Ep-4: 27 Births Of Bhagavan Mahavira
Note - The previous incarnations of Bhagavan Mahavira 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 essential. This very practice or worship annihilates all the movements, names and actions born through previous actions and the soul ceases to migrate any more 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 as it was enslaved by actions born out of 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 or evil on the platform of the world.
| Sr no. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Nayasaran - Village-head |
| 2 | First Saudharma - A god in the divine world |
| 3 | Prince Mariachi - 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 Vishav bhuti - 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) - Accepting self-control |
| 23 | Supreme ruler Priya-mitra - 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 god 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 had accepted the vow of self-control. In the 23rd birth he became a supreme ruler in Mahavideh 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 and a little more than that was spent as a human being.