Saturday 27 April 2013

7 HEADED SHESHNAG FOUND ! -- GREAT HOAX !!

WE ARE SORRY ! WE CAME TO KNOW THE TRUTH
AFTER SEEING RANJAN'S COMMENTS !!

SARPRAJ SHESHNAG SPOTTED ON 

NH 33 RANCHI PATNA HIGHWAY 


40 KMS FROM RANCHI.

(ORIGINAL FALSE PLACE DESCRIPTION, ABOVE)

PHOTO-SHOPPED PICTURE ie., PICTURE BELOW, MANIPULATED
TO HAVE SEVEN HEADS !

 COMPARE THE PHOTOS BELOW & ABOVE--

ORIGINAL TRUE PICTURE OF KING COBRA WITH ONE HEAD
FOUND ON MANGALORE -- BANGALORE HIGH WAY
&
NOT RANCHI -- PATNA HIGHWAY



EVEN A 3 HEADED PHOTO-SHOPPED VERSION IS AVAILABLE !! (R.H. PICTURE)

THESE PEOPLE ARE MAKING LORD BRAHMA JOBLESS !!


HOWEVER THERE ARE OTHER PHOTOS ALSO  LOOKING SUSPICIOUS - 
              BODY COILING SHAPE SAME IN BOTH PHOTOS BELOW , 
              NO. OF HEADS ARE DIFFERENT ! --


5 HEADS !


9 HEADS !


THE FOLLOWING POSTING ON 5 HEADED SNAKE WE MADE EARLIER -- 
PICTURES BELOW SEEM TO BE TRUE PICTURES & NOT MANIPULATED.

Tuesday, 15 November 2011


5 headed snake in Bangalore



A five headed snake found in Cantonment Bangalore (India )

VERY RARE TO SEE, ONLY  SEEN IN BHAGWAT EARLIER, WHEN BASUDEVJI TOOK SRIKRISHNA TO NANDGAON. 



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Sunday 21 April 2013

PARABLES OF RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA - PART 2


SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA ALWAYS USED
MAKE HIS POINT BY NARRATING SIMPLE PARABLES
FROM HIS LIFE, SCRIPTURES, PURANAS, VISIONS
HE GOT FROM KALI MATA ETC.

SPIRITUALLY HIS  EXPERIENCE IS ADVAITHA 
PHILOSOPHY LIKE THAT OF BHGAVATPADA  
SRI SHANKARACHARYA

FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED TO READ
MORE PARABLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA 
PARAMAHAMSA PL. VISIT --
https://www.scribd.com/doc/229352368/41/SUCH-INDEED-IS-MAYA




SRI RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA

MAA KALI


ENMESHED IN MAYA, BRAHMAN WEEPS!

VISHNU incarnated Himself as a sow in order to 
kill the demon Hiranynksha. After killing the 
demon, sow remained quite happy with her young 
ones. Forgetting her real nature, she was suckling 
them very contentedly. The gods in heaven could 
not persuade Vishnu to relinquish His sow's body 
and return to the celestial regions. He was 
absorbed in the happiness of His beast form. After 
consulting among themselves, the gods sent Siva to 
the sow. Siva asked the sow "Why have you 
forgotten yourself?" Vishnu replied through the 
sow's body, "Why, I am quite happy here." 
Thereupon with a stroke of his trident Siva 
destroyed the sow's body and Vishnu went back to 
heaven.
Everyone is under the authority of the Divine 
Mother, Mahamaya, the Primal Energy. Even the 
Incarnations of God accept the help of Maya to 
fulfil their mission on earth. Therefore they 
worship the Primal Energy.

HOW IS MAYA ?

A CERTAIN sadhu lived for some time in the
room above the nahavat-khana (concert-room) of
the temple of Dakshineswar. He did not speak with
anybody and spent his whole time in the
meditation of God. One day, all of a sudden, a 
cloud darkened the sky and shortly afterwards a 
high wind blew away the cloud. The holy man now 
came out of his room and began to laugh and
dance in the veranda in front of the concert room. 
Upon this I asked him, "How is it that you, 
who spend your days so quietly in your room, are 
dancing in joy and feel so jolly today?" 
The holy man replied, "Such is Maya that envelops
the life!"

At first there is clear sky, all of a sudden a cloud

darkens it and presently everything is as before 
once more. 



MAYA VANISHES THE MOMENT IT IS KNOWN

A PRIEST was once going to the village of a 
disciple of his. He had no servant with him. Seeing 
a cobbler on the way, he addressed him, saying: 
"Hulloa! Good man, will you accompany me as a 
servant? You will be fed well and taken good care 
of, if you come with me." The cobbler replied: "Sir, 
I am of the lowest caste. How can I come as your 
servant?" The priest said, "Never mind. Do not tell 
anybody what you are. Do not also speak to 
anyone, or make anybody's acquaintance. The 
cobbler agreed. At twilight, while the priest was 
sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple, 
another brahmana came and said to the priest's 
servant, "Go and bring my shoes from there." True 
to the behest of his master, he made no response. 
The brahmana repeated his order a second time, 
but even then the servant remained silent. The 
brahmana repeated it again and again, but the 
cobbler did not move an inch. At last, getting 
annoyed, the brahmana angrily said: "Sirrah; how 
dare you disobey a brahmana's command? What is 
your name? Are you indeed a cobbler?" 
Cobbler, hearing this, began to tremble with fear, 
and looking piteously at the priest, said: "0 
venerable sir, I am found out. I dare not stay here 
any longer. Let me flee." So saying, he took to his 
heels.
Just so, as soon as Maya is recognised, she flies
away.

