Mahavir Puran
Chapter-11
“Hanta shatru savkaram ke, Vir atam ras lin
Jagat vandniya Pad kanj Mein, namey bhakti vash lin”
Mahavira Bhagwan attacked on his Karmas with the sword of meditation. He has realised that he is worshipped by the whole universe. Though I am unable but I worship him.
It has already been stated that Mahavira Bhagwan has become an ascetic from the worldly life. He devoted his life to 12 contemplations
| (1) Anitya | (2) Ashran |
| (3) Sansar | (4) Ekteva |
| (5) Anayatva | (6) Ashuchitya |
| (7) Asrav | (8) Samvar |
| (9) Nirjara | (10)Lok |
| (11)Bodhi Durlabh | (12)Dharam |
(1) Anitya : Every thing is subject to change. Death is sure and certain. Life is like a bubble of water.
( 2 ) Asharan: It provides us feelings of karmas. It provides the feeling of helplessness towards death. None can MAHAVIR PURAN increase or decrease the life for a second even.
( 3 ) Samsara : Each and every soul has been revolving in the circle of birth and death. The relentless cycle is fraught with sorrow and anxiety. The peregrination of rebirth involves four conditions of existence.
| (1) Hellish | (2) Subhuman |
| (3) Human | (4) Celestial. |
The world is full of sorrows and problems. One should detach oneself from worldly affairs and become an ascetic.
(4) Anayatva : Each and every soul is different from other objects or other souls. The body and soul are entirely different from each other. The relation of son and father, husband and wife are temporary. Relations change after death.
(5) Ektva : Each soul comes alone to occupy the body and also departs from the body after death. One should not feel dependent on others.
(6) Ashuchitva : The body is foul smelling, repugnant and filled with filth. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears are full of dirt. We should not allure ourselves to the outer beauty.
(7) Asarva: The inflow of karmas is the cause of mundance existence and it is the product of passions. Just as water in a river gets polluted with foreign matter, the soul is rendered impure by the contact of Karmic dirt. The incoming of karmas should be stopped. Always feel good of others.
( 8 ) Samvarva : Non attachment helps in stopping the inflow of karmas. If we are going in a boat and the water starts entering in the boat through some hole, it becomes necessary to stop the inflow of water. Similarly the incoming of karmas into soul should also be stopped.
( 9 ) Nirjara: Right perception, right knowledge and right conduct enable the aspirant to spiritual progress and disentangling himself from the attachment of karmas. The layer of karmas is dissolved and eliminated from the self through progressive renunciation and reflection on the intrinsic virtues of the soul. Karmas can thus be eliminated from the self even before they come to fruition.
(10) Lok: The cardinal fact about the universe (lok) is that it has always existed. It is uncreated, eternal, and undestructible. The universe operates on its own law. Belief of divine intervention in this process, as individual emancipation, is therefore a myth.
(11) Bodhi Durlabh : Birth of a human being is rare. Devtas can not go to Moksha. Birth as a human being is as rare as it is to trace a golden ring fallen in the sea.
(12) Dharam : Go to temple daily and have the darshan of Jin Dev. Do prakashal daily. Ladies are advised to see prakashal daily. Do puja with eight substances. Keep unshakable, doubtless and deep faith in Jin Dev, Shastra and Guru.
Control your:
| (1) Ange | (2) Maan (pride of wealth, status, health etc) . |
| (3) Wealth | (4) Greed. |
Follow ahimsa, truth, aprigrah. The aspirants are advised to grasp the essence of the purity of soul. The theme ought to be the central point of controlling the contemplations. There is no way out except to accept and adopt Dharma in life.
Dash Lakshan Dharam
We should adopt Das Lakshan Dharam in our life. This Das Lakshan Dharam is virually Ten Jewels. If we adopt these Das Lakshan Dharam in letter and spirit it can change the mode of our life and it can lead us to Moksha. Ten Jewels of Das Lakshan Dharam are as under:-
Supreme Forgiveness (Uttam Kshama)
Forgiveness is the best form of taking revenge. Whatever harm one has played, or whatever injury one has given to us, we should forgive him from the core of the heart. Forgiveness will give us as much pleasure as we get after donoting one crore rupees in a temple.
Forgiveness is the ornamemt of a brave man. One is really a brave who forgives a weak person. The weak person can not harm a very bold or brave man. In case we try to take revenge, our feelings and peace of mind shall be disturbed. Enemity can go for a long time. Even it can prolong from father to son and so on. Therefore, we should adopt forgiveness in our own interest.
