an d con n ect th e m w i th th e

,

e arly epoc h s of h
t e li v e s o f g r ea t m e n Co m m on .

peo ple are e asily led to belie v e an y th i n g th at i s

s aid by h
t e more re fi n ed a m o n g t h e m It i s h ow .

th e liv e s of great m en gro w m ysteriou s M ah a .

v ira s early life i s al so looked u po n as a sort of

’

mysteriou s th i n g b u t th e sp ell is easily broke n i f we

,

s u b j ect it to a lit tle scru ti n izi n g an d c om p arati v e

s t u dy of th e Jai n a S h astra s T hu s we se e th at
.

b oth th e Digambaras an d th e Sh v e tamb a ras assert

th at M ah av ira led th e li fe of a Sh rav ak a a laym an , ,

for t h irty years li v in g with h is fath er an d moth er

i n K u n d alpu ra . T h e di ffere n ce i s o n ly i n th e
details T h e Kalpa su t ra i s si le n t abo u t th i s It
.
-
.

on ly say s th at th e Ve n erable A scetic Mah av ira

h a d li v ed th irty yea rs i n V i d eh a wh e n h i s p are n ts
w e n t to th e world of th e god s ( i e die d ) an d b e . .
, ,

with th e p ermi ssion of h is elder brot h e r an d th e

au t h orities of th e ki n gdom fu l filled h is promi se ,

i e b eca me a San yasi

. . T h i s doe s n ot th ro w an y
.

ligh t u po n th e ki n d of li fe th at h e led d u ri n g th e se
—
t h irty years T h e A ch aran g a su tra an ot h er Sh ve
.
,

tambara work like th e Kalpa su tra h owev er clears -

, , ,

th i s to so me exte n t It says th at th e Ve n erable

.

A scetic M ah av i ra after hi s i n tellect h ad dev elop ed

,
 22

an d th e c h ild h ood h ad passed a way li v ed i n th e

-

en j oyme n t of th e allo wed n oble fiv e fold j oys an d

, ,
-

p le asu re s (con si sti n g i n ) sou n d tou ch taste c olo u r

, , ,

an d sm ell . Th is too does n ot sati sfy ou r c u rio si

, ,

ty an d we l earn fromit o n ly t h at h e h ad de v eloped

,

h is i n tellect i n h i s c h ild h ood a n d n oth i n g more

th an th i s T h e latter h al f of th e abo ve q u otatio n
.

asserts th a t M ah av ira i n the v ery pri me of h i s

,

yo u th passed h is t ime i n th e e n j oyme n t of sen ses

,

an d n ot i n th e spirit u al st u dy of h i s Sel f an d th u s

prep ari n g h i mself for th e gre at missio n of h i s life .

O f co u rse th i s d oe s n otme an th at h e was addicted to ,

or a slav e of th e se p le asu re s ( co n si sti n g in ) so u n d

, ,

to u ch taste co lou r an d smell ; oth erwi se it woul d

, ,

n ot b e re a so n ab le to expe c t fro mh i mt h e perform

an c e of th e great m i ssio n of h is life of rev i v i n g th e
,

dec aye d frame of tn e religion of the Tirth an karas b y

pr omu lgatin g th eir d octri n es th rou gh o u t th e wh ole
of North e rn In dia He li v ed i n th e e nj oyme n t of
.

th ese pleasu re s on ly as far as it is allowed B u tth e .

Digamb ara A ch aryas do n ot allow h im th e e n j oy

me n t of an y wo rldly pleasu res at all From th em .

we le arn th at i n h is ve ry eigh th year h e h ad take n

th e v ow of ob serv i n g th e twelve P ra ti m a s or t he
ru le s of co n d u ct of a Sh rav ak a or a layman He .

was pio u s fro m h i s v ery ch ild h ood an d n e v er ,

de v i ated from th e path s of i n tegrity an d v irt u e .

Hi s v ery m i ssion of li fe was to gi v e an example of

 24

Fro mh i s c h ild h ood we pass to h is boyh ood ,

an d ab ou t t h i s we lear n fro mboth th e a u t h oritie s

th at i n add it ion to h is le adi n g th e li fe of a strict

,

Sh ra v aka he too k g re at i n te re s t i n o u t d oor ga m

,
es -

an d m artial exerci se s .

He d to go to th e roy al g ar d e n s of h is fath e r
u se

with h i s play m ate s an d with the son s of h is

-

fath er s min iste rs an d a mu se h i m

i
’
se lf t h e re w ith

se v e ral ki n d s of feats of s tre n gth a n d ph y s ical ex

ercise s He h ad a h a n d some a n d sy mmetric al

.

bo d y a n d a mag neti c p e rson ality He was a man .

of gre at cou rage a n d su pr e m e v alo u r He i s n e v er .

said to h av e lost h i s co u rage e v e n on th e occ asio n s

requ iri n g great stren gth of bo d y an d th e min d .

T h e D iga m b ara Sh astras te ll u s an an ec d ote i ll u s

tratin g h is su pre m e v alou r a n d perse vera n ce It .

ru n s th u s
O n e day , wh i le
playi n g wi th h is frie n d s i n th e
garde n of h is fath e r Mah av ira saw an e leph an t , ,

ma d ma d ferociou s on accou n t of th e j u i ce iss u i n g

-

fro mh i s te mple s c omi n g to ward s h i m A ll h i s com

,
.

p an io n s b oys as t h e y were bei n g won der str u ck

, ,
-

an d afraid of th e i m p e n di n g dan ger de serted h im

T h e qu ee n he rse lf re ad poe tryDh ma Sh t a He an d th e ar as r . r

att e n d an ts e d to p t q e sti o s to h e
us uon ll s bj e cts i
u n th e r a u n

fo mof id d le
r r d th e q e e
s , an se d to a s we
u th e m Is i t for
n u n r .

thi s e aso th t M h av i ra i s sai d to hav e bee n bo

r n a a wi th th re e rn

ki nd s of kn owl e d g e
 ( 25 ;

an d ran off With o u t losi n g a mo men t M a hav ira

.
,

-
we n t n ear the elep h an t cau gh t h old of h i s t ru n k
,

w ith h is stro n g h an d a n d asc e n d ed h is b ack at

o n ce .

Th i s looks so me wh at like a mi rac le a n d an

i mpo ssibility .
”
M iracles say s P a u l C aru s
,
h ave,

cease d to b e a religio u s te st yet th e beli e f i n th e

miracu lou s power of th e master still b e ars wit n e ss
to th e h oly awe of th e first d i sc iple s an d re fl ect s
th eir religi ou s e n th u siasm Th u s we see th at
.

e v e ry se e t h e s so me mi racle co n nect e d w ith i ts

' —

fou n der to i llu strate th e g reat mig h t a n d v alo u r

of th e man It i s p ossible th e n th at th e J ai n as
.
, , ,

too follo wi n g th e pop u lar c u sto m mi gh t h av e i n

, ,

v e n ted th i s st rory to il lu strate th e u n li mite d v alou r

( A n a n t a v e e ry )
a of th e la s t o f t h e i r t we n t y f o u r -

T irth an karas Bu t we c an n ot call it e n tirely an

.

i n v e n ted mi racle It i s p ossible i n all prob ab i

.

lity .

Fromth i s we co me to h is ed u cation th e real p art ,

of a ma n s li fe C u rio u s e n o u gh to re mark th at bo th
’
.

th e Dig m b aras an d th e Sh v e tam baras say n oth i n g

ab o u t it T h ey assert th at M ah av ira h ad b ro u g h t
.

with h i m a h igh ly ( th o u gh n ot fu lly ) de v e lo p ed

Sp irit u al n atu re from hi s pre v iou s bi rt h s an d , ,

th ere fo re h e was wi ser th an th e wise me n of h is

,

age T h e Diga m
. b ara S h astras say th at fromh is
 26

v ery ch ildh ood he p osse ssed th e mati shru ti an d ‘

,
'

’
th e a va d h i or th ree of th e five kin ds of k n ow
'

gyan

ledge .

I n th e Kalp a su tra we read th at h e p o sse ssed

-

su pre m e u n li mited u n i mpeded k n o wledge an d

, ,

i n t u i tio n Th u s we se e th at bo th th e au th oriti e s
.
’

asse rt th e same th i n g with o n ly th i s di ffere n ce th at

on e says h i m to posse ss th e A v ad h i g yan a n d th e

o th e r says th at h e was in po ssessio n of th e A bh o

gika gy an wh ich is i n ferio r to th e A v ad h i k n ow
ledge B u t all th i s doe s n ot satisfy u s W e wa n t
. .

to k n ow i f e d u catio n was i mp arted to h i m i n th e

mod e rn way We wou ld kn o w if h e co uld read an d
.

write We wi sh to b e i mformed of h is skill i n

.

le arn i n g Bu t perh aps th e A ch aryas did n ot th i n k

.
, ,

it n ec essary to edu cate Mah av ira wh o was a b orn

1 . T he knowle d ge of h gs
t in w ich h hav i ng come i n to
e xi ste n ce , a re n ot d e stro e d y , a cq u i re d th roug h th e se ns e s an d

th e mi nd .

2 . kn owle d ge of thi n gs acqu i re d i n ad d i ti on to th e

T he
mati gyan throug h re ason i n g a d stu d y of th e Jai na sc i p tures
- n r .

It d e al s w i th all th i n gs n ow e xi sti n g an d al so wi th th ose that

we re i n th e p ast or m ay b e i n th e fu tu re .

3 T h e kn owle d g e of facts goi n g on i n d i fl e re nt p l ace s

.

wi th ou t goi n g to th ose p lace s at all .

T h e othe r two k i n d s of kn owl e d ge are ! M ana h pa rya ya ,

cap a ci ty to re ad th e th ou ghts of ot he rs ; and K eva lgya na ,

full kn owle d ge 5 e a kn owle d ge of all thi ngs i n all the i r

, . .
, ,

mod ificati on s [See T a ttvd rthfid h i gama Su tra Sh lok as 1 8

. ,
 [ 27

i n stau rator of all k n owle d g e Howe v er th is may

.
if
,

n ot co n v i n ce the mode rn re aders an d we h av e to ,

assu me th at Mah a vira was re ally ed u cated i n th e

p alace of h i s fath er .

I n th e p recedi n g p age s mu c h h as b ee n sai d abou t

th e c h ild h ood th e b oyh ood
, th e ed u catio n a n d th e
,

bodily valou r of Ma hav ira We se e th at th e re i s

.

n ot m u c h d iffe re n ce i n th e de scri p t io n of th e se as
gi v e n by th e two se cts T h e facts di ffer a little
.
,

b u t th e ki n d of li fe th at h e le d i s th e sa me i n both .

Ho we v er wh e n we co me to h i s yo u th w
, e fin d th at ,

th e re i s a real an d wid e di ffe re n ce b e t wee n th e

O pi n i on s of t h e two sect s T h e Diga m
. b aras h old
th at Mah a vira was n ev e r marrie d an d led th e li fe of
a Brah mach ar i i n h is yo u th a n d was disgu st e d with
th e wo rld from h is v ery boyh ood O n th e o th er
.

h a n d th e Shv e tam b aras asse rt th at h e was married

to a ch armin g pri ncess Yash od a belo n gi n g to th e
K au n d i n ya go tra b u t th e y s ay n oth i n g abo u t th e
,

pa re n ts an d th e relation s of th i s p ri nce ss Th ey .

fu rth e r say th at Mah av ira h ad a d a u gh ter A n oj j a or

‘

P riy ad arsh an a She was m

. ar ied to Ja mali a p u pil
r
,

of Ma h a v ira an d h a d a dau g h ter called Se sh av a ti

,

o r Yash ov a ti . Up o n th is au th ority Profe ssor Jacobi

A nd s ti ll the y asse rt that h e us e d to re ad e p i c p oe try

wh i l e sti ll a b oy ( Se e M ah av i ra P aran a
. . ch .
 con stru cts th e followin g ge n ealogical table of Mah a
v ira sh o wi n g al so h i s o th er relatio n s

I I
Su parsv a Si d d ha tha
r T ri sala or Kotaka Su b h ad ra .

V i d e h ad atta Ki n g of V aisali .

