Know About Mahavir jayanti 2024
According to Jain mythology, Lord Mahavira is the 24th Jain Tirthankara. This year in 2024, Mahavir Jayanti will be held on a Sunday, i.e., on April 21st. Mahavir Jayanti is one of the holiest festivals among the Jains and is observed magnificently in India and worldwide.The festival is celebrated in order to mark the birth of Lord Mahavira.
History
As per the Swetambar community believes, his mother had 14 dreams and she took them to the astrologer who all reiterated that he would either turn out to be an emperor or sage (Tirthankara). When at age 30, he decided to walk out of his royal life and begin leading a simple life of a monk. The philosopher lived in solitude for 12 years as a counselor. In this period he talked about non-violence and treated everybody with reverence. It was after his extraordinary doings done to conquer the senses that he was named “Mahavira”. People are commonly held that when Mahavira’s age was 72, he succeeded in his path toward enlightenment (Nirvana).
Known as Chandra yoga, as per the Jain scriptures, Lord Mahavira took birth on this day and in that exact month in the town of Kundagrama (now Kundalpur), which falls just a few kilometers away from Patna, in the state of Bihar. At that point of time, Vaishali was the capital of the country. But again, there is a controversy surrounding the exact year of his birth. According to Swetambar Jains, he was born in 599 BC, but Digambar Jains observe his birth in 615 BC. He was named as Vardhaman by his parents – King Siddhartha and Queen Trisala.
How is Mahavir Jayanti celebrated?
The festival stands for the root reason of displaying peace and non-violence. The festival is a means to unite the people of the world and also promote the teachings of Lord Mahavira. A parade is held ‘called ‘rath yatra,’ where mainly the idol of Mahavira deity sits on top of a beautifully laid relic. The festivity of Jains is reflected in the decorated temples that also display Jain flags. It is during this time that the Jains offer food and clothes as well. Jainism firmly rejects animal killing and, therefore, donations are made to abolish animal slaughter.
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The festival stands for the root reason of displaying peace and non-violence. The festival is a means to unite the people of the world and also promote the teachings of Lord Mahavira. A parade is held ‘called ‘rath yatra,’ where mainly the idol of Mahavira deity sits on top of a beautifully laid relic. The festivity of Jains is reflected in the decorated temples that also display Jain flags. It is during this time that the Jains offer food and clothes as well. Jainism firmly rejects animal killing and, therefore, donations are made to abolish animal slaughter.
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Besides giving away charitable service, prayers are offered to Lord Mahavira in his temples. Other devotees usually embark on meditation which is the major method that Mahavira advocated. The old and popular Jain temples, known to the communities for centuries, start getting big number of visitors amassing here to seek blessings on the day. Monks and nuns recite the Foremost and Jainism’s teachings
The main motive of Lord Mahavir is Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity and non-attachment. Mahavir Jayanti 2024 is celebrated to pay homage to the 24th Tirthankara, Lord Mahavira and the founder of Jainism .
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