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why name mahavir and birth and nirvana place of mahavir and why lion as lanchan and intresting lesser know facts and miracles of mahavir
I’ll reply point‑wise in very simple language.
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1. Why the name “Mahavir”?
- Bhagwan Mahavir’s birth name was Vardhaman.
- “Vardhaman” means “the one in whom prosperity and virtues go on increasing.”
- Later he was called Mahavir:
- In Jain tradition, he is “Mahavir” because:
So “Mahavir” means the great spiritual hero who won over all passions. You can read a short overview of him here
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2. Birth and Nirvana place of Mahavir
Birth (Janma Kalyanak)
- Place: Kundagrama / Kundalpur, near Vaishali in today’s Bihar (India).
- Parents: King Siddharth and Queen Trishala of the Jnatri (Naya) clan.
- Day: Chaitra Shukla 13 (Chaitra Sud Teras) – celebrated as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak (Mahavir Jayanti).
- Year (approx.):
Nirvana (Moksha Kalyanak)
- Place: Pavapuri (Pava) in Bihar.
- Age: 72 years.
- Day: Kartik Krishna Amavasya – same night Jains light diyas; the world calls it Diwali.
- After nirvana, Mahavir became a siddha – pure, liberated soul at the top of the universe.
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3. Why lion as lanchhan (symbol)?
Every Tirthankar has a fixed lanchhan (emblem) decided by Jain tradition.
- For 24th Tirthankar Mahavir, the lanchhan is lion.
- Lion shows:
In temples, if you see a Tirthankar murti with a lion carved below the seat, you can identify that as Bhagwan Mahavir.
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4. Interesting and lesser‑known facts (according to Jain tradition)
(a) His earlier births (before becoming Mahavir)
Jain scriptures describe many previous lives of Mahavir’s soul:
- In one life he was Nayasar, a village head who served sadhus with great devotion.
- In another life he was Marichi, son of Bharat Raja and grandson of Rishabhdev Bhagwan.
- Rishabhdev predicted that this soul would later become the 24th Tirthankar.
- From these lives onwards, the seed of samyak darshan (right faith) started and slowly developed till he became Mahavir.
You can see a write‑up on this here
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(b) 14 / 16 auspicious dreams of Mata Trishala
- Before his birth, Mata Trishala saw divine dreams.
- Śvetāmbars say 14 dreams, Digambars say 16 dreams.
- These dreams show that a Tirthankar is going to take birth, not an ordinary child.
- Because of this, people understood that a great spiritual soul has come.
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(c) Language of his discourses
- Instead of using Sanskrit (known only to a few), Mahavir preached in Ardha‑Magadhi, the common people’s language of that time.
- This shows his compassion – he wanted everyone, not only scholars, to understand dharma.
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(d) No caste or gender discrimination
- He accepted men and women, all varnas, all professions into his sangh.
- Kings like Shrenik, Ajatashatru, and also ordinary people – potters, farmers, even a butcher – became his followers.
- For him, soul (atma) is important, not body, caste or social status.
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(e) Divya‑dhvani – everyone understood him in their own language
- When Mahavir attained Keval‑jnan (omniscience) and sat in Samavasaran, his speech came out as divya‑dhvani (divine sound).
- Humans, animals, devas – each listened and understood it in their own language and capacity.
- Jainism calls this a natural spiritual power of a kevali, not a magic show.
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5. Miracles in Mahavir’s life – Jain view
Jain Dharma is very careful about “miracles”. The real miracle of Mahavir is:
- Perfect ahimsa even when tortured.
- Perfect kshama (forgiveness) towards those who hurt him.
- Perfect equanimity in heat, cold, insult, and physical pain.
Some famous incidents:
(a) Chandkaushik, the poisonous snake
- A very poisonous snake Chandkaushik bit Mahavir when he was doing sadhana.
- Instead of anger or fear, Mahavir had complete compassion and calmness.
- Because of this peaceful vibration, the snake became calm and non‑violent.
- Message: Ahimsa and karuna (compassion) can transform even a violent being.
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(b) Extreme torture, yet no anger
During his 12/12½ years of sadhana:
- People abused him, beat him, set dogs on him, pricked his ears with nails, and did many cruelties.
- He remained in samyak samayik bhav – steady, peaceful, without hatred.
- His body suffered, but his inner state remained pure and detached.
For Jains, this is the highest “miracle”: A person who never takes revenge, never hates, never hurts back, no matter what is done to him.
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6. Digambar – Shwetambar notes (brief)
- Birth & Nirvana places, lion lanchhan, being 24th Tirthankar – accepted by both traditions.
- Dates and family details:
- But both agree on:
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If you wish later, we can also go step‑by‑step through his 12 years of sadhana or the five main vows he taught, in very simple form.