Nan d i v ard h an a Va d haman a

r Su d arsan a mbi sa a
Bi r K e ln a
ma ri e d to
. . .

r Ki ng of
Y ash od a . M ag ad h a .
I
m to
A D O JJa
.

J mali
.

a
K un ik a or Aj atasatru .

Se sh av ati . Ud ay i n , fou nd e r of
P atali pu tra .

A s to h i s h a v i ng an u n cle
e lder b roth e r an d a
,
an ,

si ster t,
h e Diga m baras d o n ot ad mit it A s to h i s .

paren t s bo th asse rt th e same A s to h i s p osterity .

the Digam baras say n oth i n g abou t it A s to h is .

o th er relati on s an d his con n ec tio n with th e ru li n g

dyn as tie s of M ag ad h a we will see later on
,
.
 CH A PT ER V .

R e n ou nc i n g the —
wo rld Di str ib u tio n of we alth
San y as cere mo n y — K e sh aloch an a —Resolu tio n .

It h as bee n said abo v e t h a t M ah a v i ra was d is

g u s ted wi th th e world a n d had a mi n d to b e come
a Sa n yasi fro mh is v e ry b oyh ood b u t h e was ke pt
fromdoi n g so by th e re m o n st ran ce s of h i s p are n t s .

W e h av e n o t e sti mo n y to sh o w wh eth er or n ot h e
was broodin g u po n h is e arly idea of re n ou n ci n g th e
wo rld all alo n g . A ccord in g to th e Diga m b ara
A c h a ryas it was i n h is th i rti e th yea r th at on e d ay ,

w h i le m e d ita ti n g u pon h is S e lf all of a su dd e n h e

,

re fle cted u pon h is age wh ic h he k n e w th ro u gh h is

th re e fold kn owledge to be of o n ly se ve n ty two ye ars -

a n d this re fle ctio n re m in d e d h i mof h is lo n g c h e ri sh

ed wi sh O f be c omi n g a Mu n i T h is sh o ws th at th e
.

idea of re n u n c iat io n was ou t of h is mi n d at least

for som e ti m e b u t h e h ad n ot to tally giv e n it u p
,

an d wh e n still on t h e v erge of man h ood h e deter

mi n ed to lea ve th e world an d become a N i rg ran th a
Mu n i . T h e sa m e au th ority fu rt her says th at h is
pare n ts were still liv i n g an d wou ld n ot allo w h im
to giv e u p h is p ri n cely amu se me n ts an d pleasu res
a d be
n a Sa n ya s i . H i s m ot h er a
,
n a ffectio n ate
wo m an as she was came to h iman d sai d
, , Vardh a
 ( 30 )

ma a Pri ce
n ,
n are still a you n g man y ou h av e
, y ou

n e v er b e e n expo se d e v e n to t h e ligh t of th e su n ;
h ow wi ll y o u bear th e scorc h i n g ray s of th e su n
Yo u r de lic at e b ody an d mi ld limbs wil l n ot bear
th e h ard sh ip s of strict Digam bara Diksha y ou mu st ,

li v e with you r pare n ts i n th e R oyal Palace an d h elp

you r fath er i n th e ma n age me n t of h i s ki n gdo m .

B u t M ah av i ra wo u ld n ot n ow be kep t b ack an d
exp lai n e d to his mother th at th e world i s like
an i ll u sio n i n wh ic h we sh o rt sig h ted m ortals se e
t h i n gs di ffe re n t fro mwh at t hey are He told h e r .

th at e v e ry man after p assi n g the li fe of a Sh rav ak a

,

sh o u ld leav e th e R ag a a n d be co m e a S a n y as i so t h at

h e may a tt ai n N ir v an a Th rou gh h i s re m o n st ra n ces

.

h i s moth er t h o u g h with so m
, e re lu cta n ce ga ve h e r ,

co n se n t an d Mah av ira became a M u n i i n h is

,

th irtieth year .

Fromth e Sh v e tambara poi n t of v ie w as we h av e ,

alre ady re marked h e h ad th ou gh t of re n o u n ci n g

,

th e world se veral ti m es b u t h i s de v otion to h is old,

pare n ts an d th e lov e of h is you n g wi fe stood i n h i s

way I n h i s t wen ty eigh th year h i s pare n ts died an d
.
-

he percei v e d wit h h i s su pre me u n li mite d k n o w

ledge th at th e ti me of h is Re n u n ciatio n h ad come .
’

Bu t h i s elder broth er wo u ld n ot al lo w h i mto do so .

Vira said h e,
th e deat h s of ou r pare n t s are
,

still fre sh i n ou r m emories you r leav in g u s thi s

ti me wou ld si mply ren der ou r bereav e me n t more
 32

can carry ,
an d be in g fo llo wed on h is way by a
tra i n of all ki n d s of me n ra isi n g a s ho u t of v ictory

a n d prai si n g h i m w ith s wift an d so ft wo rd s

”
T he .

p lace to wh ic h h e was c a rried a n d wh ere h e

per fo rmed h is first pe n an ce was a park k n o wn
as th e Sarthi K h a n da accordi n g t o t h e Digam b aras
an d G n atri S h a n da or th e Sh an d av an a of th e
G n atris accordi n g to th e Shv e tam b aras Th ere h e .

h ad h i s p alan qu i n stoppe d A speci al th ro n e k n o wn

.
,

as th e P an d u s h i la or th e five d ai se s p laced on e o v er

th e oth e r e ach O f th e u pp e r on e bei n g som

,
e wh at
sm alle r th a n th e lo we r on e s o as to m ake on e able
to c limb a bove was ere cte d th e re T h i s was orn a
,
.

me n te d su rrou n de d on all side s by garlan ds an d

,

h ad asa n d al or an A soka t ree o v er it Ma h av i ra took .

h i s se at u p on t h i s da is b e low th e san d al t ree took O ff ,

h is orn a m e n ts garla n d s a n d fin e ry &c a n d e n tered

, .
,

th e s ta te of h o u sel e ss n e ss He t h e n re n o u n ced
.

or th e attac h m
if
th e t we n ty fou r P a ri g ra h as
-
e n ts an d

The se a re —T h e te n B ah y as ( e xte rna l on e s ) an d th e

fourte e n A ntaran g as ( i nte rn a l one s) T h e te n B ah y as are
.

1 . K s h e tra attach m e n t to l an d
2 . Va stu house s
D ha n a
.

3 wea l th
Dhan ya
.
.

1
1 °
corn .

0 . Dv rpad a se rv a n ts .
6 . C h atu spad a do me sti c an i mals
h y A san be d s and
.

7 . S a an an d s e ats .
8 . Y an a v e h i cle s
Ku ppa
.

9 .
c l othe s
B hand a pots
.

10 .
.
 33

assu med t we n ty eigh t

th e - —
or th e ch ie f
M u l g u n as
q u alities of a mon k Th u s h e adopted th e h oly
.

c o n d u ct of J a i n a N i rg ra n th a Mu n i Th e n follo we d .

a v e ry b old an d a t ry i n g cere m o n y k n o wn as th e
K e s h aloc h a n a ce re m o n y wh ich as i s th e c u stom , ,

re q u i ri e s a m a n wh o w i sh e s to e n t er th e spi ri tu al
order of th e J a i n a M u n is to p lu ck ou t wit h h is,

rig h t a n d le ft ( h a n d s ) on th e righ t a n d le ft ( side s

”
of hi s h e ad ) h is h a ir i n fiv e h a n d fu l s T h e pro .

ce ss i s n ot of c u tti n g or sh av i n g th e h a ir of th e
h ea d as i s th e c u sto mw ith th e Hi n d u San yasi s b u t ,

T he fou rte e n A ntaran g as are

1 M i th y at atta c hme nt to wron g be l i e f
h i me n of be
. .

Stri v e d a n a wi s n
hav i ng l i ke wome n
n

a wi s h i n w om
.

2 P ur us h av e d a e n of
be hav i g l ike me n
.

n .

N apu n sak v e d a a wi s h i n both of b e

hav i n g l ike both .

3 . y
B as a la gh i g
u n .

4 . R ati In st
p
.

5 . A rati
j
re u d i ce s .

6 . h k
S o a s o rro w .

7 . h y
B a a fe ar.
8 . J ng u psfi bl y
d e i it .

9 . K rod h a a gen r.
10 . M i na se lf p ai s
-
r e
y
.

11 . Ma a d e ce i t .

12 . L ob h a avari ce .

13 . R g fia p as s i on s .

14 . Dv e s h a j e alou sy .

The se are !
T h e fiv e M ah avratas or g reat v ows
A h i nsa of n ot k i i n
g ll .

2 Sat a y tru t h
mm
. .

3 A ch au rya n ot co i tti n g t he ft
m
-
.
.

4 B rah ach arya

. av oi d i n g se xu al i n te r
cou rse .
5 . P ari g rah a t yaga a ban d oni n
g th e pari g ra
 ( 34

it is of p lu cki n g it ou t i n h an dfu l s No dou bt i t .

re q u i rie s a g re at c ou rage an d a stro n g w ill to do it

a n d o n ly th ose c a n do it wh o h av e n o lo v e wit h

t h e i r fle sh an d bo n es wh o are really di sg u sted with

,

th e world a n d wh o h av e co m p letely maste red th eir

p assion s It i s said t h at if a man h esitate s from
.

doi n g so at th e ti me of th e c e re mo n y h e i s d i squ ali ,

fl e d to e n te r th e sacre d o rder O b viou sly th e cu s .

tomi s a tri al of a m
’
an s co u rag e a n d fo rt it u de a n d ,

M ah a v i ra i s sa i d to h a v e p assed i tv e ry s u cce ssfu l ly .

T h fi
e S m
ve i ti o d oi g th i g c e f lly
a s r n n s ar u
6 .I y r a w alk i g c a e ful ly n r .

7 .Bh s a a p ki g S ea n
8 A h s a an ti g ea n
mo i g thi gs ca e f lly
.

9 Ad N k s h e pa a
an a 1 n re v n n r u
p fo mi g th e O p e ati ons
. .

10 P ti sh th pa a
ra a n er r n r
mf e qu e te d
.

of at e i n ur n i r n
p l ac s e
I d iy D m
.

T he fi ve n r a as o c o t ol
a a n r n r s
11 .Sp h a rs a c o t ol ov e th e p ass i ons n r r .

12 .R a sa u a ton gu e .

13 .Gh ra n a n ose .

14 .C h k sh a u e ye s .

15 .Sh ot r ra e a rs .

T h e i x d a i ly d ti e s
s u
16 S m atfi
a un ive al b oth e rh ood rs r
re pe titi on of th e m
. .

17 .St a a av n e ri ts of th e
Ti th nk s r a ara
p yi g th e fiv e P arame sh th is
.

18 Va d a a n n ra n
P ratik am
.

re p e ti g of th e si ns
.

19 . an a r n n .

20 .S ad h y y a
v a re a di g n .

21 .K y otsa g a
a yoga
r .

22 .V st a tyaga
a r ab a d o i n g th e c l oth e s n n .

23 .K ac h l o c h -
n th owi g off th e h ai r r n .

24 .L ag h b h oj anau eati g v e ry l i ttl e n .

25 .A ik b h uk ta e ati n g on ce a d a y .

28 .Not to cle an se te e th .

27 .T o e at s ta d i n g n .

28 .N ot to b athe .
 ( 35 )
He tore ou t th e h air of h is h ead with o u t sh ri n ki n g
fro mth e se v e re trial .

I t i s al so said th at Mah av ira p o ssesse d th e M an h a

p y y
a r a a Gy a n
5
‘’
at t h i s ti m e T
. h e n h e paid ob ei s
a n ce to all th e Siddh as wh o h ad attain ed Nirv an a
b efore h im an d th e n formed th e followin g resolu
,

tio n 2 I sh all for t welv e years n eglect my b ody an d

aba n do n th e care of it I sh all with equ an i mity
bear u n dergo an d su ifer all cala mitie s ari si n g fro m
, ,

di v in e po wers m e n or an im
”
,
als 1 .
’

Thi s e n ab le d h i m to kn ow th e thoughts of all se n ti e nt

be i ng s wi th five organ s whi ch are n ot d e fe cti ve an d posse ss
, ,

a d e v e l op e d i nte ll e c t ( l i v i n g ) i n th e two an d a h alf con ti n e nts

,

an d th e two oce an s . O f n ote on p 2 6 ab ov e

. . .

e d s of pe op l e are said to h av e re nou nce d th e world

‘
1 H un d r

on th is occas i on .
 CHA PT ER VI .

