Upasargas
 

THE YEAR. THE PLACE AND THE NATURE OF THE ORDEALS OF BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA

Note- - He who wants to reveal Truth to humanity must attain supreme abstract knowledge as Truth cannot be revealed without it. Without spiritual refinement the great light of knowledge enveloped by (evil) actions cannot be revealed. That such refinement cannot be achieved without self-control and rigorous practice is an unchallenged fact. This is why great men born to be Tirthankaras (saviors) give up at the right time the life of a householder i.e. the house, the home, the family and all other objects and accept the row of lifelong self-control so that all sinful activities may completely cease. 

Mostly they remain nude, observe silence. remain indifferent to cold and heat, move from place to place and from forest to forest. They remain indifferent to physical necessities and practice the aphorism -"pain to the body is gain of the soul." None is redeemed nor can be redeemed without self-control and penance. With this eternal truth in their hearts they remain engrossed in practice, give up sleep and rest.

While wandering they mostly remain engrossed in different techniques of medita- tion in Kayotsarga Mudra (a particular posture for physical steadiness). Standing on one leg at a lonely place in Chaityas, holy places, gardens and parks. Thus, maintaining steady equanimity they go on destroying the Karmas born out of the previous births. In order to annihilate the actions completely Bhagavan Mahavira makes the practice more and more rigorous. He who has refrained from violence falsehood, stealing, sex and acquisition etc. remains alert mentally, verbally and physically so that he can keep completely detached from gross desires and impurities such as anger etc. Such souls bravely forbear all hardships, mise- ries, insults, discomforts and various sufferings. 

During the course of practice they welcome with a smiling face and without the least sense of revenge and opposition all ordeals, and infestations from demons, gods, human beings, animals and birds and thus they remove completely the veil of actions which are against spiritual qualities, reach the state above attachment and attain the supreme light of absolute enlightenment and then feel a sense of satisfaction and then through the light of their enlightenment they preach about the royal path of happiness, peace and bliss to the world.

Bhagavan Mahavira had received enlightenment through the same path. Here are noted details about the types of ordeals, the perpetrators of the ordeals viz, the demons, gods and men during the practice for realizing enlightenment.

•The release of fatal energy (Tejo Leshya) by Goshalaks was also an ordeal but Bhagavan Mahavira had already reached the state of absolute enlightenment by then. This event is noted only as a miracle.

•The ordeals had started with a cowherd and also ended with the cowherd, started with a human being and ended with a human being. The place, the time and the reasons also happened to be the same. Great ordeals have occurred- red after the evening and it was quite natural.

•The bones of the joints of Bhagavan Mahavira were exceptionally strong. (Vajra Rishabha Naracha Sangha- yana) The scriptures describe six types of the bones according to the different ages for all beings.

•The bones of the beings of the present age are the weakest.

•He had done the practice of meditation for twelve and a half years mostly while standing constantly day and night. During these twelve and a half years he slept only for forty-eight minutes. This is really a stupendous penance!