Complete biography on the life of Mahavir Jina

Mahavir Jina: His life

There was as kingdom named Videha in ancient India .Its capital was Vaisali. Near that city there was as village named Kundagrama.A Kshatriya clan called Jnantrika lived there. The ruler of that clan was Sidhartha. His wife’s name was trishala.She was the sister of the ruler of Vaisali. A son was born to Siddhartha and Trishala and was named Vardhamana. In future; he became famous as Mahavir Jina.

The year of the birth of Vardhamana is not definitely known. According to some sources, he was born in 618 B.C. and lived for 72 years. According to some other sources, he was born in 540 B.C. and died in 468 B.C.after as life of 72 years. Many historians have accepted this latter view. Vardhamana was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha.

Born in an aristocratic family, Vardhamana begin a life of worldly pleasures. He got married in time. The name of his wife was Yashoda. A daughter was also born to him. But as he advanced in years, Vardhamana gradually lost attraction towards the worldly life. At last, at the age of 30, he left his home and family as a Sanyasi in search of Truth.

For long twelve years thereafter, Vardhamana travelled as a homeless wanderer. He practiced hard penance and put his body to extreme pain. He did not care for the heat of the summer or cold of the winter. He lived without food or water for long times. He moved from place to place without putting any clothes only body for which people attacked him at many places. But like a hero he suffered pain or punishment without signs of sorrow. Suffering the hardship of Nature and cruelty from human hands, he continued his meditations to reach at the truth.

At last, in the thirteenth year of his wandering life as a monk, he got the supreme knowledge or the Kevala Jnana.At that moment of bliss, Vardhamana became the Mahavira or the great Hero, and the Jina or the Conqueror.

From that time when he was 42 years in his age, Mahavira Jina began to preach his doctrines. His preaching continued for long 30 years until his death. He went from place to place and attracted countless people wherever he went. He visited Mithila, Sravasti, Champa, Vaisali, Rajgharia and several other places. It is known from the Jaina sources that he came as far as Kalinga and preached his doctrines from the Kumari Hill (the Udaygiri Hill near Bhubaneswar) to the people of Orissa. Everywhere the common people as well as the kings listened to him. He was venerated as a great prophet.

Mahavir Jina died at the age of 72 at as place named Pava, near Rajgriha. The followers of Mahavir Jina came to be known as the Jainas. The religion, which he preached, became famous as Jainism.