Mahavir Jayanti 2023: Celebrating the Birth of Lord Mahavir

Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most auspicious religious festival in Jainism that commemorates the birth of Lord Mahavir. Also known by the name Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, the festival falls on the 13th day of the waxing moon, or Shukla Paksha Trayodashi tithi of the Hindu Chaitra month every year. This year, Mahavir Jayanti falls on April 4th, 2023.

Mahavir Jayanti 2024 is on April 21 Sunday

Mahavir Jayanti is a Gazetted Holiday in India

Birth of Lord Mahavira

As legend goes in the Mahavir Purana, Mahavir was born a Tirthankara for the good of the world and the attainment of Nirvana. As believed by the sect of Svetambara Jains, Mahavira was conceived in the womb of a Brahmin woman. As Lord Indra grew conscious of the coming of the Tirthankara, he used his powers to carry the embryo to the womb of a kshatriya woman, in pursuit of wealth and desired conditions for the proper upbringing of the child.

The Digambara Jains, however, do not believe in this version of the birth of Lord Mahavira.

Mahavira’s Mother Saw 16 Dreams

It is known that Mahavira’s mother had certain auspicious dreams while she bore him. The Svetambara Jains believe that she saw 16 dreams, while the Digambara Jains believe she saw 14 dreams while she was pregnant.

The dreams were:

1. A fine, enormous white elephant with marks reckoned lucky with strong thighs and four mighty tusks. This was supposed to foretell the birth of a Tirthankara.
2. A tame bull of a whiter hue than that of the mass of petals of the white lotus illumining by the glory of light. This foretold the birth of a religious preacher.
3. A handsome playful lion, jumping from the sky towards her face, foretelling the birth of a child who will be a destroyer of his karma (the enemies) and a possessor of limitless valor.
4. Shree, or Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty, with the face of the full moon, on the top of Mount Himavat, reposing on a lotus in the lotus-lake and anointed with the water from strong, large trunks of the guardian elephants. This indicated that the child will be an anointed king.
5. A charmingly interwoven garland with fresh Mandara flowers from a firmament, meaning that the body of the child will be a fragrant one.
6. The bright sun radiating golden rays in all directions, shedding lustre all round Mount Meru. This indicated that the child will be a dispeller of the mass of darkness which is the symbol of ignorance.
7. The cow-milk-white full moon, the lover of Rohini, rising in the heavens and raising the waters of the ocean below. This indicated the birth of a great religious preacher.
8. Two fishes, which portends that the child will be a happy one.
9. Two golden and costly vases, filled with pure water and indicating the birth of a child who will be constantly immersed in spiritual meditation.
10. A lotus lake adorned with water lilies, around which the black bees and the mad drones hovered. This foretold that the body of the child will possess all the marks of a perfect being.
11. The milk-ocean, white like the breast of Lakshmi, indicating that the child will be a Kevalin.
12. A costly throne of diamonds and rubies which meant that the child will be a master of the three lokas.
13. An excellent celestial abode shining like the disk of the morning sun.
14. The great king of the gods residing below on earth.
15. An enormous heap of jewels resembling Mount Meru and illuminating the sphere of the sky. This foretold the birth of a child who will be a possessor of right knowledge, right intuition and right conduct.
16. A great fire fed with shining and honey-colored ghee and in vehement motion.

Important Timings On Mahavir Jayanti 2024

Life of Lord Mahavira

According to the Jaina tradition, Lord Mahavira is the last among the 24 Tirthankaras, deified parsonages who are known to have achieved Nirvana or salvation after having renowned and destroyed of worldly bonds, or karma.

At the age of 30, Mahavira gave up his kingdom and every luxury that he held in possession, following which he moved to the forest seeking the ultimate truth of life. He gained spiritual knowledge and led a hard life through penance and meditation. He preached his religious knowledge, fought calamities and won over karma. Towards the end of his life in the forest, after years of ordeals, trials and tribulations, Mahavira attained spiritual enlightenment.

FAQs

1) What does Tirthankara mean?

Tirthankara is the ultimate form of a being or the saviour who has succeeded in the cycle of rebirths close to attaining salvation or Nirvana. The Tirthankara is represented either as standing, stiffly like the kayotsarga, or in the pose of seated cross-legged on a lion's throne, in the posture of dhyanamudra. There are 24 Tirthankaras, and Mahavir is the last Tirthankara to appear.

2) Who are the 24 Tirthankaras?

In the order of appearance, the 24 Tirthankaras, along with their emblem and their complexion are as follows:

1. Rishabhanatha, represented with the emblem of Bull, is of golden complexion
2. Ajita, represented with the emblem of Elephant, is of golden complexion
3. Shambhava, represented with the emblem of Horse, is of golden complexion
4. Abhinandana, represented with the emblem of Ape, is of golden complexion
5. Sumati, represented with the emblem of Heron, is of golden complexion
6. Padmaprabha, represented with the emblem of Lotus, is of red complexion
7. Suparshya, represented with the emblem of Swastika, is of golden complexion
8. Chandraprabha, represented with the emblem of Moon, is of white complexion
9. Suvidhi, or Pushpadanta, represented with the emblem of Dolphin or makara, is of white complexion.
10. Shitalanatha, represented with the emblem of shrivatsa, is of golden complexion
11. Shreyamsha, represented with the emblem of Rhinoceros, is of golden complexion
12. Vasupujya, represented with the emblem of Buffalo, is of red complexion
13. Vimala, represented with the emblem of Boar, is of golden complexion
14. Anantha, represented with the emblem of Hawk, is of golden complexion
15. Dharma, represented with the emblem of Thunderbolt, is of golden complexion
16. Shanti, represented with the emblem of antelope or deer, is of golden complexion
17. Kunthu, represented with the emblem of Goat, is of golden complexion
18. Ara, represented with the emblem of Nandyavarta, is of golden complexion
19. Malli, represented with the emblem of Water Jug, is of golden complexion. Digambara believe that Mallinatha was a male, while the Svetambaras believe that Mallinatha was a female.
20. Suvrata, or Munisuvrata, represented with the emblem of Tortoise, is of black complexion
21. Nami or Nimin, represented with the emblem of Blue lotus, is of golden complexion
22. Nemi, represented with the emblem of Conch shell, is of black complexion
23. Parshvanatha, represented with the emblem of Snake, is of green complexion
24. Vardhamana, later called Mahavira (“Great Hero”), represented with the emblem of Lion, is of golden complexion