WHAT OCCULT POWERS ARE LIKE

HRIDAY asked me—I was then under his control 
to pray to the Divine Mother for (occult) powers. I 
went to the temple. In a vision I saw a widow thirty 
or thirty five years old, covered with filth. 

It was revealed to me that occult powers are like that 
filth.
I became angry with Hriday because he had asked
me to pray for powers.


THE PROLONGED DREAM THAT WE CALL

 LIFE


THERE was a farmer who lived in the countryside
He was a real jnani. He earned his living by
farming, He was married, and after many years a
son was born to him, whom he named Haru. The
parents loved the boy dearly. This was natural,
since he was the one precious gem of the family.
On account of his religious nature the farmer was
loved by the villagers. One day he was working in
the field when a neighbour came and told him that
Haru had an attack of cholera. The farmer at once
returned home and arranged for treatment for the
boy. But Haru died. The other members of the
family were grief-stricken, but the farmer acted as
if nothing had happened. He consoled his family
and told them that grieving was futile. Then he
went back to his field. On returning home he
found his wife weeping even more bitterly. She
said to him: “How heartless you are! You haven’t
shed one tear for the child.” The farmer replied
quietly: “Shall I tell you why I haven’t wept? I had a
very vivid dream last night. I dreamt I had become
a king; I was the father of eight sons and was very
happy with them. Then I woke up. Now I am
greatly perplexed. Should I weep for those eight
sons or for this one Hani?”

The farmer was a jnani; therefore he realized that
the waking state is as unreal as the dream state.
There is only one eternal substance, and that is the
Atman.


Brahman

FOUR FRIENDS LOOKED BEYOND

ONCE four friends, in the course of a walk, saw a 
place enclosed by a wall. The wall was very high. 
They all became eager to know what was inside. 
One of them climbed to the top of the wall. What 
he saw on looking inside made him speechless with 
wonder. He only cried, 'Ah! Ah!' and dropped in. 
He could not give any information about what he 
saw. The others too climbed the wall, uttered the 
same cry, 'Ah! Ah!' and jumped in. Now who 
could tell what was inside!

What Brahman is cannot be described. Even he
who knows it cannot talk about it.


WHERE SILENCE IS ELOQUENT 
AND SPEECH DOTH FALTER

A MAN had two sons. The father sent them to a 
preceptor to learn the knowledge of Brahman. 
After a few years they returned from their 
preceptor's house and bowed low before their 
father. Wanting to measure the depth of their 
knowledge of Brahman, he first questioned the
older of the two boys. "My child," he said "you 
have studied all the scriptures. Now, tell me, what 
is the nature of Brahman?" The boy began to 
explain Brahman by reciting various texts from the 
Vedas. The father did not say anything. Then he 
asked the younger son the same question. But the 
boy remained silent and stood with eyes cast down. 
No word escaped his lips. The father was pleased 
and said to him: "My child, you have understood a 
little of Brahman. 

What It is cannot be expressed in words."

NEITHER 'YES' NOR 'NO'!


THE husband of a young girl has come to his 
father-in-law's house and is seated in the drawingroom 
with other young men of his age. The girl 
and her friends are looking at them through the 
window. Her friends do not know her husband 
and ask her, pointing to one young man, "Is that 
your husband?" "No," she answers, smiling. They 
point to another young man and ask if he is her 
husband. Again she answers, "No." They repeat 
the question, referring to a third, and she gives the 
same answer. At last they point to her husband and 
ask, "Is he the one?" She says neither yes nor no 
but only smiles and keeps quiet. Her friends realize 
that he is her husband.

One becomes silent on realising the true nature of
Brahman.

THE KING AND THE MAGICIAN


As you go nearer to God you see less and less of 
His upadhis, His attributes. A devotee at first may 
see the Deity as the ten-armed Divine Mother; 
when he goes nearer, he sees her possessed of six 
arms; still nearer, he sees the Deity as the two 
armed Gopala. The nearer he comes to the Deity, 
the fewer attributes he sees. At last, when he 
comes into the presence of the Deity, he sees only 
Light without any attribute, Listen a little to the 
Vedantic reasoning. A magician came to a king to 
show his magic. When the magician moved away a 
little, the king saw a rider on horse-back
approaching him. He was brilliantly arrayed and 
had various weapons in his hands. The king and 
the audience began to reason out what was real in 
the phenomenon before them. Evidently the horse 
was not real, nor the robes nor the armours. At last 
they found out beyond the shadow of a doubt that 
the rider alone was there. 

The significance of this is that Brahman alone is real 
and the world unreal. 

Nothing whatsoever remains if you analyse. 