A boy throws a stone on a tree to get a mango. Muni Maharaj says that forgiveness of a tree is better than the forgiveness of a Muni even. The tree after being hit by a stone, gives a mango in turn.
The tree provides us fruits, vegetables and medicines but they do not expect any thing in return. Similarly water, air, fire, sun, moon provide us comfort but don’t expect any thing in return. Hence after forgiving a person we should not expect any thing in return.
Prime Minister Indra Gandhi won over Bangla Desh. She returned 90,000 warriors of Bangla Desh.
Prithvi Raj defeated Mohamad Gori seven times and captured him but after giving teachings he was excused.
The Bhagwan Ram killed Ravana and won over Lanka but he announced Vibhishan to be the king.
When Yudhister and his brother were sent for 12 years aforestation by Duryodhan, Duryodhan was imprisoned by the king of Bhils. Yudhister helped Duryodhan and got him freed from the king of Bhils.
Therefore, we should adopt forgiveness in our life. It will give us peace, pleasure and happiness in life.
Forgiveness is the ornament of a brave man. Therefore we should adopt forgiveness.Uttam Mardav (To Conlrol Pride)
Mardav means Pride. Anger is the root cause of pride. Whenever the anger is on extreme, one feels proud of his health, wealth, community, dynasty, bravery, knowledge, beauty, status, power, puja etc.
In anger, a man harms himself more than he harms others. Suppose a man wants to kill another person. He will have to make a planning to kill him. He will have to think for so many days, how he will kill him. During the planning he will have sleepless nights.
Thereafter he has to arrange sword or pistol. He will have to think first, if he is coughtbythe police how he will save himself. To whom he will approach to protct himself. If he is imprisioned, who will look after his wife and children and so on? He has to make so many plannings. When he goes to kill the person, he finds that the man has already gone to the U.S.A. for a year or more. Thus he has harmed himself a lot.
“Sun feels proud when he climbs up in the morning but its pride falls and it looses shining in the evening” It is rightly said “ Pride hath a fall”. Inder Bhuti Gandher was having pride of his religious knowledge. He went in the Samosaran of Mahavira Bhagwan. When he saw a “ Manstambh” (Pillar) built of jewels and diamonds on which the idols of Jin Bhagwan was kept on the top, his pride was over and he took diksha and became a naked muni.
Ravana had a proud of his Lanka of Gold. He was king of three regions. He was having “Ridhis” and he was having huge armed forces. But due to his pride, he kidnapped Sita. He had to fight with Ram. He was killed by Laxman. Hislanka was turned into ashes. His whole family was also killed.
Bharat Chakervarti was king of six regions. He was having 96,000 queens, 14 Rattans, more than one lac elephants, more than one lac horses and huge armed forces. He sent the message to his brother Bahubali to accept his sub-ordinacy.
Bahubali said that as an elder brother I am ready to bow but as Chakervarti, I shall not obey him. As decided by the Ministers of both sides, there was a personal fight between Bharat Chakervarti and Bahubali three times.
In all the three fights Bhart Chakarvarti was defeated by Bahubali. After defeating Bharat Chakervarti, Bahubali immediately took diksha and became a Muni.
The tree when bears fruits, it bends down. Those trees which bend in storm, they never fall but those trees which donot bend, they fall down. Politeness leads to the salvation but pride brings defeat.
Thundering clouds seldom rain, just like empty vessels make much noise.
Those who get rich in health, wealth, bravery, knowledge, status and belongs to high family, they are humble, polite and they have forebearance and tolerance.Such persons get every thing in their life.
Uttam Arjava Dharm
(Control over Anger, Pride, Wealth and Greed)
One who wins over his anger pride, greed and limits his wealth he can adopt forgiveness, politeness, humbleness.He can adopt Arjav Dharam. Jain Munis adopt Uttam Arjav Dharam in their lives.
Sharavaks can also control over their anger, pride, greed and earns their wealth. They can adopt this uttam arjav dharam, but in practice, it is almost impossible to control over them. The man always plays deception. He does not mean what he says, such a man can never be loyal and pure hearted. The man, who deceives others, goes to hell.
A shopkeeper says that he has purchased this shirt in MAHAVIR PURAN Rs. 100/- but I am giving you in Rs. 90/- such a person can never be believed.