Se v ere pe n an ce for twe lv e ye ars .

We h av e n ow re ach ed th e period i n th e li fe of
M ah av ira fro m wh ich h e begi n s to lead t h at h ou se
le ss an d h ard life of a Jai n a Mu n i i n wh ic h h e
h ad to trav e l fro mp lac e to place e xcept i n th e rai n y
,

seaso n all th e eigh t m

,
o n th s of su mmer an d win ter ,

preac h i n g a n d teac h i n g th e pe op le as h e trav elled ,

an d pe rfo rm i n g se v e re bodily mortficati on s for th e

d e stru cti on of the k a r mas an d th e attai n me n t of
k e v alg yan . A v e ry i n te re sti n g an d precise d e s
cri pti on of th i s part of h i s li fe i s gi v e n i n th e J a in a

Sh astras men tio n i n g th e place s wh ich h e v i sited a n d

wh ere h e preach e d to th e peop le th e doctri n e of
J ai n i smd u ri n g th e c ou rse of h is trav el s th rou gh
th e greate r part of In dia . Th o u gh bo th th e
sou rce s of ou r i n for m a t io n t
,
h e Diga m b aras an d th e
Sh v e tam b aras declare th at h e tra velled an d per
,

for m ed pen an ce for t welv e ye ars be fore th e attai n

men t of K e v alg yan yet th ere is mu ch di se re
,

p an cy betwee n th e accou n ts gi v e n by th e two .

— i
Th u s th e A ch aran g a su tra says th at M ah av ira
’
,

soon after h i s Diksh a or th e Re n u n ciatio n an d

after h a v i n g for m e d th e re solu tio n of lead i n g

Boo k II L e ctu re
, 15 .
 37

a de v oted life of a Ja i n a M u n i n eglectin g hi s

,

body arriv ed i n th e v illage of Ka mmara an d th e n

, ,

began h is t rav els from th at place It doe s n ot

.

say an y th i n g abo u t t h e pl ace s wh ich h e v i sited .

T h e K a lpa su tra d oes n ot me n tio n h i s firs t v i sit

f

to K u mmar ; b u t it says th at h e stayed th e first

C h a tu rmasa or th e ra i n y se ason of fou r mo n th s i n
A sth i k a th ree rai n y seaso n s in Ch amp a an d
P h ri sti ch a m
-
p a an d th e re st of th e eigh t i n Vaisali
,

an d Van ij ag ram a B u t th i s d oes n ot co n tradict th e

.

fact of h is g oi n g to K u mm ar It i s po ssible th at
.

M ah a vi ra migh t h av e first v i sited K u m ar an d t h en

co mme n ced h i s trav els begi n n i n g with h i s first
rai n y seaso n stay atA sth ik ag ra ma Trav e llin g for
.

th e J a i n a M u n i s i s p ro h ibited for fo u r m on th s of
th e rai n y se aso n for fe ar of ki lli n g th e i n sect s an d
su c h oth er small cre atu re s as are see n specially
i n th a t se aso n an d th e reby co m mitti n g H i ma
wh ich is strictly to be av oided by th e J ai n as In .

co mp li an ce with t h is A gya ( orde r) M ah av ira h ad to

‘ '

st ay at on e p lac e d u ri n g t h e ra i n y se aso n s an d th u s
th e fact of hi s stayi n g i n di ffere n t p lace s in di ffer

e n t ra i n y seaso n s as g iv e n by th e K alp a su tra i s -

Accord i g to th e comme ntary (on K

n . i t was form e rly

ca ll e d V a rd h ama na b u
, t i t h a s s i ce b
n e e n c a ll e d A s th ik ag ra

ma be cau se a Y aks ha Su lapan i h ad the re colle cte d an e n or

,

mou s he a p of bon e s of th e p e op le whomh e h ad k i lle d O n that .

he a p of bon e s th e i nhabita nts h ad bu i lta te mp le P of J acobi

— . r . .
p ossible Let u s n ow see wh at th e Digambara
.

Gran th as say abou t th i s In th e Mah av ira Pu ran a

.

we read th at h e did n ot attai n th e fo u rth Gyan j u st

at th e ti me of h i s re n u n ciatio n J u st after h i s
.

ren u n ciation h e performed co n sta n t meditation for

six m o n t h s i n wh ich h e h ad to be q u ite mo tio n le ss .

Still h e did n ot attai n ed th e fo u rth k i n d of k n ow

ledge He h ad to u n de rgo bodi ly mortificati on seve
.

ral ti me s before h e got it A tth e e n d of six mon th s

.

h e i s said to h av e go n e to a place c alled K u lpu ra .

K u lad h ipa th e r u ler of th a t p lace paid h i s resp ect

, .

to h is ve n erab le gu est ; an d 1 t 1 s at th i s plac e

th at Mah av ira h ad h i s first P a ra n a or me al a t th e
e n d of a fastof si x m o n th s Fro mt h i s p lace h e wen t
.

to th e city of Dash apu ra Ku la th e kin g of th at

.
,

pl ace came to se e h i man d h av i n g gon e ro u n d h i m

,

th ree ti m es an d h av i n g wash ed h is feet with h i s own

h an d s o ffe red h i mm i lk an d ri ce for h i s breakfast .

Ha v in g par take n of h i s h ospitalitie s M ah av ira ,

retu rn ed to th e fore st He th e n v isited sev eral

.

plac e s an d th e n bega n to pe rform t welv e kin d s of

p e n an ces T h rou g h th i s h e obtai n ed eigh t ki n d s
.

of R i d d h i s an d m an y ki n ds of Sidd h i s Th ere h e .

h ad to bear th e twe n ty two P ari sh ah as

-
He th e n .

ob serv ed th e five M ah avri tas th e fiv e Samiti s

, ,

th e th ree G u pte e s an d th e eigh ty fou r U tt ara

-

Gu n as He agai n v isite d several place s O n ce h e

. .

wen t to Ujj ai n an d th ere b egan h i s pe n an ce at a

 ( 40 )

at ta i n i n g K e v algyan h e was abo u t forty th ree -

y e ars a n d two mon th s old i e b e atta i n e d Ke v al

, . .
,

g y a n i n h is forty fo u rth year Bu t it i s fur th er

-
.

s t a te d t h a t i t was on th e te n th day of th e latter

h alf of V ai sh ak h a wh e n h e was forty two ye ars old -

i e h e obtai n e d K e valg y a n i n h i s forty th ir d year

. .
,
-
.

T h u s th e re i s a di ffe re n c e of a bo u t on e ye ar bet
we e n th e two c om p u ta ti o n s M ore ov er t
. h i s doe s ,

n ot ta ke i n to accou n t th e ti me for wh ich h e

t rav e lle d b e fore e n te ri n g h i s D hya n a Howe v er .
,

th i s d iffic u lty c an be ov e rc ome by su pp osi n g t h at

M ah av i ra s re n u n ci ati on to ok p la c e i n h is t h irt ieth
’

ye ar a n d n o t wh e n h e was th i rty ye ars old It .

was wh at pe rh a ps th e Dig a m b a ra A ch aryas m e an t

to i n dic ate .

F u rth e r we le arn fromB hag awa ti th at Mah a vira

,

me t Gosala two ye ars afte r h is Re n u n ci atio n at a

'

place c alle d N alan d a n e a r R aj grih a an d th e two

, ,

asc e t ic s li v e d toge th e r for six ye ars i n P an iyab h u mi .

N ow th i s i s n otc on si ste n t with th e fac ts gi v e n abo v e .

A cco rd in g to K alp a s u tra M ah av i ra we n t to P a n i

-
.

y a b h u m i a ft e r h i s obt a i n i n g K e v algy a n a n d s tayed

th e re on ly for on e rai n y se aso n .

T h e re i s a fu rt her disc rep a n c y b e t we e n th e two

au th o rit ie s ab ou t th e mod e of h i s life d u ri n g t h e se
y e ars . In th e K alpa s u tra it is said th at a fter
-

h i s R e n u n ci atio n Mah a v ira wo re c lo th e s for a

, ,

y e ar an d a mon th a n d afte r th at ti me h e walked

,
 41

abou t n aked O n th e oth er h an d M ah av ira P u ra n a

.
,

sa y s th a t h e h ad aba n do n e d t h e twe n ty fou r P ari g ra -

h as an d as cloth e s were on e of th e m h e h ad to
, ,

ab an d on th e mtoo .

A fter th e e n d of h i s t welv e years pe n an c e h e

’

ob tain ed K e valg yan Both th e Digambaras a n d th e .

Sh ve ta m b aras asse rt th at t h i s too k place i n h i s forty

th ird ye ar on th e te n th day of th e latter h alf of
Vaish akh a n ear a pl ace c alled G ri m b h ak g rama on f ‘ '

the n o rt he rn ba n k of th e ri v e r Rij k u lT n o t v ery

fa r from P aras n ath a h i lls Th e y also say th at th i s .

too k p lac e in th e fie ld of a c e rta i n farm e r Sa maga

or Sa m ak a M ah a v i ra a t t h at ti me was s itti n g
.

u pon a R atn a Sh i la belo w a Sal tree in a

sq u atti n g positio n wi th j oi n ed h eels exposi n g ,

him se lf t o the h e at of th e su n He h ad to perform .

se v e re m e dit atio n th e re a t t h e e n d of wh ic h h av i n g ,

destro y ed th e fou r Gh ati ya K armasj i h e re ac h e d

th e h igh e st k n o wle d ge an d i n tu it io n c alle d Ke v a

la wh ic h i s i n fin ite su pre m
,
e u n ob str u cted
,
c om , ,

m
p le te a n d fu l l .

T h i also kn ow by th e ame of G i bh i la or G i mb hik a

s 18 n n r r

T T h i i
s ls o ca ll
a se d R i j p
u a li k a d R u p a ti k ( th e mo an u a
de rn B akar )
ar

I T he se
.

e ar
1 Da sa rv ara i ya ob t
na c to s of fu ll fa i th
n s ru r .

2 G y a av ara ni a ob s t u c to
.
,

n o f fu ll k ow l e d g e
r rs n
M oh a i y a wh i c h l e ad a m astra y b y mk ug h i m
.
,

3 . n , a n a 1

s i lly d a th ra ll to hi s se
an e ns s
4 A ta ra ya wh i c h p e v e nt s on e s e nt a ce o n th e p ath
.

’
n , r r n

th at le ad s to e torn al b l i ss n .
 CH A PT ER VII .

Hi s trav el s an d pre ac h i n gs for th irty years .

We h av e n ow reac h ed th e e n d of th e seco n d
g reat perio d i n t h e w o rl d ly c a reer o f Lord M ah a vi

ra . In th e b egi n n i n g of th i s p e riod of twel v e

yea rs we fo u n d h i m a San yasi di sg u sted with ,

th e worl d d eterm
,
i n ed to ren o u n ce it an d attai n
th e e v e r last i n g li fe
-
of bli s s and h appi n e ss ,

Ni rv a n a by a c on stan t st u d y of h is Se lf an d by
,

pe rfor mi n g se v e re bodi ly morti fication s or Yoga .

