Mahavir Jayanti 2024:
According to the Hindu calendar, every year on the Trayodashi date of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month, Jain followers celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the twenty-fourth Tirthankar of Jainism, with great pomp. This time Mahavir Jayanti will be celebrated on 21st April. Lord Mahavir is also called Vardhaman, Veer, Ativeer and Sanmati. He showed the path of truth and non-violence to the entire society. On this day, the Jain community goes to Jain temples and worships, while a grand procession is also taken out on this day.
Who was Lord Mahavir?
Lord Mahavir was the last and 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. His birth is considered to be 599 BC. His father was King Siddhartha and mother was Queen Trishala and his childhood name was Vardhaman.
Who is Called Tirthankar?
Tirthankara in Jainism refers to those 24 divine great men who by their penance attained enlightenment and completely conquered their senses and emotions.
That’s Why We Don’t Wear Clothes
During his penance, Lord Mahavir accepted to remain a Digambara, Digambara sages consider the sky as their clothing and hence do not wear clothes. Jain belief is that clothes are meant to cover the vices and why does a sage who is beyond vices need clothes?
This is How I Got Only Knowledge
The first thirty years of Lord Mahavir were like a lotus in the swamp of royal splendor and luxury. After that, for twelve years, he became so engrossed in the worship of Mangal Sadhana and self-awakening in the dense forest that the clothes on his body started falling off. After twelve years of silent penance of Lord Mahavir, he attained ‘Kevalgyan’. After attaining Kevaljnana, for thirty years, Mahavir created four places of pilgrimage – Sadhu-Sadhvi, Shravak-Sravika, for the welfare of the people.
Mahavir’s Principles
Lord Mahavir’s self-religion was the same for every soul in the world. He said that we should have the same behavior and thoughts towards others that we like ourselves. This is his principle of ‘live and let live’. He not only gave the message of salvation to this world, but also showed the simple and true path of salvation. To attain spiritual and eternal happiness, he also explained five fundamental principles like truth, non-violence, non-conceit, non-observance and celibacy. By implementing these principles in his life, Mahavir was called ‘Jin’. That is what ‘Jain’ is made of, that is, the one who has overcome lust, craving, senses and discrimination, that is Jain.
Violence in Their Eyes
Lord Mahavir conquered his senses and was called Jitendra. He considered not only causing pain to the body as violence but also hurting someone through thoughts, words and deeds is violence in his view.
To Forgive Everyone
Lord Mahavir says about forgiveness- ‘I seek forgiveness from all living beings. I have a feeling of friendship towards all the living beings of the world. I have no enmity with anyone. I have established myself in religion with a true heart. I ask for forgiveness from all living beings for all my crimes. I forgive all the crimes that all living beings have committed against me.
