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Mahavira Jayanti is being celebrated this year on
April 18, 2008 to commemorate the birth anniversary of 24th and last Jain
Tirthankara, Mahavira. Baghwan Mahavira's birthday is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti, the most important
religious holiday of Jains around the world. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated with
prayers, decorations, processions and festivity.
The two sects namely the Digambaras and the Swetambaras
have slightly different stories of Lord
Mahavira. According to the Digambar school of Jainism, Lord
Mahavira was born in the year 615 BC, but the
Swetambaras believe that he was born in 599 BC. Some 2500 years
ago, Vaisali (modern Basarh, some 45-kms. to the north of Patna) was
a prosperous capital. A suburb of it was called Kundalapura or
Ksatriyakunda; and here in the palace of king siddhartha, of his
queen Trisala or Priyakarini, Mahavira was born: to emphasise his
various outstanding traits. It is said that mother Trishala
had sixteen auspicious dreams (Dreams
of Mother Trishala ) before the child was born. He was also known as Jnata-putra,
Vaisaliya, Vardhamana, Sanmati, etc.
His mother belonged to the family of Cetaka, the mighty
Licchavi ruler of Videha at whose call Licchavis and Mallas
co-operated both for defense and offence. Tradition is not unanimous
about his marriage: according to the one, he was a celibate
throughout; while according to another, he married Yasoda and had a
daughter called Priyadarsana. As a prince having excellent
connections with ruling dynasties of his times, it was expected of
him to rule with authority and enjoy the pleasures of a prosperous
career after his father.
Just at the age of 30, Mahavira decided like a
hero to relinquish the comforts of a princely life and undertook the
life of an ascetic with a view to attaining spiritual happiness, and
thus place before the world the correct values of life and an
example of his having solved its problems in a successful manner.
Attachment and possessive instincts have been the greatest obstacles
in the attainment of spiritual peace and purification; and he gave
them up in an ideal manner. Physical comforts are not an end in
themselves; and Mahavira became a nirgrantha, and went about
practicing severe penances, even without any clothes on his
body.
The description of his hardships given in detail in the Acaranga, etc.: people abused
him, boys pelted him with stones, and thus he was subjected to many
calamities in the Eastern part of Bengal. After twelve years of
rigorous penances, Mahavira had a triumph over physical weaknesses
and limitations; and he attained pure and perfect knowledge, which
transcended the limits of space and time: he became a kevalin, a
sarvajna.
Mahavir Jayanti is largely observed by the
Jains,throughout the world by visiting sacred sites and worshipping the
Tirthankara. There are celebrations in all Jain
temples (derasar) and pilgrimages to Jain shrines. Vyakhan or religious lectures are given by
Munis (religious men) to remind their followers of the path of dharma. The festival attracts pilgrims from all
parts of the country to the ancient Jain
shrines. This festival, connected with the great auspicious event of the birth of
Lord Mahavira is celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm by all sects
of jains Digambar and Swetambra. Processions are taken out, meetings are held and the
message of Mahavira is explained to all.
Different jain organisations of all sects , Jain institutions throughout
world celebrate Bhagavan Mahavira Jayanti with seminars, prayers in
temples and exhibits Jhankis with
band and music party. The procession of Baghavan Mahavira on Mahavir Jayanti in
Kolkata mahanagar starts from Naya Mandir every year. This
year on April 18, 2008 some glimpses of Mahavira Jayanti procession
in Kolkata are:
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Mahavira Jayanti procession
in Kolkata
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