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206 Spinsters
In Jain scriptures there is a mention of an incident of Bhagavan Parshvanath’s period that has not been much talked about.
It is the initiation of 206 old spinsters in his ascetic organization. At different times many old spinsters from merchant families
from a number of towns took Diksha into Bhagavan Parshvanath’s organization and indulged in spiritual practices. But due
to some faults in minor codes of discipline and death before doing required corrective self-analysis they reincarnated as
queens of lesser gods like Chamarendra, Balindra, Vyantarendra etc. At the time of Bhagavan Mahavir’s divine pavilion
creation they came for the Darshan (paying homage in person) and displayed their divine glamour and grander just like the
sun god. What to talk of the common audience when even Ganadhar Gautam became spellbound at this heavenly display.
When Gautam asked Bhagavan Mahavir about these goddesses he explained that these goddesses acquired these unique
divine powers as a result of their practices of penance and discipline when they were the old-spinster ascetics in Bhagavan
Parshvanath’s order.
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All these references indicate that even during the period of Bhagavan Mahavir the faith and devotion for Bhagavan Parshvanath
was wide spread. The masses strongly believed that remembering the name of Bhagavan Parshvanath was the panacea for
all trouble as well as the means of success. This was the reason that in Bhagavan Mahavir’s time Bhagavan Parshvanath
was popularly known as “Purushadaniya”.
Many scholars are of the opinion that the Chaturyam Dharm (the four dimensional religion) was the leading and prominent
religion in whole of India during that period. The Buddha also got initiated into this school in the early part of his spiritual life.
Later he evolved and propagated his eight pronged religions out of this only.
Bhagavan Parshvanath was a householder for thirty years and then an ascetic for seventy years. When he was 100 years old
he got liberated on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Shravan at Sammetshikhar.
It is believed that the time span between the Nirvana of Bhagavan Parshvanath and Bhagavan Parshvanath and Bhagavan
Mahavir’s launching of his own school was about 250 years. There is a mention of four prominent leaders of Bhagavan
Parshvanath school-
1. Ganadhar Shubhdatta (Shumbh)
2. Arya Haridatta
3. Acharya Samudra Suri
4. Arya Keshi Shraman
The last one is believed to have existed between 166 to 250 years after the Nirvana of Bhagavan Parshvanath. Arya Keshi
Shraman was a forceful Acharya. The staunch non-believer king Pradeshi became a highly devoted Jain Shravak under his
influence only there were nine groups of five hundred ascetics each, in the large religious organization headed by Keshi-muni.
These groups worked in far fling areas like Tailang (Andhra), Konkan and Maharashtra. He himself wandered in the Magadh
area with one thousand ascetics.
24. BHAGAVAN MAHAVIR
PAST-INCARNATION
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Bhagavan Mahavir was the last and the twenty forth Tirthankar of this era in the Jain tradition. He had a highly developed
multifaceted personality. He scintillated with the infinitely intense glow of the pure soul. All the virtues and powers of his soul
were completely awakened and active. He had infinite power but, at the same time, he also had infinite compassion. Possessing
ultimate powers of the soul, he was unconquerable even by gods and demons. Thus Tirthankar Mahavir was an
undefeatable, fully developed and absolutely composite human being.
But the seeds of this grandeur and greatness of Bhagavan Mahavir were sown in the remote past. He had been doing
rigorous penance, indulging in altruism and practicing deep meditation in many of his past incarnation. From this angle the
incidents from earlier incarnations of this supreme soul are very important and inspiring. The first incident in this sequence is
known as “the first touch of righteousness”. The first incident in this sequence is known as “the first touch of righteousness”.
It is from the 27 th birth before the final birth of the soul of Bhagavan Mahavir. The story of this birth as the village elder Nayasar
goes like this-
First Glimpse of Right Knowledge: Nayasar
In the twenty seventh births before being born as Bhagavan Mahavir, this soul was a village elder and forester working for king
Shatrumardhan of Pratisthan City in the west Mahavideh area. He used to bring all the wood required for construction
purposes from the forest. One day at noontime all the workers were taking rest after their lunch. Nayasar also sat under a
tree in order to take the food he had brought along. Before starting to eat he saw some ascetics wandering without food or
water in this scorching sun. If they happen to come this side, I will offer a part of my food to them. I will be benefited by this
simple act of serving guests and my day will become purposeful.
Amar Muni - Tirthankar Charitra - Surana # 28
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