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THE FIVE AUSPICIOUS EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE TIRTHANKAR
A Tirthankar is a highly elevated and supremely perfect soul. His life is not only for purification and elevation of his own soul,
but also the source of inspiration for development and consequent welfare of humanity. As such, the birth of a Tirthankar is
termed as ‘Janma Kalyanak’ or the auspicious birth. It is true for other such important events in his life including renunciation
and liberation.
In the Jain scriptures there is mention of five such auspicious events in the life of every Tirthankar:
1. Chyavan Kalyanak (the auspicious descent) - To take birth as a human being, the soul descends from various dimensions
of gods. This event is known as the auspicious descent. At this moment of descent the conceiving mother dreams
of fourteen auspicious things. The incident of transplanting of foetus in the womb of Trishla Kshatriyani is an incident
unique to Bhagavan Mahavir’s life.
2. Janma Kalyanak (the auspicious birth) - This is the event of taking birth. After the birth fifty-six goddesses of directions
arrive and do the post birth cleaning and other rituals. The king of gods creates his vie look-alike bodies and takes the
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newborn Tirthankar to the Meru Mountain for the ritual celebrations of post birth anointing.
3. Diksha Kalyanak (the auspicious renunciation) - When a Tirthankar renounces his mundane abode and life-style and
proceeds to accept Diksha (initiation into the ascetic way of life), gods and humans assemble and take out a procession
heading toward the spot of initiation. After arriving there the Tirthankar gives away all his possessions including ornaments
and apparels, and pulls out five fistful of hair with his own hands.
4. Kewalajnana Kalyanak (the auspicious omniscience) - Destroying the four vitiating karmas with the help of his superlative
practices of discipline, penance and meditation, the Tirthankar acquires the all enlightening and unhindered knowledge
and perception and becomes an omniscient. At this time gods and humans come to behold him and be blessed. The
gods create a divine pavilion (Samavasaran) and celebrate the event.
5. Nirvana Kalyanak (the auspicious liberation) - Destroying all the karmas the Tirthankar leaves his mundane body and
gets liberated. This event of the disintegration of the liberated. This event of the disintegration of the physical body is
celebrated as the Nirvana Kalyanak or the auspicious liberation. (Illustrations overleaf).
LIFE AS HOUSEHOLDER
Conditions before the Birth
About 2594 years back (599 B.C.) in the eastern region of India, a bright source of spiritual light dawned. He became famous
as Vardhaman Mahavir.
During the period of Bhagavan Parshvanath, the feudal system of rule prevailed in India. However, the beginnings of democratic
system had started
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appearing on the political scene. It was the dawn of the localized republics. After his Nirvana the
republics started expanding and Vaishali emerged as the capital of the federation of small republics. Maharaj Chetak, a
staunch follower of the Parshva Tradition, was the president of the Vaishali republic and the federation.
On the northern shore of the Ganges a large and powerful group of Lichhavi Kshatriyas favored democratic system. The six
prominent clans that formed this republic were-Ugra, Bhog, Rajanya, Ikshvaku, Lichhavi, Jnat, and Kaurav, and nine chiefs
represented them.
Another union was named Malla and it was divided into two parts- northwestern and southeastern. The capital city of northwest
was Kushinara and that of southeast was Pava. The nine chiefs of the Federation of Malla republics were also staunch
supporters of the democratic system. Nine Mallas and nine Lichhavis combined to form an well-organized apex union called
the Union of Vajji Republics. The Lichhavis of the Vaishali republic were Suryavanshi Kshatriyas, the descendents of Maryada
Purushottam Ram. Before the advent of Bhagavan Mahavir and the Buddha, these were famous as the Videhas, but later,
the name Lichhavi became more popular. Still, as a cultural group they always retained their identity as the Videhas. In the
Jain literature Maharaj Chetak has been mentioned as Videhraj, his sister, Trishla, as Videhdinna. Mahavir has also been
mentioned as Videh Sukumal. All this is indicative of the higher religious and cultural status of the state of Videh.
The Royal Family of Vaishali
To the north of Vaishali, there was a suburb named Kundpur Sannivesh. There was a colony of Brahmans in the southern
parts of Kundpur. The chief of these Brahmans was Rishabhadatta and his wife was Devananda. Although a rich Brahman
and a scholar of the Vedas and Vedangas, Rishabhdatta was a devotee of Bhagavan Parshvanath.
In the northern parts of Kundpur there was a colony of Kshatriyas of the Jnat clan. The colony was known as Kshatriya
Kundpur. Siddharth was the chief here. Because of his great valor and wealth he was respectfully addressed as Raja or
Narendra. He was a highly influential member of the Vaishali republic.
Trishla, the sister of president Chetak of Vaishali, was married to Siddharth; she was also known as Videhdinna and Priyakarini,
Amar Muni - Tirthankar Charitra - Surana # 31
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