Truth is bitter but in the long term one who speaks truth always wins. If one earns the wealth after deceiving others his wealth will be utilised for bad deeds. One should adopt honesty, simplicity and truth in one’s life. There is no end of greed.
A man can fill up his stomach but he can never fulfil his box of greed. His wealth is enjoyed by others and he goes to hell. In the greed of golden deer Ram lostSita.
Laxmi Mati was wife of Somdutt. She became passionate towards the elder brother of Somdutt. When Somdutt came to know her malafide intension, he took diksha.
Uttam Sauch Dharam “Sacred Thoughts”
A person who can control over his anger, pride, wealth and greed he can adopt Sauch Dharam in his life. Greed is the root cause of all the sins. Greedy man has no life. He cannot live a peaceful life. To get fame in life or to fulfil his requirements he has to do sins in his life. A hungry man or a poor man can be honest but a greedy man can never be honest.
A greedy man cannot enjoy his own wealth. He will be simply a watch man of his wealth. His wealth will be enjoyed by others. A man can fill up his stomach but a greedy man cannot fill up his box of greed.The more he gets, the more he wants. There is no end of greed .Only a satisfied person can adopt “ Sauch Dharam” in his life. Whatever you have, you must feel satisfied in it.
In the passion of Sita, Ravana was killed. His whole family was killed in the war. In the greed of golden deer Ram lost Sita.
In Mahabharat, Duryodhan tried to snatch the rights of his cousins Yudhister etc. He refused to give him even an inch of land. There was a fight between Kaurvas and Pandavas. Duryodhan and his whole family was killed in the battle. Pandavas won the battle and got the kingdom.
Just as a farmer makes his land level and removes all the stones etc. before sowing seeds in the land with a view to get rich harvest from the land, similarly we should make our heart neat and clean.
We should remove anger, pride, wealth and greed etc all the sins from our life, only then we can adopt “Sauch Dharam” and can get salvation.
Where one does not want any thing,
He becomes fearless and generous.
One who has no desires and has satisfaction,
He is in real sense a king of the Kings.
Greed is called the father of all sins.
Hence we should give it up from the core of the heart.
One should adopt satisfaction in wealth,
Eating and in women but we should not
Feel satisfied in giving donation or in getting education.
To make our life peaceful and happy
We should give up greed from the core of the heart.
Uttam Satya “Supreme Truth”
Truth is life but without truth religion is false. In the Ramayana it is said that there cannot be any other religion than to adopt truth. If a person speaks one lie, he has to speak so many lies to cover up his one lie.
If one speaks truth he has not to apply his mind. Train, T.V., A.C., Fan runs from the electric current, similarly truth comes from the heart.
But we should not speak such a truth which hurts the feelings of a person. Such as we should not say to a blind man. Though it is true that he is blind, but our language should be sweet and agreeable.
The wound of a sword or of a knife can be healed after sometime but if we speak ill words to any person the wounds of ill words cannot heal in whole life.Dropdi called “Blind, son of a blind” to Duryodhan. These harsh words so much pinched to Duryodhan that it created “Mahabharat”.
Truth is bitter but in the long run true man gets victory in life. Dashrath promised his queen “Kaikai” that he would fulfill her one demand at any time. When the ceremony of offering kingdom to Ram was going on, she demanded her that demand from Dashrath.
She demanded that the kingdom might be given to Bharat. He stuck to his words and offered kingdom to Bharat instead of Ram, Yudhister adopted truth in his life. King Harish Chander adopted truth in his life. Therefore, we should adopt truth in life. True man always wins in life.
Uttam Sayam “Supreme Self Restrain”
A man without self restraint has been compared to an animal. Even cow, horse, elephant etc adopt self restraint in their lives.They never eat meat. The vehicle without brake can prove harmful to the life.
It is written on the road “carelessness leads to accident”.
Hence we should adopt self restrains on the
| (i) sexual desire of the body | (ii) eating demand of tongue |
| (iii) Smelling of fragrance of the nose | (iv) Seeing beauty of nature or women etc |
| (v) hearing sweet songs through the ear. |
The elephant is caught when it tries to enjoy sex with she-elephant (made of paper) kept on a mirror on a big ditch. It fells in the ditch. It is kept hungry for some days and then it is caught.The fish is caught when it tries to eat flour.Our nose wants to smell fragrance of things. Deer is caught when it hears the sweet songs.
We should try to control these five organs of our body. We should not become their slave but try to make them our slaves.