WHEN FACE TO FACE


WHERE the mind attains peace by practising the 
discipline of 'Neti, neti', there Brahman is.
The king dwells in the inmost room of the palace, 
which has seven gates. The visitor comes to the 
first gate. There he sees a lordly person with a large 
retinue, , surrounded on all sides by pomp and 
grandeur. The visitor asks his companion, "Is he 
the king?" "No", says his friend with a smile.
At the second and other gates he repeats the same
question to his friend. He finds that the nearer he
comes to the inmost part of the palace, the greater 
is the glory, pomp, and grandeur. When he passes 
the seventh gate he does not ask his companion 
whether it is the king; he stands speechless at the 
king's immeasurable glory. 

He realizes that he is face to face with the king(GOD).

He hasn't the slightest doubt about it.

'BEHOLD, O KING! BEHOLD'

ONCE, a king asked a yogi to impart Knowledge 
to him in one word. The yogi said, "All right; you 
will get knowledge in one word." After a while a 
magician came to the king. The king saw the 
magician moving two of his lingers rapidly and 
heard him exclaim, "Behold, O king, Behold." The 
king looked at him amazed when, after a few 
minutes, he saw the two lingers becoming one. The 
magician moved that one finger rapidly and said, 
"Behold, O king! Behold."

The implication of the story is that Brahman and
the Primal Energy at first appear to be two. But 
after attaining knowledge of Brahman one does not 
see the two. 

Then there is no differentiation; it is One, without a 
second—Advaita—non-duality.

AN ANT WENT TO A SUGAR HILL

MEN often think they have understood Brahman 
fully.
Once, an ant went to a sugar hill. One grain filled 
its stomach. Taking another grain in its mouth it 
started homeward. On its way it thought, "Next 
time I shall carry home the whole hill."

That is the way shallow minds think. They don't
know that Brahman is beyond one's words and 
thought, However great a man may be, how much 
can he know of Brahman? 

Sukadeva and sages like him may have been 
big ants; but even they at the utmost could carry 
eight or ten grains of sugar!

HE EATS, YET EATS NOT

ONCE Vyasadeva was about to cross the Jamuna. 
The gopis also were there. They wanted to go to 
the other side of the river to sell curd, milk, and 
cream. But there was no ferry at that time. They 
were all worried about how to cross the river, 
when Vyasa said to them, "I am very hungry." The 
milkmaids fed him with milk and cream. He 
finished almost all their food. Then Vyasa said to 
the river, "O Jamuna, if I have not eaten anything, 
then your waters will part and we shall walk 
through." It so happened. The river parted and a 
pathway was formed between the waters. 
Following that path, the gopis and Vyasa crossed 
the river.
Vyasa had said, "If I have not eaten anything.

"That means, the real man is Pure Atman. Atman is
unattached and beyond Prakriti. It has neither 
hunger nor thirst; It knows neither birth nor death; 
It does not age, nor does It die. It is immutable as 
Mount Sumeru.

ALL PURE SPIRIT

ALL doubts disappear when one sees God. It is 
one thing to hear of God, but quite a different 
thing to see Him. A man cannot have one hundred 
per cent conviction through mere hearing. But if 
he beholds God face to face, then he is wholly 
convinced.
Formal worship drops away after the vision of 
God. It was thus that my worship in the temple 
came to an end. I used to worship the deity in the 
Kali Temple.
 It was suddenly revealed to me that everything is 
Pure Spirit. The utensils of worship, 
the altar, the door-frame - all Pure Spirit. Then like 
a mad man I began to shower flowers in all 
directions. Whatever I saw I worshipped.







Saturday 20 April 2013

BHAGWAN MAHAVIRA - 24th JAIN THIRTHANKARA


Reproduced from - http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in
(with additional information)





OM JAI MAHAVIR PRABHO
ARATHI BHAJAN

24th Jain Tirthankara

Name                .......................Mahavira Prabhu
Father's Name................... ..Siddhartha
Mother's Name.................. ..Trishala (Priyakarini)
Birth Place        .....................Kundalpur
Birth Thithi        .....................Chitra Sukla.13
Diksha Thithi    .................... Marghshirsh ku. 10
Kevalgyan Thithi.............. ...Baishak ku.10
Naksharta         ..................... Hasthotar
Diksha Sathi     ................ ....Ekaki
Shadhak Jeevan ........... .....42 years
Age Lived         ................ .....72 years
Lakshan Sign  ................ .....Lion
Neervan Place ............... .... .Pavapuri
Neervan Sathi ................ .... .0
Neervan Thithi................ ..... Kartik ku. 15
Colour               .....................  Golden

Lord Mahavira was the 24th and last reformer or Tirthankara of 
Jainism. Lord Mahavir was born on the thirteenth day of rising 
moon of Chaitra month, in 599 B.C. in the present state of 
Bihar, India. His birthplace is believed to have been near the 
modern city of Patna. Lord Mahavira’s birthday falls in the 
month of April as per Gregorian calendar. Lord Mahavira’s 
mother’s name was Queen Trishla and his father’s name was 
King Siddhartha. Both his parents were followers of Lord 
Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara, who lived during 877-777 
BC. When the soul conceived into Queen Trishala's womb, 
she saw the fourteen great dreams.

Trishala Mother's 14 Great Dreams

DREAMS


According to the Jain scriptures, Trishala had fourteen 
dreams after the conception of her son. In the Digambara 
sect of the Jaina religion, there were 16 dreams. After 
having these dreams she woke her husband King Siddharth 
and told him about the dreams. The next day Siddharth 
summoned the scholars of the court and asked them to 
explain the meaning of the dreams. According to the 
scholars, these dreams meant that the child would be born 
very strong, courageous, and full of virtue.

