Diwali / Mahavir Nirvaan Divas
As we all know that Diwali or 'Mahavir Nirvaan Diwas' is an auspicious festival that is celebrated by Jain community all across the world. It is a festival (parv) that is celebrated as the 'Day of Salvation' of Tirthankar Mahavir.
Let's know the story of Bhagwaan Mahavir in brief!
Introduction
It is the day when the 24th Tirthankar - Lord Mahavira of Jainism attained Moksh (salvation).
Lord Mahavira was born as a normal human being like us. He, on realizing the true path of happiness and understanding the true-self (soul) took Diksha(renunciation). By penancing and detaching from the worldly attachments completely; attained liberation from the birth-death cycle.
This day of Diwali, motivates and makes us realize that like our ideal - Lord Mahavira; if we also follow his teachings; we can also become GOD like him.
It is also known as Mahavira Nirvaan Diwas or "The Day of Salvation" of Lord Mahavira.
5 Kalyanaks
Tirthankars in Jainism has 5 Kalyanaks namely:
- Garbh Kalyanak (celebrated when the soul of Tirthankar comes in his mother's womb)
- Janma Kalyanak (celebrated when the Tirthankar takes birth as a child)
- Tap Kalyanak (celebrated when the Tirthankar takes Digamber Jain Diksha and renounces all the worldly possessions)
- Gyaan Kalyanak (celebrated when the Tirthankar attains Kevalgyaan i.e. Infinite/Complete Knowledge)
- Moksh Kalyanak (celebrated when the Tirthankar attains Salvation/Nirvaan)
Yes, as you must have rightly understood - we celebrate and relive the Moksh-Kalyanak of Bhagwaan Mahavir on Diwali.
1. Garbh Kalyanak
About 2600 years back, King Siddhartha of Nath Dynasty ruled Kundalpur (presently in Bihar, India). His wife's name was Queen Trishala. They lived in a huge palace named "Nadyavarta Mahal".
On the night of Ashada Sudh Chatha Queen Trishala saw 16 auspicious dreams in her sleep.
When on the next day she asked what they signified to King Siddhartha, King Siddharth told: "O Devi Trishala! You are very lucky! Because the great soul of Lord Tirthankar has come in your womb!" She got delighted and happiness was all around the kingdom.
2. Janma Kalyanak
It was Chaitra Sudh Teras. On this day, child Mahavira was born. Saudharma Indra along with many heavenly devs came at Kundalpur and took child Mahavira to "Panduk Shila" on Sumeru Mountain.
The Janma-abhishek of child Mahavir was done by 1008 Kalash and they celebrated Janma-kalyanak Mahotsav.
All the food, clothes and all the amenities of child Mahavir used to come from Heaven; but since birth child Mahavir didn't get attached to material happiness.
Some interesting facts about Tirthankars in Jainism
From birth only, they possess 3 Gyaans (Knowledge) i.e Matigyaan, Shrutgyaan and Avadhi-gyaan (Normal 5-sensed humans like us possess Matigyaan and Shrutgyaan, while Avadhigyaan is the power of soul to know the past and future)
They possess completely symmetrical body structure. The color of their blood is "white".
They are free from any excretions, sweat etc. impurities in the body.
All Tirthankars have a sign(chinha) on their right toe. Like, Mahavira had a sign of LION.
Before 9 months of birth of Tirthankar, Devas from Heaven do Ratna-varsha (Rain of gems) in the kingdom to celebrate.
Most of the Tirthankars are born in Ayodhya (the capital of Aryakhand) and attain salvation from Sammed Shikhar.
Prince Mahavir had body of color "Golden" and had height of 10 feet. His life span was 71 years, 6 months and 17 days.
3. Tap Kalyanak
After ruling the Kingdom for many years, King Mahavira when turned 30 years was told multiple times for marriage by mother Trishala. But Mahavira was firm in his roots and accepted "Brahmacharya" since childhood.
On the auspicious day of Magsir Krushana Dashmi, the King Mahavir, by Jati-smaran gyaan, remembering his previous lives; realized the endless pain and sufferings of this world. He saw his pain in lives spent in hell, lion, elephant, dog, pig etc. and also saw the fickle happiness of Heaven.
In the end, he attained Digamber Jain Diksha and renounced the world and became "Saint Mahavira" and penanced in forests alone.
4. Gyaan Kalyanak
After 12 years of penance, on the day of Baisakh Sudh Dashmi Saint Mahavira won over the 4 Aghati Karmas and attained Kevalgyaan (infinite intelligence and knowledge) and became "Arihant".
When Tirthankar attains Kevalgyaan, the Indra tells Kuber to create "Samavsaran". Samavsaran is a place where numerous humans, animals, heavenly beings come to listen Lord Mahavira's teachings and learn the true path of Salvation.
Samavsaran is a sermon which is appx 14285 feet above the land in the sky. The teachings of Lord Mahavir are in the form of "Omkar dhwani" and it is also called "Deshna" or "Divyadhwani".
Lord Mahavir preached the lessons of Non-violence, karma theory, Universe, the true path of Liberation and many important lessons to people for 30 long years.
5. Moksh Kalyanak
On the day of Kartik Krushna Amavas - i.e. today - the DAY OF DIWALI, at about 4am in the morning; Lord Mahavir who was in Arihant state in Samavsaran finally attained liberation and shed all the 8 types of karmic particles.
On this auspicious day, he attained the supreme happiness and intelligence and got free from the birth-death cycle. The Soul which gets free from all the karmas, is called "GOD" and resided in the topmost part of the Universe - "Siddhalaya" where infinite Gods reside, experiencing eternal happiness and peace.
Lord Mahavir attained the purest form "Siddha" from Pavapuri and since that day, people celebrated Diwali festival; remembering and embracing the preachings given by Lord Mahavira. Next day, it marked new beginnings and so celebrated as "New Year"
End Notes
Lord Mahavira is the last Tirthankar of this era. Since uncountable years, Jainism used to be there in existence and infinite souls attained salvation by following the true path.
Though, all the scriptures, knowledge, texts etc. that are available today are the preachings by Lord Mahavira. In the Samavsaran, the Gandhardeva passes that knowledge to Saints and Saints spread the knowledge to their disciples and in turn available in form of Scriptures.
The Jainism texts, scriptures etc. that are presently available are indirectly the preaching of Lord Mahavira and we are indebted for it.
Apart from preaching "Ahimsa", Lord Mahavira taught us that every living organism in the Universe is having capabiity to become God like him and to see everyone with equality - as Souls.
God is neither the creator of the Universe nor the Controller of the Universe. God is a pure and true "state" of the Soul free from Karmas and that is what Lord Mahavira taught us. So, How can we beg about our worldly fickle happiness like health, money, fame etc. in front of the ONE who preached us NOT to run after them?
This is what Bhagwaan Mahavir has taught us. Let us follow the path he has shown us; and attain the state of Siddha soonest.
"भूतकाल प्रभु आपका, वह मेरा वर्तमान। वर्तमान जो आपका, वह भविष्य मम जान॥"
O Lord Mahavir! The past of yours, is today; my present. And I will thrive to make my future, your present.