Mahavira

Mahavira
24th Jain Tirthankara
The idol of Mahavira at Shri Mahavirji, Rajasthan
Other names	Vīr, Ativīr, Vardhamāna, Sanmati, Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta
Symbol	Lion
Height	7 cubits (10.5 feet)
Age	72 years
Tree	Shala
Color	Golden
Parents	Siddhartha (father) Trishala (mother)
Preceded by	Parshvanatha
Born	Kundalpur
Moksha	Pawapuri

Mahavira (Mahāvīra), also known as Vardhamāna, was the twenty-fourth and last Jain Tirthankara (ford maker, spiritual teacher). Mahavira was born into a royal family in what is now Bihar, India, in 599 BC. At the age of 30, he left his home in pursuit of spiritual awakening, and abandoned worldly things, including his clothes, and became a monk. For the next twelve-and-a-half years, Mahavira practiced intense meditation and severe penance, after which he became kevalī (omniscient).

For the next 30 years, he travelled throughout the Indian subcontinent to teach Jain philosophy. Mahavira taught that the observance of the vows ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment) is necessary to elevate the quality of life. He gave the principle of Anekantavada (pluralism), Syadavada and Nyadavada. The teachings of Mahavira were compiled by Gautama Swami (his chief disciple) and were called Jain Agamas. Most of these Agamas are not available today. Jains believe Mahavira attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of 72.

In Jainism, a Tirthankara (Maker of the River-Crossing, saviour, spiritual teacher) signifies the founder of a tirtha which means a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths (called saṃsāra). According to the Jain texts, twenty-four Tirthankaras grace each half of the cosmic time cycle. Mahavira was the last Tirthankara of avasarpani (present descending phase).Samantabhadra, an illustrious Digambara monk, who lived in the 2nd century A.D., called the tīrtha of Mahavira by the name Sarvodaya (universal uplift).