Following two additional deams as per DIGAMBARA sect -


EARLY LIFE

Lord Mahavira was a prince and was given the name 
Vardhaman by his parents. Being the son of a king, he 
had many worldly pleasures, comforts, and services at 
his command. However, even at that tender age he 
exhibited a virtuous nature. He started engaging in 
meditation and immersed himself in self-contemplation.
 He was interested in the core beliefs of Jainism and 
began to distance himself from worldly matters. Even 
in his early youth he seems to have thought of 
renouncing the world, but he was always prevailed 
upon by his affectionate parents to change his resolve, 
nor did Prince Vardhaman desired to hurt his parents.
 It appears that Vardhaman’s parents were quite firm 
in making attempts to engage the boy’s mind in worldly 
things and in creating around him a luscious 
atmosphere of amusement and pleasure. Fairly early in 
life he was married to a charming princess, Yashoda. 
Yashoda gave birth to a girl who was named 
Priyadarsana. Although Vardhaman was not attached 
in worldly life since his young age but he had decided 
not to renounce the world as long as his parents were 
alive. His parents passed away by observing fast unto 
death (santhara) when Vardhaman was 28 years of age. 



Vardhamana taking permission from his elder brother Nandivardhan


Now the moment had come for great renunciation but he 
decided to take permission from his elder brother 
Nandivardhan. Nandivardhan dissuaded him from 
renouncing worldly life for two more years because in the
absence  of their parents it was unable for him to handle 
responsibility single handedly and the renunciation of 
his younger brother would add more pain in their 
parents’ death.

Vardhamana practicing Samayika at his palace


Vardhaman Mahavir lived for two more years in the palace 
but he spent those years in meditation and spent this time 
living like a monk. He observed fasts and practiced celibacy 
until the day of renunciation approached.

GREAT RENUNCIATION

Vardhamana distributing his wealth to the needy


Vardhamana giving up his cloths and bonds


On the tenth day of Margsirsa Vardhaman renounced all 
his bonds, left his silver gold and riches, rejected his property, 
distributed his wealth in presents, and became a homeless 
monk. He tore his long hairs with handfuls, removed all his 
clothes and put a single garment on his shoulder. He then 
uttered “Namo Siddhanam”, (I bow down to the liberated 
souls) and started to walk toward the jungles.

SPIRITUAL PURSUIT


a depiction of Lord Mahavir's first meditation after renunciation and his wandering  

Lord Mahavir giving his half garment to a brahmin as alms


Vardhaman spent 12.5 years in deep meditation and self 
control. During these twelve years he spent most of his 
time meditating. He gave utmost regard to other living 
beings, including humans, animals and plants, and 
avoided harming them. He had given up all worldly 
possessions including his clothes, and lived an 
extremely austere life. He exhibited exemplary control 
over his senses while enduring the penance during 
these years. His courage and bravery earned him the 
name Mahavira – The Great Hero. This course of 
penance’s comprehended ‘uninterrupted meditation, 
unbroken chastity, and the most scrupulous observance 
of the rules concerning eating and drinking.’ The account 
of his spiritual practices given in the Acharanga Sutra is 
literally soul -stirring.


"He meditated day and night, undisturbed and 
non-perturbed. Avoiding women and giving up the 
company of householders, he realized singleness. He 
lodged in workshops, assembling places, manufactories, 
shed of straw, towns, garden-houses, in cemeteries and 
burial grounds, or at the foot of a tree, wherever shelter 
was available. He did not care for sleep for the sake of
 pleasure and he slept only for 3 hours in his 12.5 years
 of spiritual pursuit. In winter when cold winds blew, he 
did not seek sheltered places or kindle wood or seek to 
cover himself with clothes. In the cold season he 
meditated in the shade, in summer he exposed himself
 to the heat. He would meditate with his eyes fixed on 
a square space before him of the length of a man or in 
some of the posture without the smallest motion. While 
meditating he would concentrate on the things above, 
below, or beside. He meditated free from sin and desire,
 not attached to sounds or colors, and never acted 
carelessly. Being averse from the impressions of the 
senses, he spoke very little and was always calm.


‘Thoroughly knowing the earth-bodies and water-bodies 

and fire-bodies and wind-bodies, the lichens, seeds and 

sprouts’ and comprehending ‘that they are, if narrowly 

inspected, imbued with life’, he avoided all kinds of sin 
and abstained from all sinful activities. He did not use 
other’s robe, nor did he eat out of other’s vessel. He did 
not rub his eyes or scratch his body. Knowing measure 
in eating and drinking he was not desirous of delicious 
food, nor had he a longing for it.’ For more than a couple 
of years he led a religious life without using cold water.
 He completely abstained from indulgence of the flesh; 
whether wounded or not, he took no medical treatment.
 He lived on rough food-rice, pounded jujube and beans.
 Sometimes he ate stale food. He accepted moist or dry
 or cold food, old beans, old pap, or bad grain, whatever
 was available. But if where there were hungry birds, 
animals or thirsty beings or beggars standing in his way, 
he would go past that place without begging alms. He 
kept fasts; sometimes he ate only the sixth meal, or the 
eighth, or the tenth, or the twelfth; sometimes he did not 
drink for half a month or even for a month or for more 
than two months or even six months.

