Mahavira (599 BCE-527 BCE), also known as Vardhaman, was the twenty-fourth and last tirthankara of Jainism of present Avasarpani era (half time cycle as per Jain cosmology).
Mahavira was born into a royal family in what is now Bihar, India. At the age of 30 he left his home in pursuit of spiritual awakening (Diksha). For the next twelve and a half years he practiced intense meditation and severe penance, after which he achieved Kevala Jnana or enlightenment. He travelled all over Bharat (which was larger than today's India) for the next thirty years to teach Jain philosophy. Mahavira attained moksha at the age of 72. Mahavira was given the title Jina, or "Conqueror" (conqueror of inner enemies such as attachment, pride and greed), which subsequently became synonymous with Tirthankara. Although, there is reasonable evidence to believe that Parsva, predecessor of Mahavira was a historical figure, still Mahavira is sometimes referred as the founder of Jainism. On this famous Indologist, Heinrich Zimmer note:


== Birth ==
According to Jain texts, Mahavira was born in 599 BCE.  His date of birth is on the thirteenth day of the rising moon of Chaitra in the Vira Nirvana Samvat calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, this date falls in March or April and is celebrated as Mahavira Janam Kalyanak. Mahavira was born into the royal family of King Siddartha of Kundgraam and Queen Trishala, sister of King Chetaka of Vaishali.
Mahavira was born into a royal family of Kshatriyas. Historians have identified three places in Bihar as his possible birthplace: Kundigram in Vaishali district, Lachhuar in Jamui and Kundalpur in Nalanda. Most modern historians agree that Vasokund was his birthplace. Traditionally, Kundalapura in the ancient city of Vaishali is regarded as his birthplace; however, its location remains unidentified. As the son of a king, Mahavira had all luxuries of life at his disposal. Both his parents were strict followers of Parsva.


=== Name ===
His childhood name was 'Vardhamana', which means "One who grows", because of the increased prosperity in the kingdom at the time of his birth. The name "Mahavira" is a Sanskrit word meaning Great Warrior. One of the reasons for this name is that during his boyhood, Mahavira brought a terrifying serpent under control. Mahavira has many other titles and epithets, including Vira, Sanmati and Nataputta. The ancient texts refer to Mahavira as Nataputta (son of Natas). This referred to his clan of origin, the Natta.


== Early life ==
Mahavira was born in a democratic kingdom, in which king was chosen by voting. Therefore, freedom & equality were core of Mahavira's thinking. Jain traditions are not unanimous about his marital state. According to one tradition, Digambara, he was celibate and according to another (Shwetamber) he was married young to Yashoda and had one daughter, Priyadarshana.


== Ascetic life and Kevala Jnana ==

At the age of 30, Mahavira abandoned all the comforts of royal life and left his home and family to live ascetic life for spiritual awakening. He underwent severe penances, even without clothes. There is graphic description of hardships and humiliation he faced in the Acaranga Sutra. In the eastern part of Bengal he suffered great distress. Boys pelted him with stones, people often humiliated him. The Kalpa Sutra gives a detailed account of his ascetic life:
After twelve and a half years of rigorous penance he achieved Kevala Jnana i.e., realization of perfect perception, knowledge, power, and bliss. The Acharanga sutra describes Mahavira as all-seeing. The Sutrakritanga elaborates the concept as all-knowing and provides details of other qualities of Mahavira.


== Teachings ==
For the next 30 years Mahavira travelled far and wide in India to teach his philosophy. His philosophy has eight cardinal (law of trust) principles, three metaphysical, and five ethical. The objective is to elevate the quality of life.
Five ethical principles that were preached by Mahavira:
Ahimsa or non-violence- Mahavira taught that every living being has sanctity and dignity of its own and it should be respected just like we expect to respect our own sanctity and dignity. In simple words, we should show maximum possible kindness to every living being.
Satya or truthfulness which leads to harmony in society. One should speak truth and respect right of property of each other's in society. One should be true to his own thoughts, words and deeds to create mutual atmosphere of confidence in society.
Asteya or non-stealing which states that one should not take anything if not properly given.
Brahmacharya or chastity which stresses steady but determined restraint over yearning for sensual or sexual pleasures.
Aparigraha or non-possession, non-attachment which requires complete detachment from people, places and material property.
Mahavira taught that pursuit of pleasure is an endless game, so we should train our minds to curb individual cravings and passions. That way one does achieve equanimity of mind, mental poise and spiritual balance. One should voluntarily limit acquisition of property as a community virtue which results in social justice and fair distribution of utility commodities. The strong and the rich should not try to suppress the weak and the poor by acquiring limitless property which results in unfair distribution of wealth in society and hence poverty. Attempting to enforce these five qualities by an external and legal authority leads to hypocrisy or secret criminal tendencies. So the individual or society should exercise self-restraint to achieve social peace, security and an enlightened society.


