Life of Mahavira As Described in the Jai N a Gran Thas Is Imbu Ed with Myths Which

T o be h a d of 1 T HE MA A ( ) N GER , T HE mu Gu ms J , A llahaba d . Lives of greatmen all remin d u s We can m our v s su m ake li e bli e , A nd n v hi n u s , departi g , lea e be d n n m Footpri ts o the sands of ti e . NGF LL W LO E O . mm zm fitm m m ! W ‘ i fi ’ mz m n C NT E O NT S. P re face Introd uction ntrod uctor remar s and th i I y k , e h storicity of M ahavira Sources of information mt o o ica stories , y h l g l — — Family relations birth — — C hild hood e d ucation marriage and posterity — — Re nou ncing the world Distribution of wealth Sanyas — — ce re mony Ke sh alochana Re solution Seve re pen ance for twe lve years His trave ls an d pre achings for thirty ye ars Attai n me nt of Nirvan a His disciples and early followers — H is ch aracte r teachings Approximate d ate of His Nirvana Appendix A PREF CE . r HE primary con dition for th e formation of a ” Nation is Pride in a common Past . Dr . Arn old h as rightly asked How can th e presen t fru th e u u h v ms h yield it , or f t re a e pro i e , except t eir ” roots be fixed in th e past ? Smiles lays mu ch ’ s ss on h s n wh n h e s s in his h a tre t i poi t , e ay C racter, “ a ns l n v u ls v s n h an d N tio , ike i di id a , deri e tre gt su pport from the feelin g th at they belon g to an u s u s h h th e h s of h ill trio race , t at t ey are eir t eir n ss an d u h u s of h great e , o g t to be perpet ator t eir is of mm n u s im an h n glory . It o e to port ce t at a ation sh u l h v as u n o d a e a great p t to look back po . It s s th e f of the s n l v s an d u h s teadie li e pre e t, e e ate p old an d h ns an d fts u the mm it, lig te li it p by e ory of th e s th e n b su ff n s an d th e v u great deed , o le eri g , ario s ” ’ h v mn s of the mn ld n d ac ie e e t e of o . I ia s Past h as n as u s as v n m u s h n bee glorio , or e e ore glorio t a , h of an h n n n — v t at y ot er atio . I dia Ci ilized A n cien t — ’ n ma l r of mn I dia y aptly be cal ed a c adle great e . T he n ames an d memories of these great men form a w of wh h th e n n n is a u do ry, ic I dia Natio s pro d as oth n ns ar f h wn In h er er atio e o t eir o . Gloriou s ” ‘ Past In dia has displayed greatn ess in every lin e ’ of an d of her mn e Mrs. A nn life, great ie Besan t R FAC P E E . h as tru ly said Mak rs of India were the and hu nd red s more and e y, , dian heart should cherish them all and be rou d every In , p ’ d lo in m l as Indi child n mall an r th e a l a s re . of the , g y f men the s s O great poet ay , T hrou gh su ch souls alone God stooping shows su fficientof His light ” For u s in the d ark to rise by . Lon gfellow h as well - d escribed the advan tages arisin g fromth e stu dy of th e lives of su ch me n Lives of greatmen all remind u s mk ou r lives su blim We can a e e, A nd d e artin leave behind us , p g , rints on the sand s of time Footp . ” G men s s m s n the l u m reat , ay E er o are col yri s m sm u h to clear ou r eye fro egoti . B rke as righ tly “ ” man r u his own m n A n called , a c eat re of aki g . example of a n oble life is n ecessary to a man for i his own making . Example s the school of man ” n d h n n h an o . h s ki d, t ey lear at ot er S ake peare says of n oble men ! For mine own part I shall be ” n of n men A n d glad to lear oble . who has n ot su ch a n oble desire in him? Unfortu n ately in Ancien t In dia to record the deeds of great men with redu n dancy of particu lars was n ot thou ght of mu ch n as is n w n n importa ce it o do e . He ce a writer h as to u n dergo mu ch hesitation before h e u n dertakes w the f of an In n w h to rite li e dia ort y . PR FA E C E . In th e followin g pages I h ave tried to give a few art u s the e of Mahav ra on e of su p ic lar of lif i , ch n W r hi s wh s if h as a e e n u h Ind ia o t e , o e l e l t ly b e bro g t to light in the Historical World after dispellin g ofi the darkn ess of myth and mith ology which cove red M h v i for so man en u s. a n t y c t rie a ira , accordi g to he n t n was the as of the w n t Jai a tradi io , l t t e ty ou i h n s the fi ers n s who f r T rt a kara or dei ed p o age , are said to have attain ed Nirvan a after hav in g complete ly d estroyed th e karmas or the world n His n m sh u n n f u n ly bo ds. a e o ld ot be co o d ed w h ha Han u mana th e mmn - in it t t of , Co a der ch of the A r n mi s of A h a h o r ief ya ar e yod y , w car ied ' nv s n n s av n the u of u n a. i a io agai t R a a , r ler L k n ) h i h n h n e u n ama . (C ylo , der t e r eroic ki g R C a dra ' It is v ery likely that th e greatn ess of Mahav ira ma u th e s of th s y be do bted by critical reader i book, for they would notfin d on hi s part th e performance of those gre at deeds which they are accu stome d to oft n find in th e v s of men of h u n s e li e great ot er co trie . — Bu t i n A n cien t In dia in an cien t religiou s In dia greatn ess did n ot li e in the performan ce o f great ’ ee s bu tin ss ss n tmi n an d M h v s d d , po e i g a grea d , a a ira i wa r m f m mn d s great to a e arkable degree . To per or re s is u n ou e bu t su g at deed d bt dly great, a perior ’ kin d of greatn ess lay in con qu erin g one s own min d ’ - n wh ha in su u n s own ss n s. o s bd i g o e pa io He , O n n u hi s is l o u ered his s h as . r q elf, co q ered all T ea R FAC P E E . n ss an d in h s s n great e , t i e se Mahav ira was really T h n great . e great i flu en ce that hi s n ame still exercises over the min ds of a large nu mber of men is an u nmst a f of his n s i ak ble proo great e s.

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