A t th e e n d o f t hi s pe riod we fin d h i mi n th e f ull
reali sati on of h i s h ope a J in a or a co n qu eror of
,

th e K ar m as th e eig h t gre at e n e m
,
ie s of th e so ul ,

an d a K e v ali n th a t i s an o m
, ,
n i scie n t lord co m pre
h en d i n g all o bj e c ts ; h e co u ld k n ow all c on ditio n s
of th e wor ld a n d th e th ou g h ts of m en His .

kn o wl e dge p e rvade d all th in gs ; a nd by re flec t

i n g on h is se lf an d th e wo rld h e h ad re ach ed
th e h igh e st i n t u itio n a n d k n owledge S u ch was
.

ou r L ord Mah av ira as we fin d h i mi n th e b e gi n n i n g

o f th e t h ird g reat p e r io d i n h i s life Fro m thi s

.

begi n s th e th ird great act in h is life Th i s period .

compri se s th i rty lo n g years of trav e ls an d preach

i n gs He h a v i n g k n own th e great Law proceed s
.
,

to te ac h th e sam e to all th e h u man bei n gs in th i s

 ( 43

world . T h e wh ole of th i s p eriod was spe n t in

tra v ellin g an d p reac h i n g excep t i n th e rain y seaso n s
wh e n for fear of kil li n g sm all creatu re s a n d th ereby
com mitin g hi nsa h e h ad to su spen d h is mi ssion
,

an d to pass fou r m on th s i n on e p lace u nd e r th e pat

ron ag e of som e migh ty ch ief In fac t i twas a life
.
,

of h ard wo rk a n d se v e re a u s ter i ti e s He pa ssed i t

.

i n te ac h i n g h is religio u s system a n d o rgan i si n g

hi s ord e r of a scetic s wh ic h as we sh all se e later
’

on was pat ro n i sed by th e m

, igh ty ki n gs of n ort h e rn
In di a M ah av ira was co n v i n ced of th e n ece ss i ty
.

of h i s pe n a n ce s i n th e l as t t we lve y e a rs of h is li fe

a n d d i d n otth i n k hi s y e ar s wast e d for h e k n e w t h a t

,

it was th ro u gh h is pen an ce s th at h e h a d obt ai n ed

i
th e n i n e L ab d h i s an d th e A n a n t a
"

Attai mn ts of th e n i ne p owe rs T h e se a r
n e . e

l. A an ta Da h ana
n rs u lim i te d be l i e f
n .

G yan k owle d ge n
K sh ay ak Sa m b
.

3.
y ak ta a e l i e f i n tru th ac q u i t
e d a ft be i n g fre e d
er
f omth e karms
r a
c om mu n i on w i th th e sou l
.

C h ari tra
a b a d on m
.

An a ta Da a
n n n e tof th e w orl d
n
ly th i gs n .

Labha p os e s i n g th e A na n ta
s s
C h t h t ya s a us a
u li m i te d h pp i n e ss
.

B h og a n a .

Upa b h og a posse i g th e sp le d ou r
ss n n
of th e Sa m a a sa v
am & c r s .
,

9 powe r of co qu e ri n g the n

karmas
.

1 The se are
1 A nan ta Da rshana fu ll fai th .

pe rfe ct kn owle d ge
.

2 G ya n
u n bo un d d h appm
. .

3 Sukh a e e ss .

unsu rp asse d p owe r

.

4. V i rya .
 44

It may he r e marked h e reth a t th e re i s n ot mu ch

d i fie re nc e bet we e n th e acco u n ts of t h i s period as

g i ve n by th e Digamb ara an d th e Sh v e tamb ara

A c h aryas . T h e di fferen c e if a n y i s of details
, ,

rath e r th an th atof ma i n o u tli n e s Be fore comme n c .

i n g h is tra ve ls t h e re i s o n e fact worth y of n ote .

Soon a fte r h is ob ta i n in g K e v alg y an M ah a v i ra w as ,

v i s i te d b
y G a u tam a I n d ra b h u ti w h o b eca me h i s

first pu pi l an d was ra ise d to th e p osit ion of th e h ead

G an a d h a ra or a C hi e f P on tit f H i s story is on e of
.

great i n te re st a n d we will g i ve it late r on He

,
.

fo llo wed h is mast e r for th e last th i rty years of h i s

li fe a n d obt a i n e d K e valg yan at th e v e ry ti me wh e n
M a h av i ra a tta i n e d Ni r van a M ah av ira began by
.

first p re ach i n g to G a u tama th e n to th e p e ople,

a rou n d h i m a n d th e n h e bega n h is tra v e ls

,
.

He trav el le d th ro u gh ma n y p a rts of I n d i a an d ,

p re ach ed th e h igh d octri n es of J a i n i sm an d Nir

v a n a to pe op le p ro fessi n g di ffere n t cre ed s an d
re ligion s It was h is e arn e st de s ire th a t peopl e
.

sh ou ld giv e u p t h ei r wro n g b e lie fs a n d fol low t he

t ru e p ath to h appi n ess He pre ach ed on both th e
.

s i d e s of t h e G an ge s .First h e p reach ed i n M ag a d h a
an d t h e cou n t ry rou n d K u n d alpu ra wh ere h e was ,

recei v ed with d u e g re e ti n g Fro m M ag ad h a h e

.

p roceed e d to B eh ar wh ere h e v i sited Sh rav asti V ai ,

sh asti an d m an y oth er p lace s He is said to h av e

.

exte n ded h i s trav els as far as th e foot of th e Hi ma

 45
’

layas . Kalpa su tra a list is gi v en co n tai n in g

In th e -

th e n am es of th e plac es wh ere h e passe d h is rain y

se as o n s A ccordi n g to th at au th ority
. h e stayed
fo u r ra in y se aso n s in Vaisali a n d Van ij ag rama f ‘
,

fo u rtee n i n R aj gri h a a n d th e su b u rb of N alan da

'

six i n M i th ila, two i n B h ad ri ka, on e i n A lab h i k a ,

on e i n P an iy ab h u mi, on e i n Sh rav asti , an d th e on e

an d l ast i n Pap a i n kin g Hasth ipal s office

th e
’

N ow we se e th at som
”
of th e writers . e of t h e se
n am es do n ot occu r i n th e M ah av ira P u ran a ; b u t
th ere is n ot mu ch differe n ce Th ere it i s also me n .

tio n e d t h at h e tra v elled a n d p reac h ed th ro u gh o u t

th e c o u n trie s of n orth ern In dia In Vi d eh a h e was .

p atro n ised by C h e tak a th e ru li n g ch ief of th at cou n

,

try . K u n i k a th e ki n g of A n ga also welcomed th e

, ,

g reat preac h er He i s s aid

. to h a v e go n e e v e n to
K au sh am bi Sh atan ee k a th e r u ler of th e place h ad
.
, ,

h eard m u c h a bo u t h i s preac h i n gs an d se v ere pe n an

ce s . He p aid h igh re v ere n ce to th e great preac h er

an d e n tered h i s h oly order D u ri n g t h ese th irty .

years M ah av ira i s said to h av e co n verted to Jain

,

i smMag ad h a Bih ar Prayag K au sh amb i C h a m

, ,
pa , ,

p uri an d man y oth er p owerfu l state s i n th e n orth

of I n dia B u t th e place wh ere h e sp en t a large
.

part of h is life an d wh ere h e was mu ch lov ed by

th e p eo p le was Raj grih a th e th e n m etrop olis of
,

He h ad alre fi y sta e dy e ig ht rai n y seasons i n th i s place .

 ( 46 1

M ag ad h a . Sh re n i k a th e
powerfu l ki n g of th at
,

p lace was on e of th e gre ate st c h ampio n s of J ain

,

i sm a n d a sta u n ch follo wer of M ah av ira Th ey .

are said to h av e me t e ac h oth er u n der v e ry au spi

cion s ci rc u mstan ce s Wh e n M ah av ira we n t to
.

Raj gri h a h e pu t u p a t Mou n t V ipu lach ala i n th e

v ici n i t y of th e co u n try K i n g Sh re n i ka h e ari n g
.
,

th e h ap py n e ws of th e a rri v al of th e gre a t pre ac h e r

i n h i s c a pital we n t to se e h i mwi th all h is mi n i s
,

te rs a n d wh ole of h i s army He was c h armed with .

th e d i v i n e sp le n d ou r of th e Lord a n d of Sam osaran

or t h e g re a t re lig io u s asse m b lage Hav i n g paid

.

h is d u e g reeti n g s h e took h i s seat i n th e galle ry

,

re se rv ed for me n He i s said to h a ve pu t sixty

.

th o u sa n d qu e stion s to M a ha v i ra an d all of th e m
we re a n s wered by Gau tam a In d rab h u ti at th e com
man d o f h is master T o ou r gre at misfortu n e n o
.

accou n t n ot e v e n a v ery small on e h as bee n

, ,

left of th i s i n te re st in g di sc u ssio n Shre n i k a was .

sati s fied w i t h th e an swers an d e n tered th e h ol y

order of ou r L ord It i s said t h at Gau tama also
.

related th e prev iou s birth s of Sh re ni ka an d h is

relatio n s .

So me fe w re marks may be made h ere u po n M ah a

v ira’
s m e h
t od o f pre ac h i n g He did n o
.t t ra v el fro m
place to place li ke an ordi nary Sadh u u n accom
a n i e d by an y on e O n th e ot h er h a n d h e was
p .

followed by man y me n wh o h ad e n tered h is order .

 ( 48 )

Brah ma n a at first . We th u s se e th at M ah av ira

co n v erte d me n of all caste s to Jai n i sm .

Th u s tra velli n g from place to p lace with th e ,

wh o le of h i s orde r of ase c tics preac h i n g th e Karma

,

p h i lo sop h y to th e peop le an d co n v erti n g co u n trie s

,

after cou n tries to Jai n i smu n der the migh ty patro n

age of th e kin gs of th ose c ou n trie s Mah av ira pass
,

ed th e last th irty years of h i s life .

 CHA PT ER VIII .

A ttai n me t n of Nirv a n a .

Th is lab orio u s an d h ardy period of th e later li fe

of M ah av ira described i n th e pre v io u s c h apter
bri n gs u s to th e e n d of it T h e th ree acts of th e
.

reat d a m a h a e bee pe rfo rm ed and t h re e

g r v n e r

main s v ery li ttle to be sa id as an ep ilogu e Birt h .

an d death like t
,
h e opposite poles i n a mag n e t are ,

al ways seen togeth er O n e i s n e v er fo u n d w ith o u t

.

th e oth e r. Th ey are con stan tly fol lowi n g th e so u l

like two police me n atte n di n g a p ri so n er betwee n
th e m He wh o i s born mu s t die so me d ay or
.

oth er an d h e wh o i s dead mu st be bor n in some

,

fo rmor o th er Nig h t an d day like a black an d a

.
,

wh i te m ou se are always tryin g to gn aw with th eir

,

sh arp teeth th e sle n der rope of ou r li fe

, Th ey .

mu st su cceed some day or oth er an d th eir su cce ss ,

i s n oth i n g b u t th e e n d of t h at li fe Su ch e n d mu st .

come to each of u s b u t th e e n d of th at n oble life

,

of ou r Lord was n ot an ord i n ary on e He p asse d .

o co m
”
n e v er t e again It was a death wh ich lib e r
.

ated h is sou l for e v er fro mhis two g reat e n emie s ,

birth an d death Th is i s wh at th e J ain as mean by

.

sayi n g t h at h e attai n ed N irv an a .

 50 4

Nir va n a as alrea d y e xplain ed i s th e goal i n th e

, ,

lo n g race of e ve ry man s life ’

I t i s wh at th e god s
.

an d m e n are alway s stru ggli n g t o reac h at i n t h ei r

rep e ate d birth s It was for th e attai nme n t of th i s

.

N i rv a n a th e con ditio n of u n li mited h appi n e ss n u

, ,

im d b l v a lo u r an d libe ratio n fro mall t h care

p e a e , e s

an d m i serie s of th i s world th at Mah a v ira h ad to ,

pass th ro u gh so ma ny re pe ated birth s an d death s ,

an d as we lear n fro mth e J a i n a Sh a st ra s it was for

, ,

th i s p u rpose th at h e c a me to th i s worl d Wh at
ev e r i t may be h e obt ai n ed it at th e e n d of h is
,

li fe an d a de scrip tio n of th e man n er i n wh ich h e

,

obt ai n e d i t wi ll b e fo u n d i n te re s ti n g .

A s to th e place wh ere h e died all the sou rce s of

ou r i n form atio n asse rt th e same th i n g In th e .

K alp a su tra an d in th e B u dd h i st works h e i s said to

-

h av e died atP ap a . In th e Digam bara S h astras an d

i n th e m odern ti m e s too it is k n o wn by th e n am
, , e
of P av apu ri fl
"
T h e place h as bee n th u s de scribed
by M r J L J ain i . . .

