M

Jain Alphabet Pictures with Write up

M is for Mahavira

Mahavira was our last and 24th Tirthankar*.

Lord Mahavira was born in 559 B.C. in Kshatriyakunj. His father was King Siddhartha and his mother was Queen Trishala**. Soon the people in King Siddhartha’s kingdom began noticing that business and farming were starting to get better. They told the King and Queen. The King thought that the reason was because of the baby the Queen was going to have. When the baby was born, they named him “Vardhaman” which means ever growing.

As he grew, Prince Vardhaman showed bravery while he was playing with his friends. One time a snake came to where they were playing, everyone got scared except Prince Vardhaman who was still calm. He gently caught the snake, and took it away. Another time, they were playing hide-and-go-seek. Whoever was caught would have to give a piggy ride to the winner. A strange boy came there and asked if he could play with them. Soon, Prince Vardhaman caught him, and the boy gave the Prince a piggy ride. Suddenly the child started to grow taller and taller and he began to look scary. The rest of the kids got scared and ran away. Some of them climbed up a tree, and some of them ran to tell their parents. While all of this was going on, Prince Vardhaman was enjoying the ride. When he realized that the child wasn’t a child anymore, but a big monster, the Prince hit the monster’s head with fist. The monster couldn’t take the pain and gave up. He asked the Prince for forgiveness*** and the Prince forgave him. The Monster named Prince Vardhaman “Mahavira, meaning strong one”.

We should try to be like Mahavira.

* one who establishes the Jain Sangh (four fold order of monks, nuns, laymen and lay women).

** look under Q

*** look under F