5. CYAVANA-KALYANAKA (THE AUSPICIOUS EVENT OF CONCEPTION) [Lie.26-27th]

5. CYAVANA-KALYANAKA (THE AUSPICIOUS EVENT OF CONCEPTION) [Lie.26-27th]

It is only as a human being that a soul can attain perfection. But such perfected souls, tirthamkaras of Arhats, come from heaven of hell, Where they had preceding birth. Bhagavan Mahavira was a god in the Pranata Kalpa of the Vaimanika Nikaya (a celestial region) in his preceding birth. At the proper time he entered a foetus in the womb of Devananda, a Brahmin person of Jalandhara Gotra ad wife of Rsabhadatta of Kodala Gotra and a leader of Brahmanakundapura-a suburb of Vaisali. This apostle of Ahimsa was born for the uplift of all souls in the three worlds. The five land-marks in his life are :

(1) Conception,
(2) Birth,
(3) Initiation
(4) Attainment of omniscience (Kevala-Jnana) and
(5) Attaining liberation.
These five are termed as Panca-kalyanakas in the Jain scriptures.

This illustration depicts the first Kalyanaka (Cyavana)- the descent in the foetus.