In accordance with the rules of the order he wandered 

about unceasingly, except for the four months of the 

rainy season. During the rest of the year, he lived in 
villages only a single night and in towns only five nights.
He was indifferent alike to the smell of ordure and the 
sweet scent of sandal, to straw and jewel, dirt and gold, 
pleasure and pain, this world and the world beyond, to 
life and death. His mind was completely free from 
attachment. Circumspect in his thought, words and 
acts, he moved without wrath, pride, deceit and 
greed. Like water in a vessel, he was unattached in the 
midst of sin. During the course of his travels, he visited 
the pathless country of the Ladhas, in Vajrabhumi and
 in Subbhabhumi; and here his troubles were endless. 
The rude natives of the place attacked him and set 
dogs to bite him. He endured the abusive language of 
the rustics and bore pain, free from desire. When he
 approached the village the inhabitants met him on the 
outside and attacked him, saying ‘Get away from here’.
He was struck with a stick, the fist, lance, hit with a 
fruit, a clod a potsherd. Beating him again and again 
many cried. Once when he sat in meditation, without 
moving his body they cut his flesh, tore his hair under 
pains, or covered him with dust. They disturbed him 
in his religious postures”. But like a hero at the head 
of a battle, bearing all hardships he reached on his 
path wholly undisturbed."

DETAILS OF LORD MAHAVIR’S ASCETIC LIFE



Within a few days of Mahavira's renunciation, he went
to a village called Kummara. He stood there in

meditation. One cow- herder took him to be a thief
and wanted to hit him, and Mahavira had to leave the 
village. After a few months of wandering,Mahavira 
went to an ashram in Moraga, where he was invited 
to spend the four-month rainy season by its abbot. 
Mahavira was assigned a hut with a thatched roof. 
The previous summer had been so hot that the
 grass in the forest was destroyed, and the cattle 
ran to eat the ascetics' grass huts. The other ascetics 
beat off the cattle, but Mahavira just let the cattle 
eat the thatched roof. The ascetics complained 
to the abbot, and so Mahavira decided to leave 
the ashram and spent the rainy season in the village
of Ashtikagram. Reflecting upon this experience,
Mahavira resolved to follow the fivefold discipline of 
never living in the house of an unfriendly person, 
usually standing with the body like a statue 
(Kayotsarga), generally maintaining silence, eating
 out of his hand as a dish, and not showing politeness 
to householders.




Lord Mahavir calmly bearing Shulpani Yaksha's tortures

 Wandering Mahavira one day arrived near a small 

forlorn village on the banks of river Vegvati. There he

took permission from the village headman to stay in an 

abandoned temple for a night long meditation. According

to the scriptures, he was tortured by a Yaksha Shulpani 

but remained undisturbed in his meditation, free from 

attachment and aversion, unless the Yaksha gave up 

torturing Mahavira and fell at his feet. Mahavir opened

 his eyes and, raising his hand, said, “Shulpani! Anger

 supplements anger and love begets love. If you do not 

cause fear, you will become free of all fears always. So 

destroy the poison ivy of anger.”


During the second year, while Mahavira was crossing 

the river, his garment was caught in the thorns on 

the bank of the river. The lord did not look back or tried 

to put it back on his shoulders. He kept walking and 

from this time onwards he remained naked.


Lord Mahavir and the poisonous snake Chandkaushika 

Once while he was on his way to Shwetambika town, he 

had to go through a barren forest which was the habitat 

of a poisonous cobra snake. He was warned by the 

villagers to avoid that route but Mahavira did not show 

any fear. Reaching the snake’s hole he decided to stand 

there for meditation. According to the scriptures he was

bitten by the snake that was Jain monk in his previous 

births and had to take the birth of a snake because of 

anger. The snake was astonished to see milk oozing 

out instead of blood from the spots where it has stung 

on Mahavira’s toe. The milk was sign of boundless 

compassion he had for every living being. Then staring 

into Mahavira’s eyes full of compassion the snake 

regained memories of its previous lives and repented 

mentally for the sins it had committed in previous births.

 The snake then did not harm any living being and died 

peacefully.Mahavira’s second rainy season was spent 

in Nalanda, a suburb of Rajagrha. While here he was 

met by Gosala Mankhaliputra. Gosala was then 

wandering about in the country showing pictures to the 

people, and was attracted by Mahavira owing to his 

extra-ordinary self-restraint and impressive habits of 

medication and by the fact that a rich householder of

 Rajagrha, by name Vijaya had shown respect and 

hospitality towards Mahavira. The Jaina books mention 

that Gosala approached Mahavira with a request that 

he may be adopted as his disciple, but that Mahavira 

declined his request, presumably because he at once 

sensed the great difference between their 

temperaments. Gosala’s request was repeated on two

 later occasions and on each successive occasion with

 greater earnestness, and was ultimately granted by 

Mahavira. From there they travelled for six years 

together.


In Choraga village, both Mahavira and Goshala were 

taken for spies and imprisoned. Tying them with ropes, 

the landlord Kalahasti torchered them. His elder brother 

Megh identified Mahavira as Vardhaman, King 

Siddhartha’s son. He fell at the feet of Mahavir and, 

with tears of repentance in his eyes he begged to be 

forgiven. When released Mahavir resumed his journey.


