10. JANMAKALYANAKA : CELEBRATION OF THE BLISSFUL BIRTH [Incident-1]

Five hundred and forty-three years before Vikrama Era (in 599 B. C.) Bhagavan Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthamkara were born at midnight on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month Caitra. He was in the womb of Devananda for 82 days and in the womb of Trisala for a period of 195 days and a half (in all nine months and seven and half days). The birth of this great SAVIOUR spread divine light in the whole universe. All beings were steeped in divine bliss. In accordance with the established convention, the thrones of the fifty-six goddesses presiding over all the directions, started receiving tremors and realizing that it was the signal of the great event of the birth of the SAVIOUR, they all flew towards Bhagavan Mahavira and his blessed mother. They bowed down to them, bathed them, applied scented pastes, dressed and decked them artistically. With their mission fulfilled, they returned to their respective abodes.