Our 24 Tirthankaras controlled their five organs and they got the salvation.
Uttam Tappa “Supreme Austerity”
Supreme austerity can be adopted by the Munis. Shravaks can make a practice for austerity but it is not possible to adopt austerity.
Acharya Smant Bhader Swami says in Rattankrand Sharvakachar , “Who has given up all the worldly possessions, who has absolutely no worldly possession and who devotes his time in meditation and to arquire knowledge of religious books he can be called an auster”.
Without austerity no one gets salvation. Who adopts the austerity, he can get all the things in the world. Head bows down automatically to see an austere. The throne of the Inder bows down before the austere what to speak of the throne of the President or the Prime Minister.
Yam Pal Chandal took an oath that he will not hang any living being to dealth on “Chaturdasi” (Fourteenth day of Krishan Paksha and Shukal Paksha) with the result of that oath, he went to heaven. Whenever tragedies appeared in the life of Dropdthi, Sita, Soma, Mena Sundri they gave up taking food, all the eatable and drinking of water, milk etc every thing, with the result of that god helped them. Who so ever gives up eating and drinking of all the four kinds, their desires are fulfilled.
Mainly austerity is of two kinds (i) External austerity (which is visible) (ii) Internal austerity (which is invisible) If any one keeps fast on chaturdesi, he has to stop taking food etc.
every thing after taking his food in the morning on thirteenth day of the month and thereafter he can take his food and water in the morning of 15th day of the month. He cannot take any thing on Fourteenth day of the month.
That is called fast. Similarly fast is kept on the “Ashtami” (eighth day of the month).
Achariya Shanti Sagar Ji Maharaj kept fast for about 27 years out of his whole life of 83 years.
Twenty four Tirthankaras adopted Austerity and meditation. They got keval Jnana and thereafter they became Tirthankar.
Uttam Tyag “Supreme Renunciation”
To give charity to the needy person is called renunciation. If one gives charity to the needy parson he can get salvation. The tree gives up its old leaves thereafter it gets new leaves. When one gives up his home only then he can go to temple etc.
When one puts off his old cloths, thereafter one put on new cloths. If you give up your house situated in Delhi, thereafter you can go to Bombay etc. After death one can take birth. Without renunciation, one cannot get the worldly things.
Until one gives up the thing from the core of his heart till then he will have attachment with that thing. Attachment is the root cause of all the sins.
If one gives up attachment of the worldly affairs then he can become an ascetic. Bharat was Chakervarti. He was having 96,000 queens, 14 Rattans, more than one lac elephants, more than one lac horses and so on, but he was not having any attachment with these worldly affairs.
He gave up all the worldly possessions, became ascetic and got the salvation. Similarly all the twenty four Tirthankeras (when they were muni) gave up all the possessions of inner and external, thereafter they became Tirthankaras.
If you have money you should make a proper use of your money. At least one tenth of your money should be invested in constructing the temples, or you can give food to Muni Maharaj and deserving persons.
Charity to the munis is of four types
| (i) Giving food to the munis | (ii) Giving religious books to the Munis for their studies |
| (iii) Giving medicines to the Munis | (iv) Giving place to munis to live in. |
In case water is filled in the boat, then water has to be thrown out of the boat. Similarly if you have money it should be donated for the religious works or it should be donated for giving food to the munis.
If one hoards the money and does not donate the same, then he has to go to hell.
King Shriance offered food to Shri Adinath the Bhagwan when he was muni. Due to donation of the food, king Shriance went to the Moksha.
King Shrisen was the king of Malwa. He offered food to Anant Gati and Arinjay muni. Due to donation of food, he became Shanti Nath The Bhagwan after twelve births.
Shri Ram Chancier Ji and Sita offered food to Muni Gupti and Sugupti with the result Ram became Muni and Sita took diksha as Ariyaka from Prithvi Matti Matta Ji.
Therefore, it is advised to donate money for religious purposes, and adopt renunciation.
Uttamakinchan “Supreme Detachment”
Body is different and the soul is different. Body goes on changing. Some times it transforms as man, some times as elephant, some times as horse, some times as donkey and so on. The body goes on changing in 84 Lacs yonis. When the body is different from our soul how son, wife, daughter, house, car, wealth can be ours. All these worldly things change. The hard fact is that nothing pertains to soul. It is very difficult to take birth as human being.
