| Many and
fearful were the troubles he met with during his tapas. He bore them all with a
smile, for the sake of mankind, whom he wanted to save. God Indra was so struck by his
endurance that he called him " Maha -vira or the "Very brave one." As a result of his tapas, all hisweaknesses dropped away and
Mahavira got spiritual powers.
He was then called Jina. Jina means con- queror. He started
preaching dharma. Its first principle was ahimsa, or love for all living
beings, and no hatred for anyone.
He asked every one to speak only thetruth. "Do not
cast eyes on another man’s property." he said. Mahavira made no difference
between one caste andanother.
He took many disciples from the lower castes. Soon people,
learned in theVedas, kings and nobles became his disciples, and led the life of monks. |