Goshala left Mahavira’s company after six years and 

started his own school known as Ajivika and declared

 himself as Jina or Omniscient where Mahavira 

continued his journey towards the ultimate truth.


twenty great afflictions by Sangam

In the eleventh year of his spiritual journey, one day Lord
 Mahavir was doing a special one night meditation in 
Polash Temple. In this practice one makes his body, mind, 
psyche and soul absolutely still and tranquil, observing the 
high degree of engrossment in meditation. According to the 
scriptures, on that night, he was tortured by the celestial 
being Sangam who gave twenty terrible physical pain to 
the Lord. Ultimately he couldn’t disturb the lord from his 
spiritual meditation. It was at this time, and only at this time, 
that tears rolled from the eyes of Bhagvan Mahavir. The 
reason behind the tears was not the pain caused by 
Sangam but they were for the cost of Sangam's own awful 
severe loss.

It was the 12th year of Mahavira’s spiritual practices. 
Spending the monsoon-stay at Vaishali he came toa garden 
in Kaushambi. It was the time around which the incidents of 
Shatanik’s attack on Champa, fall of Champa, sacrifice of 
queen Dharini, auction of princess Vasumati as a slave, etc. 
were occurring. Mahavira with his penetrating knowledge 
and perception had a glimpse of all this. He made an 
almost impossible resolution on the first day of the dark half 
of the month of Paush.

“I will accept alms for breaking my fast only from a 
princess that has become a slave. And that too only if she 
has a shaven head, her limbs are shackled, she has not 
eaten for three days, she is sitting on the threshold of a 
house, she has pulse-bran lying in a basket and she has a
smile as well as tears in her eyes. Unless these conditions 
are met I resolve to continue my practice and not to break 
my fast.”

Lord Mahavir accepting alms from the hands of Chandanbala

Five months and twenty five days had passed since 
Mahavira had eaten anything. The twenty sixth day of the 
sixth month dawned. It was past noon when Mahavira, 
wandering for alms, approached the house where 
Princess Vasumati as a slave was kept. She had made 
a resolve not to eat before serving to some monk. She 
had stale pulse in the basket. 

Upon seeing the Lord approaching to the house she 
became happy and offered the alms. This is where 
all conditions of Lord Mahavira met except the one. 
There were no tears in Vasumati’s eyes. 

By seeing this Lord moved ahead without accepting 
alms. Vasumati became sad and thought, “How unlucky 
I am that Shramana Mahavira did not accept the alms 
from my hand.” And then she started to cry. When the 
lord saw back he saw tears in her eyes and thus all his 
conditions met. He accepted stale pulse and broke his 
six months long fast. Vasumati later became known as 
Chandana or Chandanbala and took initiation under Lord 
Mahavira’s hands and became head nun of the nun order 
and ultimately gained Omniscience and Nirvana.

The cow-herder hammering thorns into Lord Mahavir's ears

After spending his twelfth rainy season, Lord Mahavira 

started his journey to Chammani village and as night 

was approaching he decided to stand in Kayotsarg 

Meditation outside the village under a tree before it gets 

dark. A passing cow herder saw the lord and asked him 

to look for his oxen as he wanted to go back to the village. 

The lord was in deep meditation and didn’t reply him. 

The cowherd went into the village and returned a little 

late. The oxen had drifted away grazing. Not finding his 

oxen, he asked, “Ascetic, where are my oxen?” As the 

lord was in meditation he didn’t reply. The cowherd 

asked again, and once again he did not get any 

response. He got irritated and shouted, “You hypocrite! 

Are you deaf, don’t you hear anything?”


Again not getting any answer from Mahavira, the cow 

herder lost his temper and picked long nail like thorns 

from a nearby shrub of Kansa grass and pierced the 

ears of Mahavir deeply by hammering the thorns in. 

Even such excruciating agony did not move Mahavir 

from his meditation; neither did it evoke any feeling of 

anger or aversion in him.


The next afternoon the thorns were removed by doctor

Kharak. Kharak used some medicated oil and forceps 

and pulled out the thorns. This caused such an 

unbearable agony to Mahavir that an anguished cry 

was forced out of him. Blood oozed out of his ears.

THE TEN GREAT DREAMS



After deep and exhausting spiritual practice for more 

than 12 years Lord Mahavir was extremely tired. The 

exhaustion resulted in a slumber for a few moments 

during the last hour of the night and Mahavir saw ten 

strange dreams. The ten dreams are described in Jain 

scriptures as below:

1)  Defeating a lion: You will soon destroy the Illusory 

(Mohaniya) Karma.

2) A bird with white feathers is in attendance: You will 

always have purest attitude or feelings.

3) A bird with multicolored feathers: You will propagate 

multifaceted knowledge through the 12 Aagams 

(canons)

4)  Two gem strings appear in front: You will preach 

two-way religion. The conduct of ascetics and the 

conduct of laity.

5)  A herd with white cows: The four pronged 

organization will serve you.

6)  A pond with open lotuses: The celestial beings 

from four dimensions will serve you.

7)  Crossed a waxy ocean swimming: You will cross 

the ocean of rebirths.

8)  Sun rays spreading in all directions: Soon you will 

attain Omniscience (kevala jnana).

