| Sages,Rushis & Saints |
 |
| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
MAHAVEER |
|
| His
Influence Spreads Mahaveera's first great victory was securing Mahavijaya Indrabhoothi as his disciple. This man was interested in the performance of yagnas and yagas (religious sacrifices). He had arranged for a yagna in Pavapur. He was criticizing Mahaveera who preached against yagnas. One of Mahaveera's disciples went and put questions to Indrabhoothi. Those questions were based on Jaina Dharma. It became difficult for Indrabhoothi to answer them. "Who taught you all this?" He asked. "Mahaveera" was the reply. "Where is he?" "Today he has come to your town." "All right. Come on. I will meet him and argue with him." Indrabhoothi set out. Mahaveera's voice was called 'Divyadhwani'. That divyadhwani spanned all languages. Each person heard the speech in his own language. There was a Manasthambha (a mighty piller) before the Samavasarana Mantapa. Indrabhoothi looked at that Manasthambha. Immediately his pride and arrogance vanished. All his doubts were cleared. He met Mahaveera. Their debate went on for a long time. Indrabhoothi accepted the superiority of Mahaveera. He gave up his arguments in favor of yagnas. Indrabhoothi became a convert to Jainism with 4400 disciples. Later on he became the chief disciple of Mahaveera. He could explain the tenets of the Thirthankara very ably. From then onwards Mahaveera's banner of nonviolence flew victoriously throughout the length and breadth of India. Buddhadeva too was a great teacher and the contemporary of Mahaveera. Mahaveera endowed India with the diamond armour of ahimsa. He bestowed honor and equality on woman. He declared that in social and religious fields women had equal rights with men. On that basis a society of Bhikshunis (nuns) was organized. Chandanabale was its leader. She supervised the work of an association of 36000 Aryikes (Jain sanyasinis). Mahaveera's association was quite huge. There were 14000 Bhikshus in it. There were one lakh and fifty thousand Shravakas. The number of Shravikes exceeded three lakhs. |
|
