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Bhagavan Mahavira : Previous Births

 

By Dr. Hukam Chand Bharill

 

To understand Bhagavan Mahavira, it is not enough to look at his life as Mahavira; for, the process of his final liberation had started much earlier and is spread over his many past lives. So in order to understand this process by which he became a Bhagavan and a Tirthankara, we must have a look at his previous lives.

There is another reason why this is important, which is that it gives an insight into the process of transformation by, which the soul attains the status of a Paramatman, or to put it in the reverse order, it indicated why a soul continues to pass through the cycle of life and death for not understanding as to how to stop the cycle.

In this previous lives, if Bhagavan Mahavira had enjoyed life in the heavens and became a Narayana and a Cakravarti many a times, again, he had suffered the heaviest pain in the hells and passed through the lives of mobile and immobile beings. So it is necessary to highlight some of his previous lives in concise. These, as depicted in the Jaina Puranas, are as follows:

In the eastern Videha, in the isle of Jambudvipa, on the northern bank of the Sita, in the country named Puskalavati, there was a city name Pundarikini. Near the city, there was forest named Madhuka where lived the king of the Bhilas (a tribe) name Pururva. The name of his wife was Kalika.

Through the same forest was once passing a nudist monk, who was a great penancer, Sagarsena by name. Mistaking him for a deer, as the Bhila king raised his bow and was about to fix an arrow to hunt him, his wife caught his hand and softly said, "Dear! What are you doing? This is not a deer. This appears to be a forest deity who is passing." Thus being saved from a great sin of homicide, the husband and wife came to the monk, bowed before him with great devotion, heard his pious and inspiring words and gave up wine and meat. The Bhila king fulfilled the vow till the end of his life and after death, he was reborn as a god in the first heaven named Saudharma.

Having completed his life in the first heaven, he came down to be born as a son to Emperor Bharata name Marici. Along with his grand parent Risabhadeva, he was initiated into a nudist monk-hood, but like the other four thousand kings who were initiated simultaneously and slipped from the path, he too deviated.

Most of these four thousands had respect and devotion for Risabhdeva, and so, though they had parted company because they were not receiving guidance form the leader, after he had become a celebrity, they rectified their mistake and rejoined his order. But this did not occur in the case of Marici. He assumed the robe of a Parivrajaka monk and strove to propound a new faith like Risabhadeva. Although during his life he had acquired a great sin namely falsehood by propagating and upholding a false faith, which enlongened the time of his stay in the cycles of worldly life, still, since the time of his death, he had pious thoughts, after death, he attained the fifth heaven named Brahma.

Having descended from there on the completion of his life-span, he was born in Saketa as a son unto a Brahmin named Kapila and was called Jatila. There also, because of his past linkage, he became a Tirthaknara monk and on death, he became a god in the fifth heaven. Then he was born as Pusyamitra, a son unto a Brahmin named Bharadvaja. There also the situation repeated and he was born again as a god in the first heaven.

Then followed a series when he became a Brahmin named Agnisaha followed by a life in the third heaven named Sanat Kumara, another Brahmin Agnimitra followed by the fourth heaven Mahendra and still another Brahmin name Bharadvaja followed by the same fourth heaven.

In all these, he passed through similar experiences. Though living on and propagating falsehood, he had always some pious thoughts which helped him again and again to acquire life in heaven. But since h e had an intake of falsehood, he could not remain in a blessed state for long and he slipped into the life of mobile and immobile beings which he repeated for an innumerable number of times.

From there, good luck prevailing, he became a Brahmin named Sthavara, died amidst pious thoughts and was reborn in the fifth heaven called Mahendra.

Having descended from there, he was born as a prince named Visvanandi unto king Visvabhuti of Rajagriha. King Visvabhuti had a younger brother named Visakhabhuti. His youngest son was Visakhananda. Witnessing the dismantle of the autumn clouds, king Visuvabhuti became indifferent to the world. He abdicate in favour of his younger brother Visakhabhuti, made his son Visvanandi the crown prince and moved out as a nude monk.

Prince Visvanandi had a beautiful garden of his own named Manohara and he was very fond of it. One day, he was enjoying the company of his ladies in that garden. When Visakhananda saw this, he desired to have the garden for himself. So he went to his father, king Visakhabhuti. He told his father that he must have the garden, or, else, he would court voluntary exile.

