This festival marks the birth of Mahavira, the last Thirtankara of Jainism. He is known to have preached Jainism in the whole of India. His main teachings included ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment). Swami told that Mahavira was a conqueror of his senses (Jina). Once he had conquered his senses, the title ‘Mahavira’ (victorious) was given to him. On the same lines, Swami has also spoken extensively about sense control and mastering the mind to become a ‘Mastermind’.
As a part of the celebrations of Mahavir Jayanti, the idol of Mahavira is carried out in a procession. Abhishekam is performed to the statue along with recital of slokas. During the day, most members of the Jain community engage in some sort of charitable act, pujas, and vratas. Many devotees visit temples dedicated to Mahavir to meditate and offer prayers.
A short introduction is provided in this section to help the Guru in conducting the class.
