Answer

Before becoming a Jain monk and attaining Keval Jnan, Bhagwan Mahavir was born into a royal Kshatriya family.

He was born as Prince Vardhaman in the Ikshvaku lineage, in the Jnatrika/Naya clan. His father was King Siddhartha and his mother was Queen Trishala.

Explanation

In traditional Jain understanding:

• Bhagwan Mahavir was born in a royal family.
• His varna is generally understood as Kshatriya.
• His birth name was Vardhaman.
• He later renounced worldly life and became a Jain monk.

However, in Jain Dharma, spiritual greatness is not based on caste or birth. It is based on right faith, right knowledge, right conduct, renunciation, and purification of the soul.

Takeaway

Bhagwan Mahavir was born as a Kshatriya prince, but Jain Dharma teaches that liberation depends on the purity of the soul, not caste or social status.