A small h am l e t of mod e ate d i me nsi on s and of mu d house s

r ,
-

mostly P avapu rij i i s a p lace lov e ly i n i ts si mp le su rrou nd in g s

,

an d l ov e l i e r s t i ll i n i t s s a c e d tr a d i tiron s Th e e are se ve ral

. r

d ha r m sh
a a la s ( r e s t i n g p l ac-
e s ) fo J a i nra p i lgri ms Th e re are .

a T h e p l ace i s abou t7 m i l es fromBe h ar a s m a ll stati on on

,

th e B . B L R. a i
. l w a y i n th e p r o v i n ce of B i har T en m i le s from
,

it i s G u n av a w h e r e I n d ra b h u t i i s s a i d t o h a v e at tai n e d N irvana .

Ve ry n e ar i t are th e e mai ns of R aj g ri ha th e an ci e nt capi tal

r

of B i h a r .
 (
‘

51 I

ab ou t h alf a mple s e te d b y th e Sh ve tamb aras and

d oz e n te , re c

Di g mba a Man y p i lg i ms of both se xes p rocee d to th e place

ras . r

ch ie fl y o th e D i a l i occ si o
n th e d y on whi c h L o d Mah a
v a n, a r

vi a
r ttai e d N i rvana
a n d the u p to th e m an on th of M ch n ar ,

whe th e atte n d an ce be gi s to f ll
n T he m a i n te m
n p le whi ch a .
,

co ta i ns th e ch
n na s c d foot i m
a ra p e ssions of L o d Maha
s, a re -
r , r

i t d i th m
v ra , s a n i d d l e of
n t k c v e e d wi th l otus le v s
e a an , o r a e

a d othe
n q ti c p
r al t s o
uaf i o k i d s
an M a y fi h flo t i
var us n . n s a n

th w t
e d mke a ve y f
a e r an a y i gh t by the i i ce ssant
r u nn s r n

fli tti g n Som . e ti m es a b i gg fi h wou ld atta ck a s ho l of er s a

sm ll a fish an d mke th e md
er t d ow i to th e w te
a i g e t
ar n n a r n r a

co f
n us oni A tp e s. t n o lot r s en b loomi g i n th e ta k us e are n n

b t i t i e y to i mgi e h w
u s as h mi g th tank m st l ook
a n o c ar n e u

wh e w h i t
n d e d lo t es d ot i ts
e an r face and th e fi h d a ce
us s ur s n

i n i ts pe ll id d e p ths th ou gh th e m
uc az of th e l ot
r te m s es us s -
.

T he s ls o may the b i mg i e d as o ve rti ng e y st ay

un a n e a n c n ve r r

d op of w t that th e e e bus y tai ls of th e fish h a e c ast on

r a er v r
-
v

to a l otus i to a p e a l of th e m
, n os t b e rti f l p i k colo T he au u n r.

ins u al te d te mple of ou las t Lo d is e ched by a b id ge of r r r a r

s to e n I th e te m
. np le i tse lf is low chambe r faci g the c ast a , n

a re 3 i ch e s th e ce t l o
n th e l ges t of th e th e c on ta i s
n ra ne , ar re , n

th e foot i m p essi ons of L o d M h v i

-
r th e i che on th e i gh t
r a a ra n r

of i t of h i d i sci p l e Ga ta m
, s a Swam i ; d thato th e le ft thos e
u an n

of S d h arm
u ac h a ya r .

Hastipal th e r u ler of th is place was as we ha v e

, , ,

already learn t a patron of M ah av ira , an d h e h ad ,

made great arran ge men ts for th e recep tio n of the

g reat p rea c h er A l m o s t all t
.h e r u li n g ch ie fs of th e
co u n try h ad asse m bled th e re Pe ople from all .

p arts of th e cou n try flocked th ere to h e ar hi m .

He p reach e d to t he m for six d ays constan tly .

Th en cam e t h e se ve n th d ay It was th e fifte en th .

day of th e first h alf of Karti ka wh en the m oon was

in con j u nctio n with th e asterism Svati M ah av ira .

was sitti n g u po n a h igh dia m o n d th ron e i n th e

ce n t re of a m ag n i fice n t h all sp ecially erected for
h is preac h i n g i n th e fore st i n the v ici n i ty of a large
tan k A ll me n from th e beggar to th e migh ty
.

ki n g were rou n d h i m Th ey h ad for me d th e m

, .

se lv e s i n to t wel v e soci e tie s c on si sti n g of th e di ffer

en t g ra d e s of soc iety It was a dark n igh t an d

.

h e n ce th e wh ole of th e h al l h ad to be illu mi n a ted

w ith th e brigh te st ligh t Hi s p u pils were all
.

arou n d h imexcep tin g Gau tama I nd rab h u ti wh o is ,

sa id i n t h e Sh ve tam b ara S h astras to h av e bee n on a

,

mi ssion For th e wh ole n igh t h e was p re ach i n g to

.

th em In the fo u r th pra ka r of th e n igh t all me n

.

fell asleep Mah a v i ra t h ro u gh h is S u k la g ya n saw

.
,
-

th at h is e n d was come He assu med a partic u lar.

position k n o wn as th e Sampary a n ka an d attai n ed ,

Nirv an a j u stwh e n it was twiligh t In th e morn in g .

wh e n th e peop le g ot u p th ey saw to th ei r great

so rro w th at th eir Lord was go n e Th ere was n o .

h elp . Th ey bega n to grie v e b u tGau tama co m f or ted

th e m Th e n th ey c e lebrated h is cre mation with
.

gre at pomp T h e n ews of h is death reach ed far

.

an d wide an d th e peop le h ad i ll u m i n ation s an d

T h e M ah av i a P r r gi e s some wh atd i ffe e n td e sc ri p tion
u an a v a r .

Acco d i n g to i t all thi s p l d ou r h ad d isappe are d a t thi s

r s en

ti m e a d th e oc c as i o
n w s mdn s s im
a p le as p ossi bl e After
a e a

th e atta i m
.

e tof N i rvana th e bod y of M ahav i ra h ad d i s appe ar

,

n n
e d l e v i g n ai ls a n d h ai r
a n A n e w bod y was m
. ad e of t h e mand
p p
ro e rly bur n t .
sa bh a s in eral place s Th ey th ou gh t it more
se v .

worth y to rej oice th an to weep on th e occasio n of

th e li beratio n of th ei r Lord fro mth e bo n d s of th i s
world . It is s ai d th at th e modern fe stiv al of Di v ali
took i ts ri se fro mt h i s g re at i n cide n t T h e word
.

Div ali i s a corru ption of th e S an scrit word d i pd va li

'

wh ic h me an s a row of lamp s
”
.It re fers to th e
i llu mi n ati on th a t is h e ld e v e ry ye a r on th e Di v ali
fe sti v al . Th is i ll u mi n ati on i s bu t th e i mi tation of
th e g re at illu m i n at ion h e ld on th e occasio n of th e
deat h of M ah av ira T h e pe op le h av e forgotte n th e
.

g re at i n ci d e n t wh ich gav e r ise to th i s n atio n al

fe sti v al b u t t h e y h a v e te n acio u sly st u ck to it
,

th ro u gh so ma n y ce n tu ri e s It i s also said th at th e
.

modern Hoi or Hatri worsh ipped after same days

,

of D i v ali i s also a n i m
,
it ation of th e g re a t h al l at
P a v apu ri i n wh ich Mah av i ra b re at h e d h i s last.

T h e followi n g slokas as a p roof of th i s state m

, en t
,

occ u r i n th e Hari b an sa P u ra n a
 CH A PT ER I X .

Hi s di sciple s an d e arly follo wers .

T he ad miration for M ah av ira wh ic h we h a ve i n

modern ti me s i s n ot d u e on ly to Jai n a literatu re an d
th e J ai n a A c h aryas b u t it i s d u e to a g re at exte n t
,

to th e faith wh i c h h is follo we rs an d p u p i ls h ad i n
h im an d to say so m e th i n g abo u t h i s follo wer s

w ill n ot b e ou t of plac e It m ay be safe ly re m

. ark
ed th at th e Diga mbaras an d th e Sh ve tamb aras wh o
di ffer so mu ch frome ac h oth e r abo u t man y facts i n
th e life of M ah av ira are al m ,
ost of on e opi n i on as

regard s th e sta te me n t abou t h i s follo wers a n d th e

di ffere n ce i f an y i s v e ry sligh t
, ,
.

T h e exc e lle n t co mmu n i ty of Mah av ira i n h i s life

time was a large on e an d u sed to t ra v el with h i m
fromp lace to p lace It co n sisted of fo u r orders
.
,

each h a v i n g i ts own h ead an d di ffere n t rules of life .

T h e first orde r c on si sted of fou rtee n th o u san d me m

be rs wh o were k n own as th e M u n is or th e S brama
n as. Th ey h eld th e h igh e st positio n i n th e wh ole
commu n ity an d h ad v e ry strict ru le s of l i v i n g for
th e m Th ese ru les are gi v e n i n th e Jai n a S h astras
. .

Fu rth er th i s orde r was div ided in to n in e Gan as or

,

sch ool s eac h of th e m bei n g u n der on e h ead wh o

was kn o wn by th e n ame of Gan ad h ara or a teach er

 [ 56

X .
—
M ai treya an d

XI .
-

P rab h as
'

. Both were f h
o t e Ka d
n i n y a—gotra

an d h ad th e ch arge of th ree h u n dred

M u n is
e ach .

T he follo wi n g table w il l make th i s s till clearer

No. Na me of th e Ga n ad h a ra . Gotra .

I n d rab h u ti G au ta ma
A g n i b h u ti G au tm aa

Gau t maa

Arya Vyak ta
-
B h a rad v aj a

Su d h ar ma A gn i V e sh ayana

M an d i tpu tra V as h i sth a

M au ryapu tra Kashyap a

G au tama

H ari ta y an a

Kand i n ya
K an d i n y a

Th i s sh o ws th at th ere were n i n e Gan as at th e

h e ad of wh ich t h ere we re ele ve n Gan ad h aras It .

i s also said th at In d rab h u ti was the c hief discip le

of M a h av i ra an d exe rci sed an au t h ority ov er oth er
pu pi ls O f t he se ele v e n
. o n ly In d rab h u ti an d
,

Su d h arma su rv iv ed M ah av i ra obtai n in g th eir ,

 ( 57 )

l ation s after his Nirv an a We will kn o w mu ch

sa v .

more abou t th emsh ortly T h e rest died in h is life

.

time as K e v ali n s .

Fromth e abo v e li st we le arn th at th ere were on ly

four th ou sa n d an d two h u n dred Mu n i s b u t it h as ,

bee n stated th at th ere we re i n all fou rteen th ou san d

M u n is. Pe rh aps th e re st li ved as ap p re n tice s an d ,

were n ot take n i n th e orde r .

T h e abov e div i sio n of th e M u n is i s accordi n g

to th ei r Gan as T h e re i s a fu rth er classification
.

acco rdi n g to th eir m erits a n d spirit u al attai n me n ts .

A cc ordi n g to Kalp a—su tra amo n g th e se th e re were

th re e h u n dre d sage s wh o k n e w th e fou r tee n P u rv as
an d t h e t wel v e A n gas of th e J i n a Van i th i rtee n -

h u n dre d sage s wh o we re p osse ssed of th e A v ad h i

kn owledge an d su p e rior qu alitie s ; sev e n h u n dred
K e v ali n s ; se ve n h u n dred M u n i s wh o cou ld t ra n s
for mth e m selv e s an d th o u gh n o gods h ad obt ai n ed
, , ,

R i d d h is or th e po we rs of g od s fiv e h u n dred sages
wh o cou ld k n o w th e th o u gh ts of all bei n gs ; fo u r
h u n dre d professors wh o u se d to di sc u ss with m en

of ot h e r re ligio n s an d wh o wi ll n e v er be de feated
,

se v e n h u n dred m ale a n d fo u rtee n h u n dred female

di sciple s who were perfec t an d eigh t h u n d red
oth e r sage s Th ese make togeth er o nly six th ou san d
.

a n d eigh t h u n dred T h e rest of th e mp erh ap s were

.

of i n ferior m erits A ccordi n g to th e Digambaras

.

th e re were th ree h u n d red Mu n is wh o k n e w by h eart

 ”

( 58 1

th e twelv e A n g as an d the fou rteen P u rvas ; th irte e n

h u n dred M u n i s posse ssi n g A v adh i k n owle d g e ; -

se v e n h u n dred K e v ali n s or th ose wh o h a d Ke v al

gyan ; n i n e h u n d red sages wh o cou ld tran sform

th e m se lv e s
i
fi h i"
dred m i w h h d th f o ur
'

; v e u n u n s o a e

ki n d s of k n o wledge ; t wel ve h u n dred p rofessors ;

an d n i n e t h ou san d an d nine h u n dred ordi n ary
Mu n is Th i s too giv es i n all fo u rtee n th ou san d
.
, ,

an d eigh t h u n dred M u n i s wh ic h i s g reater th a n t he

o th er n umber by eigh t h u n dred .