Although king Visakhabhuti was never in agreement with this sort of request, what wrong things does a man not indulge in when involved under the pressure of affection to his progeny. This had happened in the case of Kaikeyi (in the Ramayana) who sent Rama into exile. Being blind with affection for his son, king Visakhabhuti sent his nephew Visvanandi out on a pretext of fighting out the disturbances caused by the chiefs who inhabited in the mountain valleys, and handed over the garden Manohara to his son Visakhananda.

When the valorous Visvanandi came to know of the plot, he became immensely angry. As he rushed to catch Visakhananda, out of fear, he fled and took shelter on a Kaitha tree. When prince Visvanandi uprooted the tree, he jumped down and took shelter beneath of stone pillar. When Visvanandi smashed the stone pillar with a severe blow, Visakhananda begged for his life with folded hands and saved it with difficulty.

Although out of compassion Visvanandi released him, but the event cast a deep shadow on his mind. He became indifferent to worldly life and became a nude monk.

When he saw the outcome of his misdeed, king Visakhabhuti became immensely sorry and penitent. He also realised futility of the mundane life and gave it up and became a nude monk.

By practicing severe penances, both external and internal, Visvanandi was emaciated. One day he was out on a begging mission in the city of Mathura. While on the street, he was hit by the leg of a cow who had just calved and he fell on the spot. Just in front was the residence of a prostitute where from his brother Visakhananda saw him. Visakhananda who lost his kingdom because of his misdeeds, lack of vitality and unjust behavior was currently employed in the diplomatic service of some king and had come to Mathura on business. He recognized his brother in monk Visvanandi and to ridicule him, he shouted, "Where is gone thy strength with which you uprooted the tree and smashed the stone pillar with a single blow?" The monk could not bear the insult and was deeply upset. He decided to teach him a lesson, and ended his life by a trance and was born in the tenth heaven called Mahasukra.

From that heaven, he descended to the land of Bharata in Jambudvipa and was born as Tripristha, son of king Prajapati of Podanapura, who was a descendant of Bahubbali, by his wide Mrigavati, and the soul of his uncle Visakhabhuti was born as Vijaya, the son of the same king by another queen named Jayavati.

Vijaya was the first Balabhadra and Tripristha the first Narayana. This was the time when Tirthankara Sreyansanatha was shining in the spiritual world of the land. At that time, there reigned a Vidyadhara named Mayurgriva at Alakapura near the northern range of the Vijardha mountain. The name of his wife was Nilanjana. Because of his sinful deeds, the soul of Visakhananda passed through many low existences, and then, because of a turn of karma, was born as Asvagriva, a son unto the Vidyadhara couple. He was a Prati-Narayana and so he conquered there was a severe war between Narayana Tripristha killed Asvagriva and replaced him as semi Cakravarti monarch.

Emperor Tripristha was the master of a great fortune. He had a harem of 16000 queens who were as charming as the divine girls. But though he was in command of he best worldly opportunity, he did not utilize his chance for the upliftment on his soul. He wasted his whole life in running the administration and in enjoying pleasures. After death, he was born in the seventh hell as an infernal being. What else could have been the outcome of a worldly life dedicated to transitory joy?

Having spent his time there, he became a terribly fierce lion on the Singhagiri mountain on the bank of the Ganga. he spent his life in cruel deeds and, after death, he was born as an infernal being in the first hell. Being released form there, he came again on the top of the Himavan mountain as a lion with glittering mane. This was the tenth life backside of a Bhagavan Mahavira, and from onward started his reform.

This fierce lion was extremely cruel and powerful. One day, the said lion with terrible jaws had killed a deer pierced it and was devouring its flesh when descended there form the sky two Carana monks who were exceedingly tranquil and kind. Addressing the lion they said, "Oh king of the animals! By not caring for your soul, upto this time you have suffered enormous pains. Just as to satisfy and insignificant selfish object you have killed this deer, in the same manner, in your previous births, you had perpetrated innumerable acts of violence and cruelty for the gratification of five senses. In your life as Tripristha Narayan what an enormons suffering did you undergo, and what an assortment of sins did you commit! But the desires for pleasure are insatiable and are never satisfied. In consequence, you were directed to the seventh hell, and there you suffered terrible pains. Then you became a lion and underwent the same predicament. Just try to think and review your previous births."

