The previous incarnations of Bhagavan Mahavira are at the basis of the Jain scriptures and philosophy and are at the basis of the Jain scriptures and philosophy and without them the spiritual and religious practices related to them would be meaningless and all religious and spiritual beliefs and systems would collapse. Because of the transmigration of the soul, practices for betterment are transmigration of the soul. Practices for betterment are essential. This very practice of worship annihilates all the movements, names and the soul ceases to migrate any mire and attains perfection for infinite bliss.
All souls are eternal, Without beginning or end. Since time immemorial they wander from one birth to the other. The soul of Bhagavan Mahavira was also moving in the cycle of births and deaths of it was enslaved by actions born out or illusion and ignorance. During his life as Nayasara he came in contact with ascetics who were free from the bondages of worldly life. Listening to the religious discourse he gained the enlightenment of correct understanding, Which in Jain philosophy is known as Samyag darshan-right vision the germination of redemption which is obtained later on.
The Jain scriptures enlist the births by starting from that birth where right vision, the cause of spiritual evolution is received for the first time. While ignoring minor births, only twenty-seven births are taken into consideration as follows :-
This list will provide an idea about the various roles played by the self because of actions good of evil on the platform of the world.
1. Nayasara12 (Village- head)
2. First Saudharma, a god in the divine world
3. Prince Marichi (Accepting self-control)
4. A god in the fifth divine world of Brahma
5. Kaushika Brahmin
6. Pushyamitra Brahmin
7. A god in the divine world of the first Saudharma
8. Agnidyota Brahmin
9. A god in the second divine world of Ishana
10. Agnibhuti Brahmin
11. A god in the third divine world of Sanatkumara
12. Bharadwaja Brahmin
13. A god in the fourth divine world of Mahendra
14. Sthavira Brahmin
15. A god in the fifth divine world of Brahma
16. Prince Vishvabhuti (accepting self-control)
17. A god in the seventh divine world of Mahashukra
18. Triprishtha Vasudeva
19. Naraka in the seventh hell
20. A lion
21. Naraka in the fourth hell
22. A human being (anonymous)
23. Supreme ruler - Priyamitra (accepting self-control
24. A god in the seventh divine world of Mahashukra
25. Prince Nandana (Accepting the vow of self control)
26. A god in the tenth divine world of Pranata
27. Shree Vardhamana Mahavira (The final birth)
* Out of the 27 births he had the birth as old in the world of the divine during birth numbers 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 24 and 26. Birth numbers 19 and 21 were in hell as Naraka. Birth number 20 was as an animal, a lion. Birth numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25 and 27 were as a human being. Here too birth numbers 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 were first as a Brahmin and then as a recluse keeping a trisected staff.
* He was a prince during the birth numbers 3, 16, 22 and 25. Those who were in all these four births and accepted the vow of self-control. In the 23rd birth he became a supreme ruler in Mahavideha and the 18th birth was that of Vasudeva.
* He earned the merits qualifying him to be the Tirthankara during the 25th birth as Nandana Muni by performing penance marked by twenty locations.
* In the 27th incarnation 1/3 of the life was spent in the world of the divine an a little more that that was spent as a human being.
* The narration about Nayasara occurs in Prakrita and Sanskrit texts of Shvetambara and Digambara sects with some variations.
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- APPENDIX 2. 27 BIRTHS OF BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA
- APPENDIX 1. HOLY TOURS
- 48. GAUTAMASWAMI ATTAINS ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE AND F...
- 47. THE FUNERAL RITES PERFORMED BY MOURNING GODS ...
- 46. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA’S LAST SERMON AT PAVAPURI
- 45. A SERMON-DESANA DELIVERED TO EIGHTEEN KINGS
- 44. GOSALAKA RELEASES TEJOLESYA-A FIERY FLAME-TO ...
- 43. AN AUSPICIOUS CEREMONY OF BALIVIDHANA
- 42. AN ULTRA GRAND ENTRANCE-DOOR OF THE SAMAVASAR...
