Mahavir Jayanti commemorates the birth of Mahavir, the last Tirthankara of
the Jains, in either 599 BC or 615 BC (depending on religious tradition).
Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated on the 13th day of the bright fortnight of the
Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar. This correponds to sometime between
late March or early April on the Gregorian calendar.
Mahavir's parents named him "Vardhaman" which means "one who brings
prosperity".
The Jains are divided into many sects of which the main ones are Digambaras
and Shvetambaras with the latter again divided into Deravasis and
Sthanakvasis.
The birthday of Lord Mahavir is called "Mahavir Janma Kalyanak" or
popularly as "Mahavir Jayanti".
Lord Mahavir attained Keval Gyan (Omniscience) on the Tenth day of the
bright half of the month of the Vaisakh month of the Hindu calendar. This
day is called "Vaisakh Sudi Dasam".
Mahavir preached that right faith (samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana),
and right conduct (samyak-charitra) together is the real path to attain the
liberation of one's self.
A Tirthankar is a human being who conquers all human vices, achieves
enlightenment through asceticism and then becomes a guide for those seeking
spiritual guidance. Lord Mahavir is the 24th Tirthankar in Jainism.
It is said that Lord Mahavir's mother had sixteen auspicious dreams before
the child was born (14 according to the Swetambaras).
According to the Digambar school of Jainism, Lord Mahavir was born in 615
B.C. The Swetambar school believes that he was born in 599 BC.
The term Jaina is derived from 'jina', which means 'conqueror'. |
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