9) You are encircling the mountain with your bluish 

intestines: You will pervade the universe with your 

pure glory.

10) You are sitting on a throne placed on summit 

of the Mount Meru: You will give religious discourse

sitting on a high throne.

ATTAINMENT OF OMNISCIENCE



It was the tenth day of the bright half of the month of 

Vaishakh. Twelve years five months and fifteen 

days had passed since the beginning of Mahavira’s 

spiritual practices. Lord Mahavir sat in mediation under

 a Shala tree in a garden on the back of the river 

Rijuvaluka (river Barakar in modern times). Sitting 

on both feet with knees touching his chest, he was 

feeling calm even in the scorching summer sun. 

Focusing all his physical, mental and spiritual 

energies he was engrossed in deep and pure 

meditation (shukla dhyana). Gradually the sun 

was setting in the west and within him the sun of 

omniscience was rising. 



He became omniscient or, or Arihanta. He became 

a Jina, the victorious over attachment and aversion.

 At that time he was 42 years of age.


Lord Mahavira’s attainment of Absolute Knowledge 

or Omniscience is mentioned in the Kalpasutra as 

below:


"During the thirteenth year, in the second month of 

summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) 

of Vaisakha, on its tenth day, when the shadow had 

turned towards the east and the first wake was 

over, on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurta 

called Vigaya, outside of the town Grimbhikagrama 

on the bank of the river Rjupalika, not far from an old 

temple, in the field of the householder Samaga

(shyamak), under a Sal tree, when the moon was in 

conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, (the 

Venerable One) in a squatting position with joined

 heels, exposing himself to the heat of the sun, after 

fasting two and a half days without drinking water,

 being engaged in deep meditation, reached the 

highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, 

which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, 

complete, and full.”


“He knew and saw all conditions of the worlds, of 

celestial beings, men and animals and hellish 

beings; whence they came, whither they are born

 as men or animals or became celestial beings or 

hellish beings, the ideas, the thoughts of their mind, 

the food, doings, desires, the open and secret 

deeds of all the livings in the whole world; the Arhat, 

for whom there is no secret, knew and saw all 

conditions of all living beings in the world, what they 

thought, spoke, or did at any time.”


THE FIRST DISCOURSE

The divine preaching pavilion

According to scriptures, a divine preaching pavilion (Samavasarana) was created by the celestial beings for Lord Mahavir to spread his message. All Tirthankaras preach from a Samavasarana according to Jainism. Lord Mahavira spread his message of Ahimsa (Non-violence), but no enough mass gathered at that time and his discourse could not change anybody’s heart and thus his first discourse remained unsuccessful. Then after travelling a long distance he arrived at the city of Pava where the second Samavasarana was created in the garden of Mahasena. Here after a long philosophical discussion Lord Mahavira converted the eleven learned Brahmin Pundits into Jainism and made them his chief disciples (Ganadhars).  They were, Indrabhuti, Agnibhuti, Vayubhuti, Vyakta, Sudharma, Mandikata, Mauryaputra, Akampita, Achalbhadra, Metarya and Prabhasa. The first three were real brothers and were from Gautama clan. Indrabhuti is famously known in Jain scriptures as Gautama or Indrabhuti Gautama and was highly attached and impressed from Lord Mahavira. Each disciple had their own followers and all took initiation under Lord Mahavira’s order. Thus, eleven great scholars were inducted with their 4400 disciples into Lord Mahavira’s order during his first discourse. It is presumable that at this place not only Shramanas but also lay disciples joined Mahavira’s order; in Jaina texts there are references to the Lord having established a community of four orders i.e., monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen at the same time.

To his chief disciples, Lord Mahavira gave the knowledge of 

Three Pronouncements or Tripadi. These are Upaneiva 

(Emergence), Vigameiva (Distruction) and Dhuveiva 

(Permanence). There emerges a new phase of substance 

(any of the six substances), the old phase vanishes and 

yet the substance maintains its own essence and quality. 

Thus nothing new is created, but the substance 

undergoes modifications. From this knowledge the 

eleven disciples composed Dwadashangi or the 12 Angas.


ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FORD

Lord Mahavir initiating disciples 

Lord Mahavir established the Jaina Ford on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakh. After his first discourse he changed hearts of many listeners. There were many kings, including King Shrenik Bimbisar and Ajatshatru (Konik) of Rajgriha, King Chetaka of Vaishali, Nine Kings of Kashi, King Udayana, King Shatanik, King Chandrapadyot and Nine Licchavis Kings of Koshal were staunch devotees of Lord Mahavir.

Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara preached four vows 

namely, not to steal, not to Lie, not to commit violence and 

not to own property. Seeing the conditions of human minds in 

the present time, Lord Mahavir added the fifth vow namely 

Chastity and preached five vows.


LATER YEARS

Lord Mahavir devoted his life preaching the eternal truth he had realized through absolute knowledge. He had a huge community of more than five hundred thousand lay persons and fifty thousand monks and nuns. He organized his followers into a fourfold order, monk, nun, layman and laywoman. Lord Mahavir travelled barefoot, meeting people from all walks of life who came to listen his discourses.  Lord Mahavir gave discourses in the local language Ardhamagadhi, not in the classical Sanskrit.

