Mahavira Janma Kalyanak — The Birth of the Last Tirthankara

In the city of Vaishali, in the royal household of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala, a remarkable series of events preceded a remarkable birth. Queen Trishala had fourteen auspicious dreams in a single night — a white elephant, a white lion, the goddess Lakshmi, a garland of flowers, the full moon, the blazing sun, a golden flag, a golden vessel, a lake of lotuses, an ocean of milk, a celestial abode, a great gem-set throne, and the god Indra.

The royal astrologers and interpreters of dreams were summoned. They studied the dreams carefully and declared with certainty: "O Queen, the soul who has entered your womb is no ordinary being. These fourteen dreams indicate either a Chakravarti — the most powerful emperor of all continents — or a Tirthankara — a ford-maker, one who builds a bridge across the ocean of suffering for all souls."

Vardhamana was born on the 13th day of the bright half of Chaitra. The gods and divine beings celebrated his birth throughout the three worlds. Even in childhood, Vardhamana displayed extraordinary equanimity, fearlessness, and compassion. He would not allow even an ant to be harmed near him.

At the age of thirty, Vardhamana renounced his royal life — his palace, his wife Yashoda, his daughter Priyadarshana — and took the path of complete renunciation. He gave away all his possessions, pulled out his hair by the roots (rather than using a razor), and took the vow of ahimsa (non-violence) in its most absolute form.

For twelve years and six months, Mahavira wandered without shelter, without cooking his own food, maintaining complete silence for long periods, enduring heat, cold, insects, and the ridicule of villagers — all with complete equanimity. He achieved Keval-jnana — omniscience — under a Sala tree by the banks of the river Rijupalika.

For thirty years after his enlightenment, Mahavira taught the Jain dharma to all who would listen — king and servant, monk and householder, man and woman. His five great vows — ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha — became the foundation of Jain practice. He attained Nirvana at Pavapuri at the age of 72.