T h e ele v e n p u pils of M ah av ira we re all co n v erts

to Jai n i sm an d as su ch th ey strictly adh ered to
, ,

th e c au se T h ey were gre atly attac h ed to th eir

.

Lord T h e sto ry of Gau t ama In d rab h u ti 1 th e ch ie f

‘

.
,

disciple is a v e ry i n tere sti n g on e He was th e son

,
.

of a Bra h m an a n amed Vasu mati He i s said to .

h av e been a learn ed pa n dit an d a writer of Hin du

Gran th as He was v ery prou d of h is learn i n g
. .

O n ce u po n a ti me a certai n old man we n t to hi m

an d said O Rev ered Si r my G u r u Mah av ira
, , , , ,

g a v e m e a poe m b u t be fore e x pl
,
a i n i n g it to m e h e

e n tered h is dee p meditatio ns N0 on e can explai n .

me i ts me an i n g 1 h av e h eard mu ch abou t you r

.

leari n g th at you are well v ersed i n th e Vedas an d

th e Pu ran as I t h i n k I can n ot li v e with ou t h av in g
.

R id d h i -
v i k ri ya -
k
y u ta M u n i s .

T His mothe r was P ri th wi H e was

. bo rn at a v i llage calle d
G ovara .
e xpl ain ed to me th e mean i n g of t h is p oe m I .

h ope th ere fore th a t y ou w il l be ki n d e n o u gh to

, ,

sav e m y li fe by e xpla i n n g to m e th e mea n i n g of

thi s sloka
”
In d rab h u ti pro m
. i se d to comp ly wi th
th e Brah a m an a s req u e st p ro v ided t h e Brah ma n a
’

pro mised h imto become h is p u pi l on h i s h a v i n g

e xp lai n ed h i m th e m ea n i n g of th e sloka . T he
Brah man a p romised to d o so an d read th e sloka to
,

Ga u tama It ran th u s
.

G a u ta ma fe ll i n to con fu sio n He c o u ld n otk n ow

.

wh at is mea n t by th e t h re e K alas a n d th e si x
Drav y as . He co u ld n ot u n ders ta n d th e P an ch asti
kaya th e se v en T attv as a n d th e s ix Le sh yas A n d
, .

h e co u ld n ot g iv e a wro n g exp la n atio n for h e was

,

afraid of Ma h a v i ra He th e re fore th ou gh t it pro

.
, ,

p e r to co m e to M a h a v i ra a n d th e re ex plai n th e

mean i n g of th e slok a as h e u n d e rstood it so th at ,

h e may n ot be ch a rged with th e g u i lt of h av i n g ex

plain ed th e sloka wro n gly H av i n g th u s co n clu d e d
.

h e we n t to Mah a v ira with h is fiv e h u n dred p u pil s

-

a n d h is two b rot h e rs Vayu b h u ti an d A g n i bh u ti In .

th e way h e began to th i n k th at i f h e cou ld

n otex p lai n i tin t h e ab se n ce of Mah av ira h ow wou ld
 f 60

he be able to exp lai n it in h is prese n ce b u t hi s ,

broth er i n d u ced h im to go th ere O n h i s first .

seei n g M ah av i ra h e was s tru ck with

,
th e spirit u al

v alo u r of t h e g reat Yog i His pr i de we n t off an d

.

h e salu te d M ah av ira by falli n g before h ima n d th e n

req u e sted h im to p reac h to h im M ah av ira ex .

plai n e d to h im th e doctri n es of Jai n i sm Bei n g .

stru c k with th e tr u t h of t h e doctri n e s a n d th e

le arn i n g a n d wi sdo mof th e Lord h e le ft h is h ome , ,

beca me a M u n i an d e n te red th e order of Mah av ira .

H i s 500 p u pi ls an d 3 broth ers did th e same .

H e re mai n ed faith fu l to h is master t hro u gh o u t

h i s li fe
. Mah av i ra was gre atly p le ase d wi th h im
a n d he n ce ra i se d h i mb y a n d b y to th e p ositio n
of a G an ad h ara wi th h i s two brot h e rs a n d th e n to ,

th a t of th e c h ie f G a n a d h a ra Wh e n Mah av ira .

died h e is said to h a v e bee n o n a missio n to co n v ert

so m e b ody
. He b e c a me a Ke v ali n j u st wh e n M ah a
v i ra di e d. A fter M ah a v ira h e was th e leade r of
th e o rd e r . He died t wel ve ye ars a fte r h av i n g ,

li v e d fifty y e ars as a mon k an d altogeth er n i n ety

,

two y e a rs .

A n oth e r di scip le wh o su rv i v ed M ah a v ira was

Su d h arma h e P attav ali of th e K h aratarag ach h a
r ‘
. l

t e th at h e was the son of a Brah man a of K ollag a fi

s at s
i

He su cc e e ded In d rabh u ti to th e positio n of th e ch ie f

Se e I n d A n t , Vol
. . .
, X I, p . 2 46 .
 ( 61

G a n ad h ara . He was a g rea t p reach er . T h e well

kn own Jambu S wami was on e o f h is p u pils He
-

was su cceeded by J am b u S wami wh o was the last

-

Ke v ali n an d obtai n ed h i s salv ation a t a place n ear

M u ttra .

Fro m th e ord e r of th e M u n i s we co me to th at
of th e A rj i k as or th e n u n s T h i s i s said to h av e
.

co n si sted of th i rty six th ou san d n u n s T h e se we re

-
.

th e wo m e n wh o h ad e n tered th e o rde r of M ah av ira .

T h e y are d i sti n g u i sh ed fro m o rdi n ary women by

th e fact t h at t h ey are n ot allo wed to mix i n w orldly

ma tters Th e y are fe male M u n is Th ey h av e strict

. .

ru le s of co n d u ct like th e M u n i s A t th e h ead .

of th e se n u n s was C h a n d a n a In th e Digambara .

Sh astras sh e i s said to h av e been th e dau g h ter

of C h e tak a th e m ,
igh ty r u ler of Vai sh ali or
Vi sh alpu ra
'

u h
F rt er we e r
. l a n fro m l —
Ka p a su tra
th at C h e tak a was th e matern al u n c le of M ah av i ra .

Th u s C h an d a n a mu st h av e b e e n th e cou si n of
Mah av ira T h e Diga m
. baras say th at C h e tak a was
th e fat h er of T ri sala Th i s sh o ws t h at C h an d an a
.

w as M ah av ira s m oth er s sister Wh atev er it may

’ ’
.

be on e t h i n g i s c lear th at sh e was closely related

,

to M ah av i ra T h e an ecdote sh owi n g h ow sh e
.
,

bec ame an A rj i ka r u n s th u s ,

O n e d ay C h a n d an a h a d b e e n to th e p lea su re
,

gard e n s for takin g a walk A certai n Vi d yad h ara .

,

bei n g fasci n ated by h er beau ty took h e r off b u t , ,

 ( 62 l

i n th e way , th i n ki n g of h is wife , h e le ft h e r i n th e
forest Sh e was weepi n g th e re wh e n a certain
.
,

h il l
-
ma came t h ere a d took h e with h i m to
n n r

K au s h amb i a d sold to a ric h ma ame d V i sha

n n n r

bha se T he m
naa kep t h e fo someti me i his
. n r r n

h ou se b u t ,
as sh e grew yo u n g ,
h is wi fe ,
Su b h ad ra,
bec ame j e alo u s C h a n dan a was i ll
of h e r beau ty .

treated by th i s Su bh ad ra i n all kin d s of way s

‘

Sh e was giv e n th e wo rst kin d of food to eat an d

wr etch ed c loth e s to pu t o n Some ti me s sh e was .

beaten too A ft er so meti me i t h appe n ed t h at

.

M ah av ira c a m e to th at p lace an d began to pre ach

th ere Sh e was di sg u sted with th e world b e
.
,

came an A rj ik a an d en tered th e h oly order By .

an d by sh e w as rai sed to th e position of th e h e ad

”
A rj ik a .

T h e th ird ord e r con si sted of on e h un dred an d

fifty n i n e th ou san d lay v otari e s with San kh asatak a
''
-

at t h e ir h e ad T h ese lay v otari e s are called th e

.

Sh rav ak as an d corre spon d to th e Grih asth as of the

H in du s T h e ru le s of con d u ct for th i s order were
.

n ot so strict as th o se for th e M un i s Th ey were .

al lowed to li v e wi th t h e ir wi v e s an d ch ildre n with

som e li mitation s T h e Digamb ara A ch aryas give

.

th e n u m ber o n ly as on e h u n dre d th ou san d .

T h e fo u rth o rder co n s i sted of th ree h u n d red

th ou san d fe male lay v o tari e s or Shrav i k as wi th
Sulasa an d Re vati at th eir h e ad In the K alpamtra
'”

.
 CHA PT ER X .

Hi s ch aracter — te ac h i n gs .

Ch aracter i s on e of th e gre atest moti ve pow ers

i n th e world wro te on e of th e b e st writers of th e
last ce n tu ry an d stran ge it wo u ld see m as it really
, ,

does h ow Mah av ira did su ch a gre at work i n h is

,

life if n oth in g i s said abou t h is ch aracter Great

,
.

me n are n ot great on ly becau se th e y were looked

u po n to be so by th e su rrou n di n g p e op le b u t also ,

b e cau se th e y h av e do n e great th i n gs C h aracter .

i s on e of th e c h ie f facto rs i n th e acco m pli sh me n t

of su ch d e e d s a n d n o m ,
an h as e v er beco m e great ,

n ot wh at we ordi n ari ly m ean by great b u t really

great with ou t bei n g on e of good c h aracter It i s
,
.

rath er a fru itle ss task to try to fin d ou t th e e le

men ts wh ich compose d th e re al greatn e ss of M ah a
v ira for h e w as a T i rth an kara
,
a n d as su ch m
,
u st
, ,

h av e po sse sse d almost all th e forty six q u alitie s -

of a n A rh at ; b u t it wo u ld n ot be ou t of place to

giv e a gli mp se of so me of th e m T h e th ree great .

ele me n ts of th e ch aracter of a great man are bodily

v alou r i n tel le ctu al exc e lle n ce an d morality
, Of .

th e first M ah av i ra i s said to h av e bee n po sse ssed

to a h igh degree or A n a n ta He h ad a v ery stron g

.

an d a well form ed body wh ich was beau tiful an d

-
fragran t an d i s aid to h av e bee n sev e n c u bits h igh
s

an d to h av e th e yellow colou r of gold As a .

proof of th i s state me n t we h av e alre ady learn t th e

an ecdote of h i s h av i n g t am ed a wild an d a fero
cion s e l ep h an t wh i le p layi n g with h i s frie n d s i n a
gard e n wh e n h e was a yo u n g pri n ce of eigh t ye ars .

T h e au spic io u s mark of lion th at i s se en on h i s

i mages in mod ern times migh t h av e p e rh ap s been
gi v e n to h imto sh o w h i s great bodily v alou r It .

h as alre ady b e e n n o ted th a t i n th e Sh v e tamb ara

sh ast ra s h e i s said t o h av e m arried an d le d t h e li fe
of a h o u se h old e r for th i rty ye ar s
-
wh ile i n th e ,

Digambara sh astras h e i s said to h av e bee n on e of

th e fiv e B al b rah -
mach aris .

