Shree Mahavir Bhagwan: Past Lives Part-2 of the Twenty-fourth Tirthankara

We have already read about the first seventeen lives of Shri Mahavir Bhagwan, the twenty-fourth and final Tirthankar of this era, who lived 2,500 years ago. Now, we will see how, in the birth as Triprushtha Vasudev, He committed many sinful karmas due to pride and indulgence in worldly pleasures. As a result of pouring molten lead into a guard’s ears in that life, He reaped the consequences in His final birth after taking initiation, the same soul (as the guard) struck Mahavir’s ears with thorns, causing Him unbearable pain which He had to endure for six months. In the life as a lion, by maintaining equanimity and undergoing atonement, He earned a highly elevated spiritual outcome. Now, let us read in detail about the next ten lives.

Eighteenth Birth as Tripushtha Vasudev

After completing his lifespan in the celestial world, Vishwabhuti’s next birth was as Tripushtha Vasudev in Bharat Kshetra.

Once King Prajapati’s wife, Queen Bhadra, had four dreams which indicated that their son would take birth as a Baldev, whom they named Achalkumar. Later, King Prajapati’s second wife, Mrugavati, had seven dreams indicating that she would give birth to a Vasudev who would become a very powerful King. The parents named Him Tripushtha. As a rule, Baldev’s and Vasudev’s are always brothers from different mothers, and the love they have for each other is unparalleled in this world. And so, even Prince Achalkumar and Prince Tripushtha had a lot of love for each other. From a young age, they both quickly learned different types of knowledge and skills.

On the other hand, Vishakhanandi was born as the Prativasudev. His name was Ashvagriva and he was a very powerful King. He had 16,000 Subordinate Kings under him. Once, a savage lion, whose name was Kesari, caused so much violence in the kingdom, due to which, Ashvagriva announced that all his Subordinate Kings will have to take turns, one after another and protect the kingdom from the savage lion.

Hearing this, Prince Tripushtha asked his father permission to represent him to fight against the lion. Then he went and ripped open the lion’s mouth in an instant. The lion was in a lot of pain and was angry with Tripushtha. Although, Tripushtha’s charioteer did calm the lion down and helped him die in peace. In a later birth, this charioteer took birth as Gautam Swami, who was the first Ganadhar of Mahavir Swami.

Ashvagriva learned of a prophecy which predicted that he would die at the hands of Tripushtha. Therefore, Ashvagriva waged a war against Tripushtha to destroy him first. However, in that war he was killed by Tripushtha. Then Tripushtha became the King of the half world.

Tripushtha was very fond of music. However, he had instructed his guards to stop the music whenever he fell asleep. One day, it so happened that, a group of very talented musicians were playing different musical instruments. A little while later, the King fell asleep, but, the guard forgot to ask the musicians to stop playing. When the King woke up, he was furious to find the music still playing. He punished the guard for not following his orders by pouring hot lead into his ears. Because of this incident, the guard died with severe pain and suffering. This is how Tripushtha bound severe demerit karma, whose agonizing effect came to him in the birth as Tirthankar Mahavir. The Lord had to pay for this ‘nikaachit karma’ while He was in the jungle doing His sadhana, and the guard, who was a cowherd in that life, pierced the Lord’s ears with ‘baru’ (long steel like blades of grass). He cut the ends of the grass that were sticking out, so that no one would be able to remove them and left. The Lord had to bear this pain for six months.

Next Few Births

Tripushtha’s next birth was in the seventh Hell, where he had to endure the most unimaginable pain and suffering in order to finish his own demerit karma. Even after finishing an extremely long lifespan in such a horrifying hell, he had to take numerous births as different animals and insects.

After that, he was born as a very ferocious and extremely powerful lion. With all his strength he would cause trouble to anyone he came across. No one could go into the jungle and anyone who did, was killed by the lion. Once, two Devas (celestial beings) came down to the Earth and asked the lion, “Do you know who you are? In one of your previous births, you were the grandson of the first Tirthankar; you were also the first Vasudev of this current time-cycle; and going forward, you are also going to become a Chakravarti and you are going to be the final Tirthankar too! So, come out of your habit of hurting others. Accept this right understanding.’ Hearing this, the lion became calm and expressed deep thanks and gratitude towards the two Devas. He decided he would no longer engage in violence and he would follow the path of absolute non-violence. He stopped having food and water, he laid down like a corpse and practised severe penance for one whole month. He remembered his bad deeds and heartily repented for them. He became pure.

The Lord remained unaffected through all the pain and suffering, and thus, He became free from all His karmas by staying in equanimity. This is why people on the path of salvation seek suffering, as it helps one progress. Param Pujya Dadashri has always said, “Suffering is a vitamin for the Soul and happiness is food for the body.” So, whenever suffering arises, we must consider that as a vitamin beneficial for the progress on the path of liberation. It is like this because the path of liberation is for the brave, not for cowards!

When we fear suffering, it multiplies. We have to finish our karmas, with tears in our eyes or with a smile on our face; no one can escape from it. Then why not face them with a smile? We are in the 5^th era of the current time cycle, an era of moral and spiritual decline (Dushamkaal) and therefore, suffering will keep coming. However, we now want to overcome the ordeals that come our way and go to Mahavideh Kshetra from where we can go to Moksha! For that, to know ‘Who am I?’ should be the primary goal of this human life.

As a result of his extremely severe penance, the lion was born into the human life-form again. He did a lot of devotional worship and in his next birth, he became Chakravarti Priyamitra. He ruled the Kingdom very peacefully and did a lot of good deeds. He took diksha and became deeply engrossed in his sadhana. As a result, his next birth took place in the celestial world.

Thereafter, he took birth as King Nandan, which was Lord Mahavir’s 25^th birth. In this birth, he performed the penance of vees sthanak and bound Tirthankar naamkarma, as a result of which, he was born as a Tirthankar in his 27th birth.

King Nandan’s next birth took place in the celestial world, and thereafter, he took birth as a Tirthankar. The Tirthankar state is the highest in the world! It is a great state; not only do They attain liberation (Moksha) but They help tens of millions attain liberation as well. When we bow down to such Tirthankars innumerable times, sing Their glory, remember their life-stories and pay obeisance to them, it helps the Energy of the Self manifest within us! Let us now read the stories of Lord Mahavir from garbha haran aashcharya to His Diksha.