Mahavir Jayanthi

The Life and Teachings of Lord Mahavira

Lord Mahavira was born into a noble family in Bihar, India during the 4th century BCE. During his life, Lord Mahavira was known as Vardhamana. In many ways, Vardhamana is similar to Buddhism’s Siddartha Gautama.

Like Siddartha, Vardhamana left his comfortable home to find truth in the world after being sheltered from the outside world. After mingling with people from various cultures and backgrounds, Vardhamana learned much about the world and the sources of suffering. Eventually, Varhamana decided to focus his efforts on fasting and meditation.

Through this process, Varhamana found enlightenment. He discovered that humans must eliminate greed and their connection to worldly possessions to end their limitless pursuit of desires. With his knowledge, Varhamana journeyed in India and other areas of Asia to spread Jainism. During this time, Varhamana’s kingdom experienced a period of extreme prosperity