Lord Mahavir preaching before kings

TEACHING

Lord Mahavir taught that from eternity every soul is in bondage 

of Karmic Atoms (the minutest atomic particles) that are 

accumulated by good or bad deeds. In a state of Karmic 

Delusion, the living being, trapped in worldly existence seeks 

temporary happiness from external objects and thus 

accumulates more karma. Lord Mahavir emphasized on self-

realization and the knowledge of difference between the 

self-soul and matter to get rid of influx of fresh karma and 

to eliminate previously acquired karma to liberate the self from 

the cycle of birth and death. Lord Mahavir taught the necessity 

of Triple Gems (Right Knowledge, Right Faith and Right 

Conduct) in order to attain liberation. There are the Five 

Great Vows in the heart Right Conduct. These are 

Non-Violence, Truthfulness, Non-Stealing, Non-Possession 

and Chastity. The monks and nuns have to observe these 

vows strictly. Lord Mahavir denied the existence of Supreme 

God and stressed on self-effort to attain emancipation.


Lord Mahavir’s philosophy has eight cardinal principles- 

three metaphysical and five ethical. According to Jainism, 

the Universe is eternal, was never created and will never be 

destroyed. The Universe is made up of six eternal substances 

namely Souls, Material Atoms, Medium of Motion, Medium 

of Rest, Space and Time. All the six are independent of 

each other. The six are eternal and yet undergo changes or

 modifications. To explain this multifaceted reality Lord Mahavir 

reestablished the philosophy of Anekantvada or The 

Principle of Non-Absolutism. Anekantvada refers to multiplicity 

of view-points and teaches us that truth and reality are 

perceived differently from diverse points of view, and that no 

single point of view is the complete truth. The language, which

 is of human creation, has limits to express the absolute 

truth in words, the principle of Syadvada or the Principle of 

Seven Fold Predictions was later developed in order to 

express the multifaceted reality. Another theory called 

Nayvada also arose from Anekantvada. Nayvada means 

The Principle of Partial Stand Points. According to Jainism 

there are infinite stand points and each express partial truth.


Lord Mahavira taught that men and women are spiritual equals 

and that both may renounce the world in search of Moksha. 

Lord Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and 

poor, men and women, touchable and untouchable.

THE FINAL DISCOURSE



Lord Mahavir began his last discourse at Pavapuri. It was a 

marathon one and the world was bathed in the words of 

wisdom emanating from his lips. His last discourse lasted for 

consecutive 48 hours and is recorded as Uttradhyayana Sutra.  

NIRVANA

At age 72 years and 4 and half months, Lord Mahavir attained 

Nirvana at Pavapuri. Lord Mahavir’s great Nirvana is 

mentioned in the sacred text Kalpasutra as below:


“The non-destructive karma of the venerable ascetic Lord 

Mahavir got exhausted, when in this descending time cycle,

 the greater part of dushama-dushama period had elapsed 

and only three years and eight and a half months were left. 

Mahavira had recited the fifty-five lectures which detail the 

results of Karma, and the thirty-six unasked questions (the 

Uttaradhyana Sutra). The moon was in conjunction with the 

asterism Svati (Arcturus), at the time of early morning, in 

the town of Papa, and in king Hastipala's office of the writers, 

Lord Mahavir single and alone, sitting in the 

Samparyahka posture, left his body and attained nirvana, 

freed from all pains.”


“In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, died,

 freed from all pains, the eighteen confederate kings of 

Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and nine Licchavis, on 

the day of new moon, instituted an illuminations on the 

Poshadha, which was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since 

the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination 

of material matter!”

Jains celebrate this as Diwali, the day he attained liberation

or Moksha.

The day Lord Mahavir attained Nirvana, his chief disciple Indrabhuti Gautama attained Omniscience, the absolute knowledge. At that time his age was 80 years and couldn’t gain it since 30 years due to extreme attachment towards Lord Mahavir. With realizing the fact that everything is transitory and contemplating deeply on singleness of the soul, he gained Omniscience and became Arihanta. 


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LORD MAHAVIR

According to Jainism, all Tirthankars born with Vajrarishabha Narach Sanhanan joints as well as Samchaturasa Naracha Sanhanan. Vajrarishabha Narach Sanhanan mentions the strongest body which is capable of bearing  hardest tortures and difficulties. Samchaturasa Naracha Sanhanan literally means the Symmetrical Body. From this we can say that Lord Mahavira's bodily structure was Symmetrical built and was capable of bearing hardest tortures caused by the animals, humans and celestial beings. According to the scriptures, such symmetrical body is the most beautiful human structure in the universe. 



The conception of symmetry is explained in the following way. "Imagine a man with Paryanka Posture, i.e, crossing the legs and placing the hands over the navel. If straight lines are drawn across the two knees, from the right shoulder to the left knee, from the left shoulder to the right knee, and from the forehead to the hands, one gets four lines. If these are equal to one another, symmetry is apparent."

According to the scholars, he must have been a man of strong will power and patience. Otherwise he could not withstood the tortures and privations he suffered during the period of twelve and half years he was travelling before his attainment of Omniscience. He must have also had charisma and quality of attracting people. This conclusion can be drawn from the success he obtained in combining the Jaina (Nirgrantha) church into one, and creating a religious system, which has lasted almost unchanged these 2500 years.