On hearing the pacifying words of the monks, the lion became some what calm and looked inside when his memory of the previous births revived, and he could see the events of his past lives as if on a canvass. This rent his heart and he was shivering with tears in his eyes.

When the monks notice a pure devotion and simple query in his eyes, they gave him a connected account of his life as the Bhila king Pururva till his present birth adding, "Although as Marici you got a chance of being associated with Risabhadeva, you, entertained falsehood, did not understand the true nature of the soul and that was the reason why you had to pass through so many lives. Now there is no cause of anxiety, since your worldly career is soon drawing to its close, and in your tenth life from now, you are going to be the last Tirthankara Mahavira in the land of Bharata. We have known all these form the divine words of Tirthankara Sridhara who is an omniscient personality."

When he heard all these, within a sort while, his violence and restlessness cooled down. He had the potentiality for feeling his own, self, and now his passions were tranquil. When the monks saw that the lion would be a good recipient of their advice, the following words came out of their mouth:

"There is a conscious object who lives inside the body but who is apart from the body. Although that conscious object experiences the perverted currents of delusion, attachment, greed, etc, yet that object which by nature enjoys the joy of knowledge and is an eternal reality is quite distinct from them, with whose support religion emerges. This emergent religion consists of right knowledge,, faith and conduct. Since right knowledge, faith and conduct may take time to take full shape, it is very necessary to feel the eternal truth whose very nature is enlightenment. This very feeling has been called the realization of self. One who has his realization, on who has known the conscious soul as a distinct entity different from the rest, is soon to be liberated from this transmigration. The knowledge of called the 'knowledge of difference' of bheda-jnana. This knowledge of difference and self realization is possible even in the species of animals, and it occurs too. So, oh king of the animals, you must strive to acquire this."

Continued the monks,

"Oh the king of the animals! You do not be bothered about you helplessness form your species, but look at the ability of your nature. Like the liberated souls, you are also a lump of infinite knowledge and other merits. It is by dint of the eternal elements in nature that one acquires ability in any species. Even in your present species, you have so much knowledge that you know the distinctiveness of the soul. Just as a cub recognizes its mother even though she maybe mixed up with many and even when it does not know any one of her distinctive features, in the same manner, you may not be able to name the doctrines, but all the same, you may recognize the soul which is distinct from the rest. Right now, you have acquired purity of thought. you turn your thought inside and feel your soul. We are sure, you will realize it, your time is happen to you. You appear to have acquired the necessary competence. Once you make a serious effort to collect all you ability and realize that the soul is distinct from the rest....... do strive........ do strive.......ye!"

As these inspiring words were emanating form the lips of the monks, the lion stood motionless in a trance. He was now wholly immersed in self, with his gaze turned inside and he experience and unprecedented joy and tranquility. He was immersed in self, he was lost in self.

After sometime, as he regained his consciousness and came out of his self, the monks still stood in the posture ensuring freedom from fear. There was a superb tranquility on the face of the lion. The monks also perceived the change on the face of the lion. They realized that the lion had acquired what was due to him. He bowed low at the feet of the monks and remained like that for some tie,. Then he stood erect, moved round the monks three times and humbly bowed at their feet. When the monks realized that the acquisitiveness of the lion had expanded, they tendered him advice about the vows.

The lion nodded his agreement to fulfill them according to ability. Now he was no longer a cruel lion, but a lion wholly harmless, like a lion in a picture.

The lion continued to fulfill the vow till his last moment. Then he courted death while he was in a trance and was born as a god named Singhaketu in the first heaven named Saudharma.

It is rare to come across an example like this where there has been the fullest use of the species along with a favorable that on the sermons of the exceptionally gifted Carana monks, the lion had reached the height of the ability of his species but it was some what unusual hat when the lion had very limited time on this world, he had no obstruction of unfavorable karma and he could easily turn his gaze inward. Had sermon been enough in the realisation of the soul, well, then, many who used to attend the congregations of Bhagavan Mahavira should have been the recipient of self-realization. But this did not just happen. Had it been so, how is it that Marici became the victim of a false faith even though he was present at the congregations of Risabhadeva. Suprisingly enough he became the leader of the heretics and continued to propagate falsehood. So it is established that when the soil is ready, you may reap the harvest. At that time, instruments are not lacking, nor is it necessary to institute a search for them. In the life of a cruel lion living in a dense forest, where was the chance, where was the possibility for such a metamorphosis; but when even as a lion he was in possession of the necessary maturity, to realize the self, the instrumentality came down through the sky.

