12.CHAPTER-XII

CHAPTER-XII
“Param Tapasvi Virvar, Moksha Marg Main Leen Namaskar Arihant Ko Karta Hai Ye Deen”

I bow to Mahavira, the Bhagwan, who is the strongest among Strongs. He is the greatest ascetic, who has devoted himself for salvation and who is far off from worldly affairs. When Bhagwan Mahavira became ascetic eight Lokantic celestials came to know from their clairvoyance (avadhi jnana) that they should celebrate the auspicious occasion of meditation. They went to see Mahavira Bhagwan from the heaven. They worshipped the Bhagwan from eight substances which they brought from the heaven. They wanted that the Bhagwan may become ascetic. Lokantic celestials stated, “Oh ! Vir Parbhu! You are the

owner of universe. You are a spiritual guide amongst the learned persons. If we try to say something to you, it would be just like showing a light to the sun. Though we have come here to inspire you to proceed ahead to Moksha but at the same time we are getting opportunity to worship you. You have already decided to over power the actions.

Other religious persons will learn a lesson from you and they can also go to Moksha. You are the best teacher to guide them and to inspire them to adopt the path of Moksha. Those who are already attached to worldly possessions due to their misunderstanding you will be a source to guide them and to follow the right path of religion. You are like a ship which can be helpful to cross the Bhavsagar i.e. to get rid of the circle of life and death. Countless persons will be able to get Moksha to seek guidance from you. You can provide them the real wealth of heaven and Moksha. Those who are involved in worldly belongings and have adopted wrong path due to their false belief, you are a search light for them and help them to proceed on a right path of life. Several persons will adopt “Solah Karam Bhavna” in their lives under your auspicious guidance and they can become Tirthanakar as you are.

Oh Vir (name of Mahavira, the Bhagwan) you are the well wisher of this universe and you are going to be a Tirthankar, hence we bow to you. You are far away from the worldly desires; hence we bow to you. You are celebate (Brahamchari) from the child hood, hence we salute to you. You are most sacred living being amongst all the living beings on the universe, hence we bow time and again before you. Oh! Vir! you provide us endurance so that we can fight with the karmas that prevent the true perception of reality and the purity of the soul. The Lokantic celestials worshipped the Vir Prabhu from their dedication and returned back to heaven”.

All classes of celestials along with their she-celestials and their subordinates came to the city in their own chariots to celebrate the Diksha moment of Mahavira Bhagwan. He was sitting on a throne. Those who were attending the ceremony, they started singing and dancing. The anointing ceremony was solemnised with 1008 golden jars which were filled with water of Sheer Sagar which exists in heaven. He put on garments which were brought from the heaven. The fragrant garland which was offered to him for wearing was brought from heaven. The Bhagwan Mahavira pacified his mother with sweet words and he pacified all the kith and kins and consoled them with his preachings. Thereafter, he boarded on the most beautiful litter Chander Prabha which was brought from heaven and he left for the forest. The question arose who would carry the litter. Thereafter as per the decision initially the litter was carried for 7 steps by the human beings and then it was kept down. Then it was carried in the sky for 7 steps by Vidhiyadhars. Then the litter was carried by the celestials on their shoulders through sky. The scene of carrying the litter Chander Prabha can not be described. The celestials were showering the flowers. Cool breeze was blowing on the way by the celestials that belonged to Vayun Kumar community. The pipes and biguls were blown by the celestials. She-celestials were dancing and singing. Every body was admiring and praising the Bhagwan for his decision of ascetic. Ultimately the litter reached into the forest in which he had to start meditation.

It was a talk of the town that Mahavira Bhagwan could control over his actions (karmas) where as others may not be successful. He won over his internal enemies. Those who become ascetic they have to give up luxurious life of Chakravarti. A poor man can not give up his hut which is built of mud. One can be satisfied if he gives up the worldly belongings. All the persons who went to the forest, they worshipped the Bhagwan. Their heads bowed down before him.

