Mahavir Jayanti ( Mahavir Janma Kalyanak ) is one of the most significant festivals among the Jain community. Mahavir Jayanti is is celebrated with so much splendour in India and across the world. The festival is celebrated to commemorates the birth of Lord Mahavira. As per Jain mythology, Lord Mahavira is the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.
Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most important festivals in Jainism. Jains believe that Jainism is an eternal (sanatan) religion (dharma) with the tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the Jain cosmology and Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated by the community to mark the birth anniversary of the founder of Jainism or Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.
Jainism lays focuses on world peace and harmony such that no or minimal harm is brought to living creatures where Parasparopagraho Jīvānām (the function of souls is to help one another) is the motto of Jainism, while Ṇamōkāra mantra is the most common and basic prayer in Jainism and Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated as one of the most auspicious festivals of the Jain community to observe peace, harmony and to spread the teachings of Mahavira.
This year In 2023, Mahavir Jayanti will be celebrated on the 4th of April, Sunday. This is a Gazetted holiday in India.
This holiday has much cultural importance, so public figures often greet celebrators via television and radio broadcasts. Mahavir Jayanti is not fixed to the Gregorian calendar, so its date varies. It is always celebrated in March or April.
History
As per Jain texts and religious scripts, Lord Mahavira took birth on the 13th day of waxing moon on the Chaitra month (Hindu calendar) in Kundalagrama (now Kundalpur) in Bihar, a few kilometres from Patna. That time, Vaishali was considered to be the capital of the state. However, the year of Mahavira’s birth is disputed. As per Swetambar Jains, Mahavira was born in 599 BC while the Digambar Jains consider 615 BC as his birth year. Mahavirswami was born into Ikshvaku dynasty as the son of King Siddhartha of Kundagrama and Queen Trishala. He was named as Vardhaman by his parents – King Siddhartha and Queen Trisala.
As per Swetambar community’s beliefs, Mahavira’s mother had 16 dreams, which were later interpreted by astrologers all of whom said that Mahavira would either go on to become an emperor or a sage (Tirthankara). When Mahavira reached 30, he left his throne and family in search of truth. He lived in exile for 12 years as an ascetic. During this time, he preached non-violence treated all everyone with reverence. He got his name “Mahavira” after showing exceptional skills in controlling the senses. It is widely belied that when Mahavira was 72, he attained enlightenment (Nirvana).
It is said that when Queen Trishala gave birth to Mahavir, Indra, the head of heavenly beings (devas) performed a ritual called abhisheka on Sumeru Parvat, this being the second of five auspicious events (Panch Kalyanakas), said to occur in the life of all Tirthankaras.
Mahavir believed in a preached ahimsa or non-violence, satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment). Mahavir’s teachings were put together by his main disciple, Indrabhuti Gautama.
Celebrations
1 – The idol of Lord Mahavir is carried out on a chariot, in a procession called rath yatra.
2 – Statues of Mahavir are given a ceremonial anointment called the abhisheka.
3 – During the day, most members of the Jain community engage in some sort of charitable act, prayers, pujas, and vratas.
4 – Many devotees visit temples dedicated to Mahavir to meditate and offer prayers.
5 – Lectures by monks and nuns are held in temples to preach the path of virtue as defined by Jainism.
6 – Donations are collected in order to promote charitable missions like saving cows from slaughter or helping to feed poor people.
7 – Ancient Jain temples across India typically see an extremely high volume of practitioners come to pay their respects and join in the celebrations.
8 – Ahimsa runs and rallies preaching Lord Mahavir’s message of Ahiṃsā (non-violence) are taken out on this day.
Famous Jain Temples in India
1. Shri Mahaveer Jain Temple, Karauli, Rajasthan
2. Nakoda Jain Temple, Rajasthan
3. Gomateshwar Mandir, Karnataka
4. Dilwara Jain Temple, Mount Abu
5. Ranakpur Jain Temple, Rajasthan
6. Sonagiri Jain Temple, Madhya Pradesh
7. Puliyarmala Jain Temple, Kerala
8. Kulpakji Temple, Andhra Pradesh
9. Nareli Jain Temple, Ajmer
10. Hanumantal Jain Temple, Jabalpur
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