It was the fifth day of Payushan - a Sunday, and a beautiful day. A mother, alongwith her eight year old son, goes to listen to a talk by a Saadhu on Mahavir Janam Kalyan. The Saadhu talks a lot about Bhagwan Mahavir's life and his qualities. The child thinks that on this auspicious day, there are so many people who do tap in the form of upvaas, athai, and other taps. Something stirs in him, and In his mind, he creates a resolve to do upvaas for the day.

When they get home, the mother asks her son to have lunch. But the boy refuses by saying that he doesn't feel like eating right now. Later that evening, the mother, wanting to test his resolve, asks him to have dinner. But the boy again refuses and says that he wants to continue with his upvaas. Just before sunset, the boy asks his mother to give him "chauvyaar na pachkhaan". Night falls, and his father returns home from a night out with friends, drinking away. The boy is unable to sleep and keeps tossing and turning as he's hungry and thirsty, but his resolve is strong to continue with his pachkhaan. When the father sees him unsettled, he asks the boy the reason, to which the boy replies that it's nothing - just one of those nights. The mother tells the father about his upvaas resolve, and the events of the day.

The father sits by the bedside and reads a story to the boy, pressing his legs and stroking him, and the boy falls asleep. The next morning, both parents are eager to give the boy the first morsel of food. But the boy refuses and says that whoever fulfills my wish can offer me the first morsel of food. The father is very eager to do it, and asks him what he likes. The boy falls at his fathers feet, and asks him to take a resolve that he will never drink in his life. And if he does this, then he can offer him the first morsel of food. The father's eyes are watering away, and the next day, he goes to the Saadhu. He tells the Saadhu that your four months of lectures have not had the effect that my eight year old child has had on me in one day. And from today, I have taken a resolve that I will never drink in my life.

Samanji implores everyone to give up drinking as it has no benefit for anyone. If everyone is following Paryushan truly from their heart, then they should give up drinking. That will be his Guru dakshina. 

A true shraavak of Bhagwan Mahavir should be victorious over seven vices:

Not eating non-vegetarian food

No consumption of alcohol

No gambling

No hunting

No adultery

No prostitution

No addiction

One should always remember the words of Bhagwan Mahavir because without HIS words, we would have the values and culture that we have today. And if you are a true Shraavak of Bhagwan Mahavir, then you must stick to your culture and values, and not sell them for another. Absorb good values from everyone, and discard negative values and attitudes.

One should read the life history of Mahavir Swami. When Bhagwan was in the womb of Mother Trishala, he was moving around. And because of that, his mother would feel pain. Vardhaman realised this, and he immediately stopped his movement. Two days later, Mother felt pain again because there was no movement in the womb, and Vardhaman realised this again, and started his movement. Vardhaman realised that because of him, his mother felt a lot of pain, and in that moment, he created a resolve that until his parents are ailve, he will not take diksha.

The humility of Vardhaman is illustrated beautifully through one of his life stories. When Vardhaman was eight years old, he starts his first day of school with a Pundit. Just imagine, a keval-gyaani getting gyaan from a agyaani, and yet he does not say a word - that was his humility. The Gods realised that there was some unusual happening on earth, and God descends taking a human form to ask the gyaani (Pundit) a question. The gyaani does not know the answer to the question, and so God turns to the students and asks if any of them know the answer. Vardhaman knew the answer, and put his hand up, saying "If my Guru permits, I am willing to give the answer." Such humility in the face of enlightened knowledge. He gave full respect to his Guru, and asked his permission before he even divulged the answer. When the Guru permitted him, he gave the answer, and the Guru gave up his seat and asked Vardhaman to take over. Such amazing humility.

When he grows older, there occurs an incident where Bhagwan's ears are nailed by "gowariyaon". Bhagwan was in meditation, and realises that it is his past karmic account that is now being cleared. Moksha has to be achieved in this life only, and these karmic debts have to be cleared. Another great virtue of Bhagwan, which we have to learn from - we always blame others for our misfortune. But in reality, it is our karmic account that is the real cause. Others are the "nimit" and we are the cause.

Another incident happens in Bhagwan's life when Gautam Swami is going for Gochari at a house asking for Bhiksha. The householder looks at Gautam Swami's aura and is taken aback. He asks Gautam Swami whether he can carry Swami's Gochari, to which Swami refuses by saying that only one who has taken diksha can carry this Gochari. The householder is immediately taken in and asks Gautam Swami to give him diksha. Gautam Swami explains to him that only his Guru can give diksha - not him. So he will have to come with him to the Guru. Whilst on their way, the man is so taken with Gautam Swami's aura, and meditates on the thought that if Swami is so radiating, how radiant would the Guru be? And so thinking, on the way, he reaches the highest elevated state.

When they reach the Samosaran, keval-gyaani's seat was empty, and the man not knowing the rules and arrangements, moves on to sit on his seat. Gautam Swami immediately stops him by saying that it is not his place, and he should sit at the back. Keval gyaani walks in, and stops Gautam by saying "Let him sit there Gautam. Whilst on your way here, this man has achieved keval-gyaan, and you are still to attain it. So you please sit at the back, and let him sit here." Such is the quality of Bhagwan that he has no raag dwesh against or for anyone.

Such was the kingdom of Bhagwan Mahavir, and it still reigns today. The difference is, we have let it lapse. We are very fortunate to have been given access to this kingdom. Let's make the best use of our time here.

July 4, 2019