Mother Trishala was hearing the conversations and their views about the departure of the Bhagwan into the forest. She fell unconscious several times. She could not tolerate his departure to the forest. She was uttering that how she would remain alive in his absence. She was stating that how he would tolerate the cold waves in the winter season and hot wave in summer season also. It is very difficult to tolerate thundering clouds. She further said, “Still he is child hence it will be very difficult for him to bear the changing seasons. The cruel animals like lions, elephants etc move there, how he would live alone in dreadful forest. On hearing the fearful statement of Trishala some celestials came to the mother and consoled her. They said to her, “He is teacher of the whole universe. He himself will get salvation and he will be relieved from the cycle of birth and death and he will be helpful to many others to get liberation (Moksha).

Now he will not remain in bondage of worldly possessions. They advised her to give up the negative thinking and return back to her palace peacefully. On hearing these words she became fearless as she was already aware of this since her childhood that he would be a Tirthankar. Hence she went back to her palace with her relatives.

The Bhagwan reached into the Khanka forest. That was a beautiful and most attractive forest. It was surroundedMAHAVIR PURAN by huge trees. He got down from his litter and sat down on a circular stone which was arranged by the celestials. The circular stone was highly decorated by the celestials and it was worth seeing. It was completely surrounded by the trees and the moonlight was falling on it. It was decorated with the jewels. Flags were hoisted there. Multi coloured garlands were hanging here and there. The beauty of the shila was extraordinarily beautiful which can not be described in words. Mahavira sat over the stone by keeping his face towards north side. He decided to give up his attachment with friends, foes, relatives and he would treat every one equally. He gave up ten outside possessions, fourteen inside possessions, clothes, jewelleries and garland etc. from (1) mind (2) words (3) body. He engaged himself for internal peace. To remove his attachment from the body he removed his hair from head and beard with his hands without any blade or knife within half an hour. It will be in order to mention here that a common man feels a lot of pain if one removes the single hair from one's beard without any blade or any other instrument where as he removed all his hairs approximately in half an hour.

How much pain he had to bear it is certainly a matter of consideration? He gave up all the sinful conduct. He adopted twenty eight basic principles of munis. He adopted great vows of mendicants. He treated every living being equal i.e; he treated even the smallest insect like bee equal to the life of man and woman. According to him there is no difference between the life of a bee or such other insects and a man or woman. Mendicants took every care to save the life of ant or such other smaller creature. He started keeping meditation. He became naked muni in the auspicious period in the evening in between the north planet and hust planet on tenth day in Krishan paksh. Celestials kept the hairs of his head and beard very carefully in the box built of jewels and covered the box with very precious cloth. They worshipped the hairs. After worshipping the hairs they put them in the pure water of Sheer Sagar. You can imagine that when celestials have given so much importance to his hairs, how much importance they will give to the Bhagwan. All the heavenly and worldly possessions can be achieved easily by worshipping the Bhagwan. If the poorest man worships him with dedication he can easily get all the worldly belongings or son or daughter without demand. The person who worships the Bhagwan, he is worshipped by the other people and he gets respect and regard in the country. His body was shining like gold. Celestials praised the achievements and qualities of the Bhagwan.

Inder said, “You are a supreme god. You are a teacher of the complete universe and you have won over karmas. We are unable to describe your qualities as they are innumerable. Since your achievements can not be praised by supreme disciples (gandharv) then how can we dare to speak about you. Your achievements are enlightening the universe as if sun rays enlights the world after the clouds are shattered. Though you have won over your pleasure of senses and you are desirous about liberation of soul, hence we can not call you desireless. Though you have given up the idea to marry a woman but you are trying to achieve salvation, so we can not call you without achievements. Though you have given up the jewels but you have achieved the supreme knowledge which is a supreme jewel, hence we can not say that you have given up all your requirements. You have destroyed the incoming of actions (karmas). hence we can not call you kind hearted. From your meditation you have procured the intuition of the modes of other's mind i.e telepathy (manah paryaya jnan) and Kevalya jnana i.e infinite knowledge. You have given up all the worldly possessions treating them like a straw. Hence I bow to you time and again.