- 41. EVEN BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA WHO HAS FULFILLED HIS ...
- 40. ELEVEN LEARNED BRAHMINS ACCEPTING INITIATION,...
- 39. ELEVEN LEARNED BRAHMINS’ ARRIVAL TO INTERPRET...
- 38. A TIRTHAMKARA’S RELIGIOUS WALK ALONG WITH EIG...
- 37. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA DELIVERING A SERMON IN THE ...
- 36. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA ATTAINS ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE ...
- 35. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA ABSORBED IN SUKLA-DHYANA-HI...
- 34. EARS PLUGGED WITH PEGS AND THEIR REMOVAL BY P...
- 33. ACCEPTING ALMS FROM CANDANABALA ON FULFILLMEN...
- 33. ACCEPTING ALMS FROM CANDANABALA ON FULFILLMEN...
- 32. GOD SANGAMA TESTS MAHAVIRA’S ENDURANCE AND CO...
- 31. SUDAMSTRA, A SERPENT-PRINCE, CAUSES HAVOC IN ...
- 30. CANDAKAUSIKA-A DEADLY COBRA ENLIGHTENED BY MA...
- 29. YAKSA SULAPANI HARASSING BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA IN ...
- 28. INDRA PREVENTS A COWHERD FROM ASSAULTING BHA...
- 27. GIFT OF THE HALF OF THE DEVADUSYA TO A POOR B...
- 26. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA’S RELIGIOUS WALK
- 25. PLEASANT DISTRACTION DURING THE RELIGIOUS WALK
- 24. PLUCKING OFF THE HAIR AND ACCEPTING THE VOW O...
- 22. PRINCE VARDHAMANA DISTRIBUTING LARGESS’S
- 23. THE GREAT FINAL DEPARTURE AND THE GRAND PROCE...
- 21. GODS BESEACHING BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA TO ESTABLIS...
- 20. VARIOUS INCIDENTS FROM THE LIFE OF BHAGAVAN MA...
- 19. REQUESTING NANDIVARDHANA TO GRANT HIM PERMISS...
- 18. PRINCE VARDHAMANA WITH THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY
- 17. THE WEDDING CEREMONY OF VARDHAMANA MAHAVIRA, ...
- 16. PRINCE VARDHAMANA SURPRISES EVERYBODY BY HIS ...
- 15. BRAVERY TESTED AGAIN AND HE IS BESTOWED THE T...
- 14. PRINCE VARDHAMANA’S COURAGE TESTED BY A GOD
- 13. THE PARENTS OF A WOULD BE TIRTHAMKARA FONDLIN...
- 12. JANMAKALYANAKA : CELEBRATION OF THE BLISSFUL ...
- 11. JANMAKALYANKA : CELEBRATION OF THE BLISSFUL B...
- 10. JANMAKALYANAKA : CELEBRATION OF THE BLISSFUL ...
- 9. FOURTEEN GREAT DREAMS OF THE MOTHER OF A THIRT...
- 8. QUEEN TRISALA WITNESSES FOURTEEN GREAT DREAMS
- 7. TRANSPLANTATION OF FETUSES BY HARI-NAIGAMESIN
- 6. DEVANANDA NARRATES HER DREAM AND SAKRA COMMAND...
- 5. CYAVANA-KALYANAKA (THE AUSPICIOUS EVENT OF CON...
- 4. TWENTY-PADAS THE ELEMENTS OF VIMSATISTHANAKA A...
- 3. SYMBOLIC INCIDENTS FROM THE TWENTY-FIVE PRECED...
- 2. A GRAND PICTURE OF A TIRTHAMKARA DEVA WITH HIS...
- 1. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA: THE GREAT SAVIOUR IN LOTUS-...
- Table Of Contents :
- ForewordSome of the import and significant life ev...
- Publisher’s Note
- Short Introduction to third edition
- Note
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January
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