Mahavir14

Mahavir

Mahavir's twelfth Chaturmas in Champanagri

After leaving Kaushambi, Mahavir traveled through various small villages and reached Champanagri. He stayed in the rest house of the Agnihotri Brahmins. He spent his twelfth Chaturmas there itself. That time too, he undertook a penance of four months. After the penance, he had some food and left the place.

In this way, Mahavir underwent severe penance. But even after all this, he couldn't attain true success. One day, Mahavir was meditating under a Sal tree on the northern banks of the river Rajubalika, outside the village of Jrummak. It was the tenth of Vaishakh Shukla (the tenth day of the first fortnight of the Hindu month Vaishakh). As night set in, he felt a bit sleepy and had a short nap. During that brief nap, he had ten visions. The description of the rewards of those visions were described on the basis of the scriptures of those times. The scriptures interpreted those dreams in such a way that when a man attains total victory over nature by his best qualities, religion and conduct, nature gives him the idea about his future in this way :

NO.	VISIONS	REWARDS
1	Defeating a huge being or a dangerous demon.	In the near future, he will be able to destroy deluding acts first of all.
2	Vision of a bird called 'Puskokil' having white wings.	He will soon reach the final phase of pure meditation.
3	Vision of birds with colorful wings.	A person who has this vision will give the religious sermons having various meanings to the world.
4	Vision of two big gem encrusted garlands.	The one who has this vision will follow family morals and a sage's morals in the future.
5	A vision of a herd of white cows.	The one who has this vision will establish an institution for the monks and seekers, both male and females.
6	Vision of a lotus pond covered with flowers on all the sides.	The one who has this vision will explain the meaning of kings, astrologers and Gods to the world.
7	Mahavir swam across a river with his hands.	In the near future, Mahavir will end his life in this world and attain salvation.
8	Vision of a blazing sun.	In a short time Mahavir will attain the knowledge of self and roam in the world.
9	A vision of his intestines enveloping a mountain	In near future, Mahavir's immortal fame will spread all across the world.
10	Mahavir saw himself atop Meru Mountain sitting on a throne.	In short time, Mahavir will hold sermons on religion.

All the four types of harmful acts of Mahavir had been defeated. Now, Mahavir had realized that knowing the soul and God was the only true knowledge. Only after this knowledge of the soul, can one shun the subjective desires. After that, no desire is left out. In this situation, a man never shows his penury to anyone. He remains content to his soul. Knowledge is truth and truth is knowledge. Knowledge is Lord Shiva. It is beautiful and immortal.

Mahavir attained complete knowledge. All came and worshipped him and sang hymns. After attaining the supreme knowledge, Mahavir wanted to spread the message across the world. He began preaching to the depressed beings. He held no distinction between color, caste, clan, ashram, religion, male, female, etc. People began experiencing the effervescent light of 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' under his shelter and all experienced peace of mind.

By his principled example, he explained to mankind, "Embrace everyone heartily. Don't hate anyone because it is the root of everything. Even revolt and malevolence may become a part of a religion but hatred or malevolence should never be. In order to attain worldly as well as spiritual progress, these qualities should be forsaken. So understand and implement that the one who hates is hated the most. Lepers and crippled people are the lights due to which the world is lighted. Not only that, this light is equally burning in everyone like you, me, the religious and sinners alike. A truly awakened soul is present in everyone, be it the big or small, the lepers or the crippled, the touchable or the untouchables.

Mahavir illustrated through his actions and speech that nobody's entity should be destroyed. Any religion, which propagates any kind of unusual enmity, will never serve any purpose for the world. Thus, one should never try to malign or tarnish anybody. One should always help others as far as possible. If that is not possible one should analyze the circumstances. Never should one try to harass or torment anyone. One should only work for uplift of others.

Whatever thought a man has clung on to, be it the worst, he should try to develop it through the light of his soul.

Through his preaching, Mahavir explained the pervasiveness of religion, "Only that religion fits to be called a religion which is dear to the lives of the people, even if they are atheists or devotees, corrupt or pious and paupers or princes."

Mahavir explained the true form of truth to all the people coming to him. His aim was to take truth to each and every home in the world. He wanted quarrels and brawls, pain and sorrow and grudge and hatred to be uprooted from the world. Non-violence may prevail in the world. Every creature may have compassion for others. The feeling of service may pervade in all the homes. With all these things, people may witness the light of the soul and progress towards liberation.

Mahavir's preaching left an indelible mark on humanity. The ruthless and unjustified slaying of animals in the name of worships suddenly ceased. Distinctions of caste and creed were rubbed off. Equality prevailed. Penance and sacrifice increased. All the black practices in the name of religion were buried.

Mahavir had very few disciples. He never wanted to have a massive following. He just wanted to create a revolution through his religious teachings. He didn't want to sweep people off their feet in a temporary wave.

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