=== Anekantavada ===

Another fundamental teaching of Mahavira was Anekantavada i.e., pluralism and multiplicity of viewpoints. Mahavira employed anekanta extensively to explain the Jain philosophical concepts. Taking a relativistic viewpoint, Mahavira is said to have explained the nature of the soul as both permanent from the point of view of underlying substance (nishyanay), and temporary, from the point of view of its modes and modification.


== Nirvana ==

According to Jain agams, Mahavira attained moksha or complete liberation in 527 BCE and his soul is believed to have become Siddha i.e., soul at its purest form. On the same day Indrabhuti Gautama, his Ganadhara (chief disciple) attained Kevala Jnana. According to Mahapurana, after the nirvana of tirthankaras, devas do the funeral rites. According to Pravachansar, only nails and hair of tirthankaras are left behind, and rest of the body gets dissolved in the air like camphor. Some Western scholars suggests that this date would have been around 425 BCE. There is a Jain temple named Jal mandir in Pawapuri, the place where Mahavira is believed to have attained nirvana. Mahavira is usually depicted in a sitting or standing meditative posture with a symbol of a lion under him.


== Previous births ==
Mahavira's previous births are discussed in Jain texts such as the Trisastisalakapurusa Charitra and Jinasena's Mahapurana. While a soul undergoes countless reincarnations in transmigratory cycle of samsara, the births of a tirthankara are reckoned from the time he determined the causes of karma and developed the Ratnatraya. Jain texts discuss twenty-six births of Mahavira prior to his incarnation as a tirthankara.
There are various Jain texts describing the life of Mahavira. The most notable of them is the Kalpa Sutra of Bhadrabahu. The first Sanskrit biography of Mahavira was Vardhamacharitra by Asaga in 853 CE. Mahavira was grandson of the first tirthankara, Rishabha, according to Jain legends. He was earlier born as the heretical grandson of Rishabha known as Marichi. During his time, many of his contemporaries claimed to be the 24th tirthankara. Some of these were Puran Kashyapa, Makhali Goshala, Ajit Keshkambli, Pakuda Kachchhayan and Sanjay Vellathiputta. However, none of them have any special place in jaina universal history except Mahavira.


== Legacy ==
Mahavira's teachings influenced many personalities. Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by Mahavira.

Bhagwan Mahavira is sure to be respected as the highest authority on Ahimsa. If anyone has practiced to the fullest extent and has propagated most the doctrine of Ahimsa, it was Lord Mahavira. - Mahatma Gandhi


=== Present times ===
Mahavira's teachings were for the welfare of humanity and can be the answer to challenges of the modern world.


== Gallery ==


== See Also ==

Arihant (Jainism)
God in Jainism
History of Jainism
Timeline of Jainism
Samavasarana


== Notes ==


== References ==
Jain, Manoj (2014), Mahavira: The Hero of Nonviolence, World Wisdom, Incorporated, ISBN 978-1-937786-21-2 
Chakravarthi, Ram-Prasad (2003), "Non-violence and the other A composite theory of multiplism, heterology and heteronomy drawn from jainism and gandhi", Angelaki 8 (3): 3-22, doi:10.1080/0969725032000154359 
Dundas, Paul (2002), The Jains (2nd ed.), Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-26605-5 
Glasenapp, Helmuth Von (1999), Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1376-6 
Jain, Kailash Chand (1991), Lord Mahavira and His Times, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8 
Kumar, Sehdev (2001), Jain Temples of Rajasthan, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 978-81-7017-348-9 
Nagaraja, Muni (2003), Agama and Tripitaka a Comparative Study of Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha, Concept Publishing Company, ISBN 978-81-7022-731-1 
Winternitz, Moriz (1993), History of Indian Literature: Buddhist & Jain Literature, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0265-0 
Nanda, R. T. (1997), Contemporary Approaches to Value Education in India, Regency Publications, ISBN 978-81-860-3046-2 
Jalaj, Jaykumar (2011), The Basic Thought Of Bhagavan Mahavir, Hindi Granth Karyalay, ISBN 978-81-88769-41-4 
Pramansagar, Muni (2008), Jain tattvavidya, India: Bhartiya Gyanpeeth, ISBN 978-81-263-1480-5 
Zimmer, Heinrich (1953), Joseph Campbell, ed., Philosophies Of India, London, E.C. 4: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, ISBN 978-8120807396 


== External links ==
THE BASIC THOUGHT OF BHAGAVAN MAHAVIR by Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj
Mahavira, not the founder of Jainism
Lord Mahavira Sayings
Mahavira's Teachings