So one who is in search of the soul need not be anxious about the instrument. The means is not an end, nor is the end lost in the absence of a means. But the position is that when the end is ripe for realisation, the means comes itself, without any striving or seeking. It is because of their ignorance that living beings make an unsuccessful effort for collecting favorable means rejecting unfavorable ones.

Moreover, the end does not fructify as per means; the means arises as per the end. When the lion as a lion acquired the true religion, the monks became the means; but when Marici failed Risabhadeva did not. A means only when justified by the end. Since the lion could see the right path, he developed a natural devotion for the monks; but since this did not happen in the case of Marici, the latter did not acquired any respect for Risabhadeva.

Again, it is not really the means which gives the end; when the end is attained, something is given the attribution of the means. What a paradox that for the same soul which was in Marici, even such a competent teacher as Risabha became the means of his malice, and when the soul was encased in the lion, even two ordinary Carana monks became a means of his self-realisation. So it is the preparation of the soil, the maturity of the recipient which is really important, and not the means which is no more than secondary.

In brief, it may be said that in the life of Marici, there was a total lack of effort to took inside, immaturity in that species, non-attainment of time for liberation and the dominance of falsehood were the main factors for his rebirth again and again. All these factors had changed by now. The lion could take a look inside, he was perfectly mature now, the time was ripe for his ending the cycles of rebirth and karma binding the tie of falsehood were fast fading out, these were the main instruments now. In this gamut, the works of the monks took an appropriate position; but they were not by any means the main factor.

Although in the attainment of success in anything there are five contributing factors, the most outstanding of these is a various and sincere exertion by self. In highlighting the importance of sincere self-exertion to attain the right path, a well-known scholar, Pandit Todarmal writes:

“If any soul makes self-exertion to attain liberation as per the advice of the Jainas, he does so when his termination period is nearing its end or when the inevitable is going to happen, and when his karma has been tranquilized. So one who makes effort with his soul-force, he is sure to obtain the necessary means and ultimately to attain moksa. When one does not use his soul force, this means that his termination time is not round the corner or that there is no inevitable involved; and his karma is yet to be tranquillized. So when the soul-force does not strive to attain moksa, one does not get the support of necessary means and hence does not attain moksa. And you say, there are many who hear the words of the Jinas, and some of them get the necessary means and some do not for attaining moksa, what is the reason for this? The reason is that those who after listening the words can mobilize the soul force attain their goal, and those, who can-not, do not attain the goal. Words are meant for education; the rest depends on the exertion of self.”

After that he was born as king Kanakojval, a god in the seventh heaven Lantaka, as king Harisena and again as a god in the tenth heaven.

There was a country named Puskalavati in the Purva-Videha region to the east of Mandaracala in Dhatakikhanda. In that country, there was a beautiful city named Pundarikini. When he descended from the tenth heaven, he was born at Pundarikini as Priyamitra, a very powerful son unto king Sumitra by his queen Suvrata. When this powerful boy came of age, he acquired the Cakraratna and became a world-monarch by conquering six segments of the world.

Emperor Priyamitra, who was the overlord over 32,000 crowned kings acquired nine treasures and fourteen gems. Emperor Priyamitra who was the master of 96 crores of villages has available at his service 18 crore horses, 84 lakh elephants and 96 thousand most beautiful wives. In the midst of such and affluence, he lived for a very long time, without even knowing how long he had lived. One day the Emperor had gone with his near and dear ones to pay homage to a great Jina Ksemankara by name. Having paid his homage and obeisance, he took a suitable seat. Thus came out the flow of words form the lips of the great Jina:

“The nature of a thing is dharma. The nature of the soul is knowledge and happiness. The categories which reveal themselves with the help of the soul which by its nature is knowledge and happiness is dharma. It is and embodiment of right knowledge, right faith and right conduct. These three combined into one is the road to liberation. Liberation means liberation from misery, form delusion, attachment and greed. If one desires to end misery, he must know himself, recognize himself and merge himself within self, lose himself within self. So long as the soul does not know himself, recognise himself till then, by confusing self with others, it continues to be a victim of distortions like delusion, attachment, greed, etc.

