Sweetheart, a little green girl told me, whispering in my ear, tell that Sweetheart that soul, if willing to take this thing all the way to the South Side of Kathmandu, this Sweetheart is a JAIN.
But are you really up to it? Mahavira is waiting.
UPDATE
Lord Mahavira
Lord Mahavira was born in Kshatriyakund (present day Bihar) in the year 543 before the Vikram era (599 B.C.) to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishla. Lord Mahavira was the exponent, rejuvenator, and propagator of Jainism. A contemporary of Gautam Buddha, He epitomised the highest form of virtue and human perfection. His life is a perennial source of light and inspiration to all.
At the age of 30, He renounced the world and took the vow of asceticism. He spent the next twelve and a half years in deep silence and meditation, performing severe penance and austerities, fasting for the most part of this period. Abuses were hurled at Him. He was even tortured and beaten, but the great Lord Mahavira accepted whatever came His way with utmost equanimity. Be it attacks by wild beasts and poisonous insects, vagaries of weather or other such calamities, He was neither moved by attachment nor aversion. With perfect equanimity He continued towards His goal and finally attained complete enlightenment.
Genealogy
After He attained Omniscience, for thirty years Lord Mahavira preached the eternal truth. The ultimate objective of His teachings was how to attain total freedom from the cycle of birth and death; and achieve the state of eternal bliss - known as Moksh. His teachings and life continue to inspire people even today.
Lord Mahavira founded the Four-folded order or Chaturvidh Sangh, namely monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. His teachings were compiled and transmitted to posterity in the form of Agams (Jain canons) by the gandhars (chief disciples). These canonical texts serve as the guiding light for aspirants along the path of self-realisation. They are instrumental in liberating souls from the miseries of the cycles of birth and death.
Nirvan
Lord Mahavira attained nirvan at the age of 72. He left His human body and attained nirvan (liberation) at Pawapuri. To this day, this occasion is celebrated as Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolising the perpetuation and universalisation of His truth-revealing and soul-illuminating light of knowledge, in His physical absence.
CHRONOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION OF BHAGWAN MAHAVIRA'S LIFE
B.C.Event
600 BC
Auspicious occasion of conception, on asadh sud 6, in Brahminkund
599 BC
Glorious birth on chaitra sud 13, in Kshatriyakund.
591 BC
The Light of the World, sent to school for formal education
at the age of 8 years.
571 BC
Parents pass away when He is 28 years of age.
Postpones renunciation for two years at the request
of His elder brother, Nandivardhan.
569 BC
Renounces all worldly ties at the age of 30 years, on kartik vad 10,
at Kshatriyakund.
568 BC
His immense compassion pacifies a fierce and poisonous snake,
Chandakaushik.
559 BC
Maintains complete equanimity, while passing through dreadful ordeals
inflicted on Him by a celestial being, Sangamdev.
558 BC
Accepts alms after a five month and twenty-five day long fast,
from Chandanbala.
557 BC
Peacefully bears excruciating pain caused by a cowherd, who hammers
nail-like hard grass pegs into His ears.
557 BC
Attains Omniscience on vaishakh sud 10, at the age of 42 years, on the
banks of the river Rujuvalika.
527 BC
Attains nirvan (liberation) on aso vad 30, at the age of 72 years,
at Pawapuri.