As to h i s in telle ctu al excellen ce th ere i s n oth i n g

to sh ow th at h e w as regu larly e d u cated i n th e ord i

n ary way .In th e Jai n a sh astras k n owle d ge i s said

to h av e b e e n of fiv e ki n d s Th ey are M a ti Shru ti
.
, ,

A va d h i M a n a hpa rya ya an d K e va lgya n

,
f
O f th e se .
i

M ah av ira i s said to h av e bee n born with th e first

th ree T h e fou rth as we h av e see n h e attai n ed
.
, ,

at th e time of h i s Ren u n ciation an d th e fifth on e h e

obt ai n ed i n h i s forty th ird year -
Th is i s all we
.

k n ow abou t h is edu cation He acq u ired learn i n g.

th rou gh Yoga He was also a great speaker He

. .

alway s spoke t h e tru th A s to h i s morality th ere i s

.

Se e pag e 26 foot n ote.

 66

no d o u bt t h at h e was a type of v irtu e He w as a .

g reat preac h e r a n d k n
,
o w i n g th a t exa m ple i s bett e r

t h an p re cep t h e did wh a t h e preach e d to o th e rs

, .

He strictly followed th e prin ciple s of th e go sp e l

th at h e pre ach ed an d obse rved th emi n h is practice
,

also Forbearan c e i s on e of th e te n hi gh v irtu e s

.

with th e Jai n as an d M ah av ira p atien tly bore th e

,

a bu se s a n d e v e n th e i ll treatme n t of th e wild tri b e s

-

of Vaj ra Eb u rn i
-
an d Shu d d h a Bh u mi wh e n h e
,
-

preac h ed to th e mth e doctrin e s of J ai n i sm H e .

was n e v e r an gry an d le d a li fe wh ic h i s a Jai n a

,

mo d el of p u rity an d pie tv We h av e alre ady le ar n t

.

of h i s a tt ach m e n t to h is p are n ts He did n ot o nly .

lo v e th e mb u t was v e ry obe d ie n t to t h e m T h u s .

h e i s sai d to h a ve i n te n ded to re n o u n ce th e world

s e ve ral ti m es b u t wou ld not do so ag ai n st th e w i sh
,

of h i s p are n t s It is also said th at h e was g re a tly

.

obedie n t to h is e lder br oth e r N oth in g is so n e c e s

.

sa ry as perse v eran ce for on e wh o w i sh e s to bec om e

a great Yogi an d M ah av ira i s said to h av e b ee n

,

a man of great perse veran ce Soon after h is Re .

i t h appe n ed th at a certai n co wh erd

“
n u n c iati on ,

with h i s co ws came to th e place wh ere h e was si t

ti n g all absorbed i n h is meditation an d callin g u p o n
M ah av ira to look after h is cows th at h e le ft to g raz e
th ere h imself we n t away to th e v illage M ah av i ra
,
.

bei n g e n gaged in h is meditation s co u ld n ot h e ar ,

h im an d th e cows we n t astray T h e cowh e rd .

,
 67

wh e n h e ame back fromth e v illage did n ot fin d

c ,

th e co ws t h ere a n d began to reproac h M ah av ira an d

,

a ct u ally dealt two or th ree blo ws to hi m Happily .

,

s om e acqu ai n tan ces of Lord M ah av ira came th ere .

T h ey reb u ked th e cowh erd v e ry mu ch an d i n formed

h i mof th e real ch aracter of th e sai n t
”
T h e story .
,

th ou g h il lu stra ti n g th e great m e n tal powers of

M ah av ira h as so me wh at th e colou r of ab su rdity
, .

M ah av ira bei n g th e son of a great ki n g an d a n oble

,

sa i n t m
,
u st h av e been kn o wn to all me n an d spe ,

c ially to t h e s u b j ects of h i s broth er T h e co wh erd s

’
.

n ot rec og n i s i n g M ah avi ra wh o was th e broth er of

,

th e ki n g of th at co u n try i n wh ic h th e co wh e rd li v ed ,

i s a fac t beyon d ou r p e rceptio n Ho wev er as it

.
,

s ta n d s it sh ows th at M ah av ira w as fre e froma n ger

,
.

Somewh at si milar a n ecdote i s gi v en in th e

M ah av ira Pu ran a O n ce h e was d e eply meditat i n g
.

u po n h im self at a ce m etery called De v ok tamu k ta

n ear Uj j ai n A certai n Ru dra i n co n spi racy with
.

h is w i fe Parv ati in te n di n g to te st Mah a v ira s per

’

, ,

se v eran ce bega n to i n te rr u pt h i m b u t M ah av ira ,

1
d id n ot lea ve h i s D h yan a an d re m ai n ed con stan tly
a b sorbed i n his m editatio n Hav i n g complete ly
.

s ati sfied th em se l v e s R u dra an d P ar v ati bega n to

,

”
p rai se M ah av ira .

Th ese were th e great qu alities of Mah av ira

wh ic h led h i mto do g reat t h i n gs an d i n tu rn m ade
h i mg reat .
 I 68

M ah av ira was a great teach er It i s a mis .

fortu n e t h at we h av e got n o di rect i n form a

tio n regardi n g h is gosp e l A ll ou r i n for mation i s
.

seco n dary a n d co me s fro m th e A ch aryas T he .

A c h aryas say t h at wh ate v er th ey say i s th e word

of Sarv agya b u t h ow are we to co n v i n ce oth e rs of
,

t h is tru th i n th e abse n ce of an y d irect proo f ?

T h e h i story of th e Jai n a literatu re as gi v e n by ,

ou r A c h aryas is likely to m
,
ake th e mh e sitate fro m
taki n g it for gran ted th at th ey say th e w ord of
Sarv agya . Howe ver th e h i story of th e ev ol u tio n of
,

th e Jai n a literatu re as it sta n d s i s as follows,

T h e wh ole J ain a literatu re kn o wn as th e Syad v ad

A ga m a is div ided i n to two mai n di v i sio n s th e ,

twe lv e A n gas an d th e fo u rteen A n g ab ah yash u tras

' '

or th e script u re s oth er th an th e twelve A n gas .

T h e last or th e twelv th of th e A n gas co n si sts of th e

fiv e P ari kram as , th e S u tra th e P rath am
, an u y og a ,

th e fiv e C h ulik as a n d th e fo ur teen Pa rvas A ll .

th ese formth e twelv th A n ga Th i s v ast literatu re

.

'

ch iefly kn own as th e Dwad ash an g a word of th e

‘ ‘

Sarv ag ya h as n e ver bee n see n by an y body for it ,

was n e v er writte n do wn .It was p reac h ed by the

T irth an karas from ti me to ti me an d was reme m
bered by th e people Lord M ah av ira tau gh t th e
.

sa m e th i n g to th e p e ople wh o were p rese n t i n his

serm on s an d wh o cou ld u n derstan d th e di v i n e
speech of th eir Lord .Af ter Mah av ira his Gan a
 69

d h aras ,
wh o se memory ch ief repository
was th e
an d m e an s of co n ti n u a n ce of t h e Sidd h an tas u sed ,

to pro mu lgate th e faith by word of mou th an d

tradi tion Gau t ama In d rabh u ti Su d h arma an d
.
,

Ja mb u S wa mi th e th re e c on sec u ti v e K e v ali n s after

,

M ah a v i ra h e ld th e pon ti fical ch air for sixty two

,
-

years a n d t ak in g ad van tage of t h e ir h igh ly trai n e d

,

me mo rie s wh ic h co u ld re tai n all th e A gamas pro

, ,

p g
a at e d th e traditi on s by wor d of m ou th T h e se .

w e re follo we d by th e fiv e Sh r u ta K e v ali n s wh o h e l d
th e c h a ir for h u n d re d ye ars T h e me m ory of th e se
.

w as weak e r th an th at of th e K e v ali n s an d h e n ce
th ey forg ot th e A n g ab ah yas Th u s th e k n o wle dge .

of t h e se A n g ab ah y as was sh u t from th e world .

T h e n ca me th e ele v e n T e n P u rvin s wh o remai n e d -

p o n ti ffs for a bo u t h u n dred an d eigh ty on e years -

.

T h e y forgo t fo u r of th e P u rvas a n d t h u s th e fo u r ,

of th e P u rvas we re n o more k n ow n T h ese were .

follo wed b y th e five E le v e n A n g in s wh o re mai n e d

for h u n dred a n d t we n ty th ree ye ars -
T h e me m ory .

o f t h e se was sti ll weaker Th e y forgot all th e

.

fo u rtee n P a r vas a n d oth er p arts of th e twelv th

A n ga Th u s th e twe lv th A n g a was n o m
. ore k n o wn .

T h e n ca me th e fo u r Fou r A n g i n s h old in g th e ch a ir
-

f or n i n e ty n i n e yea rs
-
Th ey co u ld reme mber only
.

fo u r A n gas B u t aft e r th e m cam

. e th e five O n e
A n g in s T h ey re mai n e d pon ti fis for h u n d re d an d
.

eigh tee n years T here memory was so we ak th at

.
 70 l

th ey forgot e very th i n g b u t on e A n ga T h u s o n ly .

on e A n ga was k n own to th e world B u t a fte r th e m

.

n o on e h a d t h e k n o wledge of e v en of on e co mplete
A n ga . T h e A ch aryas se e i n g th at t h e ir me m
,
ory
was growi n g we ake r an d we aker th ou gh t it ex ,

p e d ie n t to tak e a d v a n t a g e of th e a rt of w riti n g a n d ,

with th e little kn o wle dg e of th e A gam as left to th e m

by th e O n e A n g i n e th ey co mp ose d th e Sh astras
-

,
.

Th i s t oo k plac e a b ou t 5 7 A l) T h e a bove h i st ory

. .

i s fromth e Digam b ara po i n t o f v i e w Th i s tradi .

tio n n otw ith st an d i n g ou r fu ll faith i n i ts re ality

, ,

i s n ot like ly to app e al to th e reaso n of a mod ern

critical re ader wh o i s lik ely to assu me th at th i s is
,

an i n v e n tio n of t h e J ai n a A ch aryas with the obj ect

of gi v i n g a sacred a u th o rity an d a colo u r of a n ti

q u i ty to all t h eir w riti n g s w h ic

,
h are a s a m atter ,

of fact of a late r day co mposition In th e a b se n ce

,
.

of an y d irect proof h e can n ot belie v e th at the

Jai n a Sh astras are a t ru e repre se n tatio n of wh at
M ah av i ra t au gh t an d ev e n if h e assu me s t h at th e
,

origi n al co mp osition s of th e A ch aryas are based

u p on t h e i nfor matio n gi v e n by th e O n e A n g i n s h e -

ca n h ard ly b e lie v e t h at t h e wh ole Jai n a literat u re ,

v ast as it is is t
,
h e ou t come of th e origi n al c om
-

po sitio n s wh ich are said to h a ve b ee n drown e d

by Sh a n karach arya .
 m
te porary of
B u dd h a Th u s i n Mah av agg a an d
.

Mah apari n i bh an a S u tta th e two

‘

g re at ,B u dd h i st
works Mah av ira i s sa id to h a ve been a co n te m
, po
r ry
a o f B u d d h a He is me n t ion ed by h is P rakrit
.

n am e N atapu t ta He i s spoken of as on e of th e six

.

oppo n e n t te ach e rs of B u d d h a Pro f J acobi cites . .

i n h is tran slati on of th e J ai n a S u tras be side s th e

,

abo v e q u ote d book s th e A n u g u ttara N i kaya S ama

, ,

n aph ala S u tta of th e Digh N i k aya Su man g ala ,

Vil asi n i a co mmen tary by B u d d h ag h osh a on B rah

'

magala S u tt a of th e Digh N ikaya an d th e M ag g h i ma ,

N i k aya all of wh ich sh o w th at M ah a v ira was a

,

gre at O ppon en t of B u dd h a In th e Mag g hi m

“
. a

N i k ay a it is related th at th e N ig an th a N atapu tta

made A bh ayak u mara e ngage in a di sp u tation with
Bu ddh a T h e q u e stion was so a droitly for med
.

th at wh eth e r th e a nswer was Ye s or No it i n v olv ed ,

B u d d h a i n sel f co n tradiction Bu tth e plan did n ot

-
.

”
su cceed an d A b h aya was c o n v erted by B u dd h a
,
.

Fu rth er i n th e M ah avag g a V I 3 1 ( S B E Vol

“
,
. . .
,
.