Achariya’s described in twelve contemplations as “Anittava” which means that soul and the body are entirely different. Hence all the worldly things are a subject to change.
Since we have got the opportunity of being born as human beings, it will be in our best interest to take best use of it. We should utilise ourselves for the religious activities.
Sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. Similarly the moon, the stars also set in the morning.
Happiness is never ever lasting. Sorrows are also not ever lasting. Winter comes, then summer comes, then rainy season comes. Change is the law of nature. Fruits and vegetables are also seasonal.
We should involve ourself in daily Dev Darshan, Puja. We may try to give up homely life, become muni and get the salvation i.e. Moksha.
Uttam Brahamchariya Dharam “ Supreme Celebacy”
Celebacy is the initial entrance for achieving any goal of the religion. We have to detach ourselves completely. The body is a store house of so many diseases. When one plans for the goodness of the soul, he has to adopt celibacy.
Achariyas say that whenever a person is involved once in sex, he kills nine Lacs human lives. One should engage in sex once in a day, then after two days, then after three day, then once in a week, then after a fortnight, then once in a month, then once in a quarter, then twice a year. Thereafter one should adopt complete celibacy. Every lady should be treated as your sister or mother or your daughter.
Sex is a great sin. It is the root cause of all the problems of the life. Sex decreases the power of the man and creates weakness. Memory also becomes weak.
If you wish to perform your marriage it should be performed maximum at the age of forty. Thereafter one should not thinkof the marriage.
Story
There was a young boy named Vijay. He was religious. He took oath from the Muni Maharaj that after marriage he will not be involved in sex with his wife in the Krishan Pakesh of the every month (i.e. first 15 days of the month). There was a Vijaya.
She took an oath from some other muni Maharaj that she will not be involved in sex in the Shukal Pakash of the month. By chance Vijay’s marriage was solmonised with Vijaya. Vijay went to Vijaya for sexual purposes. She humbly informed Vijay that it was Shukal Paksha of the month and she had already taken an oath from the muni Maharaj that she would not be involved in the sex in the Shukal Paksha of the month hence they would enjoy sex in the first half of the month”.
Then Vijay told her that he had also taken oath from the Muni Maharaj that he would not be involved in the sex in the first half of the month. It means that they could not enjoy sex at all. They decided to remain as brother and sister through out their life. Thereafter Vijaya pleasantly suggested Vijay to perform second marriage so that this family could grow. Vijay said to her, “When you can live without enjoying sex why you corsider me weak minded.
He said to her that he would not make any second marriage. Vijay said to Vijaya, “If my father and mother come to know that we both have taken oath from the Muni Maharaj that we will not be able to enjoy sex with each other then we will take diksha on the same day”.
After some years a group of Maharaj came in that city. Vimal Seth went to see the Muni Maharaj. He requested the muni to tell him how he could adopt the path of religion. Muni said to him that if you become a muni only then you can adopt religion. Vimal Seth said to Muni that he is ready to take diksha but before taking diksha he wants to offer food to 8400 or 84,000 munis at a time.
Muni suggested that it was not possible for him to offer food to 8400 or 84000 munis. However if you offer food to a pair who are not involved in sex and they have adopted celibacy through out their life, only then you can enjoy the result of offering food to 8400 munis.
Vimal Seth came to know that there is a Vijay and a Vijaya in the city who have adopted celibacy. He invited them for food. A “chandova” (cloth was tied under the roof of the room). Muni told Vimal Seth, “If your chandova which is black with the dust, becomes white after offering food then you may consider that they are celebate.
Vijay and Vijaya accepted his invitation and reached MAHAVIR PURAN there to take food. Vimal Seth offered food to them with his dedication. When they took food that “chandova” became white. Hence it was proved that they were celebate.
Now Vijay’s father also came to know that they were celebate. When Vijay & Vijaya came to know that their secrecy has been disclosed to their parents, they took diksha from Vimal Muni Maharaj. Vijay became Muni and Vijaya became Ariyaka.They both went to heaven after Smadhi Maran (death).
Sh. Vaspujia, Sh. Malli Nath, Sh. Nemi Nath, Sh. Parshvanath and Sh. Mahabir, all the five Tirthankaras adopted celibacy in their life.
Sita, Rajul, Anant Matti, Nili Bai, Chandana Manorma, Anjana, Gun Mala, Vashalia, Mena Sundri and Dropti adopted their character.
Therefore it is advised that celibacy should be adopted in the life so that one can go to heaven.
