Mahavir Jayanti: Live by Gospel of Nonviolence and Detachment for Nirvana

 

Mahavir Jayanti: Live by Gospel of Nonviolence and Detachment for Nirvana

Mahavir Jayanti (April 21, 2024), also known as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, is one of the most important religious festivals for the followers of Jainism that celebrates the birth of Lord Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of the Jain faith. It is the sacred day to revivist, recollect and recommit ourselves to Lord Mahavira's nobel teachings of non-violence, truth and renunciation which had the universal appeal and are even relevant today to build an inclusive, equitable and egalitarian humanity.

Lord Mahavira had preached the gospel of universal compassion, love, harmony, amity, detachment, forgiveness, non-hurting. for all living beings, including nature, plants and animals, who too deserved our utmost compassion and care.

On this day, devotees chant prayers, mantras and listen to the teaching of Lord Mahavira from the monks. The followers also carry out charity work to give back to society. Non-harming or non-violence is deemed as supreme tenet in Jainism. The five Jain principles consist of the following (i) non-violence, (ii) truth, (iii) non-stealing, (iii) chastity/non-transgression, and non-attachment.

Here is my sentence acrostic on slideshare.net that describes JAINISM

J: Jina (The conqueror) is the one who

A: Attains self-control and self-victory and develops

I: Insights for right knowledge, conduct and vision for attaining

N: Nirvana by making the soul feel the 

I: Infinite bliss and 

S: Shedding the karmic bandages of the 

M: Materialistic world to spiritualize oneself.