XVII p 1 08 ff) a sto ry i s told of Si h a th e gen eral

, .
,

of th e L i k h av is wh o was a lay di scipl e of N ata

‘ ‘

,
’

p u tta He wan te d to pay Bu ddh a a v i sit b u t

.
,

N atapu tta tried to di ssu ade h imfro m it becau se ,

d w h d h
''

th e N i g a n th a s
i
h eld th e K r i
"t
ya va a ile B u d a ,

T h e J ai as n .
 73

t au gh t th e A kri yavad a Si h a h owe v er settin g h is ‘

.
, ,

master s proh ibition at n au gh t we n t to B u ddh a on

’

h i s own ac c ou n t an d was of cou rse con v erted by

, , ,

h im A gai n i n th e M ag h i m
”
. a N i k a ya 3 5 a d is ,

p u t ati on betwe e n Bu dd h a an d Sak k ak a th e son of ,

a N i g a n tha i s n ar rated ,
Fromth e same au th ority .

w e learn th at th i s Sak k ak a was n ot h i mself a

N i g an th a He boast s h i mself of h av i n g v an q u i sh ed
.

N atapu tta i n di spu tatio n N ow wh atev e r th e tru t h .

of t h e se tr aditi on s th ey t beyo n d d ou bt th e fact

p u ,

th a t Mah av i ra an d B u dd h a li v e d an d pre ac h ed at
th e sam e ti m
f
Th is mea n s th at Bu dd h a was
i
e .

b orn b e fore th e deat h of M ah av ira N ow Bu d dh a .

,

acco rdi n g t o t h e we st e rn sc h olars was born abou t ,

557 B 0 .Th e re fore M ah av ira s Nir va n a mu st h av e

.
’

tak e n place man y years after th i s d ate Th i s i s .

all w e k n ow fromt h e B u dd h i st wo rk s W e le arn .

T s h ow th i
o w h e th e s thori ty of th e J ai a G r thas
e av au n an

too . We l e f om Dharma P arik sh a a e pi c p oe m b y

a rn r , n

Am i ta g ati A ch a y a w ri tte n ab ou t sam

r , b t 1 07 0 that M a d i la a ,
u

y an a,d i sc i p l e of P arsh
a N ath be i g d i sp le ase d wi th
va a, n

M a h a i a b ca mv r e d i ci p l e of B d d h a a d be ga to te ac h th e
e a s u n n

B d d h i st p h i losop hy
u .

T hi s M au d i lay a a mustb e th e M og glay a a of th e

n n M ah av ag ga .

T h i s p rove s that Mah avi ra was a co te p m orary of B u d d h a n

.
 74

n o th i n g as to the p riority of on e o v er the oth er .

T h e Jai n a S h astras h o we ve r m ake th i s poi n t a

, ,

little clearer T he follo wi n g yathfi occ u rs i n th e

.

Darsh a nasii ra writt e n by De v a n an d a A c h arya i n

Sa mb at 9 9 0 a t Uj j ai n

mm
.

w w
mm
au afi uan

m
sa ) fir sthand ?" all
( i t ! art !
m
s
m m ‘

w m w fi mm
firin
g s
-

! v i as fi l

f s
m
ar l nc u
ne w s anai l W
-

ars a g a a w -

mm

mmm l w mm m
mmm mmm
T h is me an s th at
n

i n th e T i rth a of
m
P a rsh v a-
n ou

N at h a
( t h at i s du ri n g th e p e riod b e twee n th e A rh atsh ip
of P arsh v a N a th a an d M ah a v ira ) B u d d h ak irti ,
f
‘ ‘

a mo k
n le arn ed i n S h astras a di s ciple of P ih ita
,

sh ra v a l
L
w p e rformi n g p e na n c e on th e ban ks of
as

th e riv e r Sa ray u n ear a city c alled P alash n ag ara

'

He saw so me d e ad fish floa ti n g b y h i m He th ou gh t .

th at th e re was no h i n sa i n eati n g a dead fish ; for

''

T h i s co iste d of 2 800 y
ns e a rs.

1
“

T h i s w s aap p i l o f Lord
u P arsh va N at
-
ha .
 ( 76 )

k i n g Vi kramad i ty a era of k i n g Vi k ram

‘i’
. N ow th e
a

bega n fro mB C 5 7 Th erefore th e date of Mah a

. . .

v ira s Ni rv an a sh o u ld be 5 2 7 B C
’
. .

Bu t by far th e m ost c an did a n d solid au th ority

on t h i s poi n t are th e Decca n College P attav ali s of

th e Saraswat G ac h h a of th e Digam bara sect T h e se .

are reported by Dr Bh a n d arkar i n h is report on th e

.

search for S an sc rit m a n u scripts T wo P attav ali s are .

also gi v en by Dr Hoe rn le i n Vol X X p 3 4 1 an d

. . .
,
.
,

Vol XX L p 57 of th e I n di an A n tiq u ary In th e

.
,
.
,
-
.

m
In t1 od u cti on to P a tta v ali w e read th e fo llo wi n g !

m
w w
’

mm
( fl g
a a fu fr i a fi 5q
5 as W
aw w o w wfi w é u In

T ra nsla ti on .

1
( )0 N ow i n th e ye ar 47 0 after th e death of
th e Lord Vira th e birt h of ki n g Vik ra ma
took place .

T h is pu ts the date of M ah a v ira s Nir va n

’
in B C . .

52 7 .

In the i n t rod u ct io n to P a tta vali A th e follo wi n g

gath a occ u rs

We ! W fi m fi m gm a n
 ( 77 )
T ra nsla ti on .

13) It ye a r fou r h u n dred an d sev e n ty

was th e
wh e n th e b i r th of Vi rk am a took p lace .

Th i s too sati sfies th e da te of M ah av ira s Nir an a ’

v

as B C 5 2 7
. . .

A ll t h e se sh o w th at M ah av ira died ab ou t t e year h

B C 5 2 7 S till t hi s i s n ot th e exh au sti v e li st of

. . .
,

th e so u rce s of ou r i n form atio n Th ere are man y .

more proofs of th i s b u t th e scope of th i s book does

n ot allow u s to e n ter u po n th e m N ow we learn .

from K alp a su tra th e M ah a v ira Pu ra n a an d th e

-

, ,

B h ag av ati th at M ah av ira li v ed for sev e n ty two -

ye ars A ccordi n g to th e former two h e li v ed th irty

.

years as a h ou seh older t welv e as a yogi an d th irty ,

as a preach er A ccordi n g to Bh ag av ati

.
i
,
i i

M ahav i ra l ft h i s home
e at th e ag e of 3 0 ye ars .

me e ts Gosala 2
Mahav i ra li v e s wi th Gosala 6
G osala l i v e s al on e b e fore J i ns h ood 2 -

l i v e s as J in a 16
M ah av i ra su v i v e s G os la r a 16

T otal of Maha v i ra s
’
l i fe 72 ye ars .

W e th e n see th at M ah a ira li ed e e ty two v v for s v n -

years Hen ce h e mu st h av e been born abou t B C

.
. .

59 9 .
T h u s w e se e t h at h e li v ed fro m B C 5 9 9 to . .

5 2 7 fo r s e v e n ty t w o year s -
.

See th e Uvasag d asao b y D r H o e rnle p 1 1 0 N o 2 53 a

.
n d . .

Appe nd i x I .
 80 A PPE N DI X .

An an ta Virya
An ga
A n ga bah yasu tra
A n ga pu rva
A n oi
An taran g a
A n taraya
Arati
Arh at
Arj i ka
A ryav i d yasu dh ak ara
A ryavyakta
A san a
A sh ad h a
A sh av i na
Asoka wit
h
A sthi k agra ma
A ti v ira
A v adhi gyan a

Baisakh s
Bani ya
Barakar mm
B asu k un d a
B eh ar
B e sarh
 A PPE N DI X .

Bh ara d waj
B h arata C h akrav arti
“ R m fit )

B h aratav arsha
B h ash a
B h aya sq
B i h ar fi m( i n
B i h ar fi m fi m
r r
Bi mbi sara
B rah m achari

B rah m a a n

B rah m a g alas
n utta
B ri h at am
shi ta
B u d dh a
B u d dh ag osha
B u d dh ak i rti

C h ai tra
C h ak su
C h ampapu ri
C h an d an a
C h an d raprabh a
C happan ak u mari k a
C h aran a
m
C h atu r asa
C h atu spad a
C h e ln a
C h e tak a
C h ul i k a
 A PPE N DI X
D
Darshan asara “ h a rt
Darshanav arni ya
Dash apu ra
De v aki
De v an an d a
Dev anan d a
De v av an i
De vi
De v ok tamu kta

D h ana
D han ya
Dh ar mpa i k sh a
a r

Dh ru vase na
D h yan a
Di g amb ara
D i k sha
Di pav ali
D iv ali
Drav yas
Du sh ama Su sh ama
Dwad ashan g a
Dwe sh a
Dwi pad a

G ana
G an ad h ara
Gfith fi
G au tama

G au ta ma
 A PPE N DI X .

K ach aloch a na M as
Kalas
K alpasu tra
K alyan ak a
Karma
Karti ka
K ash apa

Kevali n
K h aratarag acha
K olla g a
K oti g g a ma

Kri sh n a
K ri yav ad a
K rodh a
K h satriya
K sh ayak C hari tra
K sh ayak Sa myak t
va

K sh e tra
Ku la
K u mmar
 A PPE N DI X .

K u n d ag gama m ( m
K u n d alpura
K u n ika
Ku ppa

L ab d h i s
Labh a
L ag h u b h oj ana as m
L ak sh mi
L esh yas
L ok a

M ag ad ha
Mag ad h i
M ah av ag g a
Mah av i ra
Mahavi ra Pu ran
M ah avri ta
M ai treya
Man a
Man d ara

Mati
M au d i layan a
M au rayapu tra
Maya
Meru
86 A PP E N DI X .

Mith ila
Mi th yatv a
M og alayan a
Moh an i ya
Mulg u n a
Mu m

N alan d a
N an d i v ard h ana
N apu n sakav e d a
N atapu tta
N ath ab an si
Nati k as
N aya Kulin
N emi ch an d ra
N ig an th a
N i rvan a

P alash an ag ar
Pali
P an ch asti kaya
P an d u shi la
P ani yab h u mi
P apa
P ara mesh th i
P ari g rah a
P ari k raman a
P ari sh ah a
P arsh v an ath a un i -r m
 88 AP PE N DI X .

Ru ch ak d vi pa
Ru d ra

Sal
Saman ta
Samata
Sami ti
Samosarana
Samparyan k a
Samyak a C h ari tra
San mati
San n i v e s
San yasi
Saraswati
Sarathi khan da .

Sarv agya
Saryu
Satya
Sh an d av ana
Sh an k aracharya
Sh astra
Sh atan ee k a
Sh ayan a
Sh e sh av ati
Sh oka
Sh ra ma na

Sh rav aka
Sh rav asti
Sh re n i k a
 A PPEN DI X .

Sh rotra
Sh ru ta K evalin
Sh ru ti
Sh u d dh abh u mi
m
Sh v e ta bara
Si d d h a
Sid d harth a
Si d d hi s
Si d dhan ta
Sparsh a

Stav an a
Sth av i ra
Stri v e d a
Su b h ad ra
Su d arsh an a
m
Su dh a r ach arya
Su kla
Sulasa
Su lpani
Su ma n
g alv i la si n i
Su parsv a
Su trak ri tan g a
Sv adh yaya
Syad av ad a

T attvarth ad hi g a ma
T attva

T i rth a
90 A PPE N DI X .

T i rth an k ara
T ri lok asara
T ri sala
T yag a

Ud ayi n
Usab h ad atta
Usab h ad i n n a
Uttarad h yayana
Uttarg u nas
'
Uttarph alg u n
Uv asag d asao

Vai sali
Vai sh asti
Vaj rabh u mi
Van d an a
Van iyag ra m a

Varah a mih i a
r

Var d h amana

Vashi sth a was ( " ri r)

Vastratyag a
Vastu
Vasu mati
Vayu b h u ti
Vi d yad h ara
Vi mana
Vi pu lach ala
Vi ra