“Distortions like delusion, attachment, greed, etc., constitute the worldly life and are the cause of this life; they constitute misery and are the caused of misery. The soul which is eternal an all the three times is the embodiment of happiness, its cause. To be confused with others, with categories, is worldly life; it is misery. The best succor is that which is distinct form others, form constants and variable categories, which is by nature knowledge and joy, which is conscious and eternal. That itself is the embodiment of dharma, and with the help of this dharma appears in categories.

“So one who desires to have happiness, who desires the good of self, who is ken for liberation, he should know himself, get fully immersed within himself. It is not necessary to run about in search of happiness. Your own pleasure is within you, not within somebody else, not even in Paramesvara (God). So it is useless to look upon happiness as a grace from above. You are thy own master. You yourself are the eternal fund of joy, a sort of happiness, happiness itself. But why hanker after happiness? For, hankering is misery. There is really no happiness in the objects coveted by the senses. This man, though commanding the wealth and affluence of a Cakravarti is not happy. In the eyes of the savants, all the treasures of a Cakravarti are useless. They throw them out as if a dry hay and are immersed within. In the presence of the great thing within which is eternal and full of joy, every external object grows dim.

“Dharma is not a word, but an application. So one covetous of self should not merely memorise the word but realise it in life; he must be all dharma.”

On hearing these inspiring and soul-touching words of the Jina, the inner sense of Emperor Priyamitra woke up, as a lion awakes at the roar of another. His attachment for the empire, wealth, wives and progency broke down. The earth which he had conquered over years, the women he had acquired through love, he gave up as if he had no relation with them, as if they were nothing to him. When the attachment for which he had conquered the world and acquired the wives, itself was gone, what use were they to him.

That mighty Emperor got initiated into the life of a nude monk in the presence of the great Jina. When he acquired the triple gems, his fourteen gems dropped out. When he acquired the great treasure of concentrating within, he had no more use of the material treasures. When this great monk, who had discarded the six segments like a trifle ended his life he was born in the 12th heaven named Sahasrara as a god named Suryaprabha. When he descended form there, he was born as Nanda, a son unto king Nandivardhana form his wife Viramati in the city of Chatrapura in the land of Bharata in the isle of Jambu.

By birth king Nanda was an indifferent personality because of the samskara of the previous birth. One day he had gone to a monk name Prosthila to pay his homage and obeisance when his inherent detachment suddenly flared up on hearing the words of the monk just like clarified butter which flares up at the touch of the fire. He was initiated by the hands of the monk.

Being absorbed in concentration and the acquisition of the fundamentals all the while, monk Nanda fully acquired all the eleven Angas. In that very state, he could easily think of the fourteen causes which are instrumental in acquiring the great merit named Tirthankara-hood and by dint of this, he became in time to come the last Tirthankara Mahavira. However, giving up the mortal frame in the midst of a trance, monk Nanda was born as a god in the sixteenth heaven.

Thus we have seen that there were many ups and downs in the previous lives of Bhagavan Mahavira. If on the one hand he had acquired life several times in heavens and grace such lofty positions as Narayana. Cakravarti, etc., because of virtuous deeds on the other, because of vices, he went as far down as the seventh hell; but he did not feel any peace either in virtue or in vice but simply moved to and for from life to life.

virtue and vice which signify good and evil make one move within the bounds of four types of existence. A state of detachment which is virtually beyond good and evil is itself dharma, the cause of happiness. The state of detachment emerges when one starts feeling the self, and when he had acquired this feeling in his life as a lion, he had almost reached the border and of worldly life. so in order to attain the state of detachment one must strive to feel self. Such is the truth.

Form the review of the previous lives of Bhagavan Mahavira, one specialty of the Jaina texts becomes clear, viz., that the Jaina way helps one not only to become a Narayana from and ordinary human being, but also to attain the state of Paramatman from a ordinary Atman, a Bhagavan form a lion. This review further consoles us that we need not feel disturbed from our present state. When the soul of Mahavira could acquire the feeling of self even when encased in a lion’s frame, we being human beings, why should we not feel competent about its acquisition. By acquiring this feeling, if the lion became a Bhagavan at a gap of ten births, why we humans could not do the same, may be after a gap go few births. What is the total span of a few births against the background of a eternal time.

 

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Source : 'Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirtha'
Published By Pandit Todarmal Smarak Trust, Bapunagar, Jaipur

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