1000-Year-Old Stone Statue Of Mahavira : Tamil Nadu
Archaeology students and professors in Tamil Nadu recently unearthed a rare 1000-year-old stone statue of Mahavira, the 24th tirthankara of Jainism.
- Lord Mahavira was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion.
- Mahavir was born in 599 B.C. as a prince in Bihar. At the age of 30, he left his family and royal household, gave up his worldly possessions, including clothing, and became a monk.
- He followed an extreme ascetic life, attaining kaivalya, the stage of omniscience or highest perception.
- Mahavira advocated nonviolence (ahimsa) in all circumstances and the acceptance of the mahavratas, the five “great vows” of renunciation.
- Five great vows:
- Nonviolence (Ahimsa): not to cause harm to any living beings
- Truthfulness (Satya): to speak the harmless truth only
- Non-stealing (Asteya): not to take anything not properly given
- Chastity (Brahmacharya): not to indulge in sensual pleasure
- Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha): complete detachment from people, places, and material things.
