These eleven Brahmans later became the eleven ganaharas (Ganadhara) of
Mahavira. Nine of them died within the life time of Mahavira and only two
of them Indabhui Goyama (Indrabhuti Gautama) and Suhamma (Sudharman
survived him. Schubring remarks: There can be scarcely any doubt that the
other nine ganaharas are fictitious."8 In fact in the Jain canonical books
there is scarcely any mention of these nine ganaharas.
Mahavira lived for about 30 years after attaining omniscience at the age
of forty-two. The Jain rules prescribe that during eight months of the
summer and winter seasons a monk may stay in a village for one night only
and in a town for not more than five nights. During the four months of the
rainy season he should stay at one place. The places where Mahavira spent
his forty-two rainy seasons are given in the Kalpa Sutra. These were as
Places of Rainy Season Stay
1. Atthiyaggama - 1 (The first rainy season)
2. Champa and PitthiChampa - 3
3. Vesali and Vaniyagama -12
4. Rayagiha and Nalanda -14
5. Mithila - 6
6. Bhaddiya - 2
7. Alabhiya - 1
8. Paniyabhumi - 1
9. Savatthi - 1
10. In the town of Pava - 1 (this was his last rainy season.)
in the office the clerk of king Hattivala
The area which Mahavira covered during his ascetic life of 42 years, e.g.
from the time he left home and until his death, was roughly Bihar, a part
of western and northern Bengal and some parts of eastern Uttar pradesh.
Tosali is also mentioned in some works as a place to which Mahavira went.
If this Tosali was in Orissa then Mahavira had gone to that region also.
Most of the early Jain works do not take much interest in describing the
life of Mahavira after he attained omniscience and became a teacher.9
There are, however, scattered references here and there. The Bhagvati
Sutra is the only early work giving comparatively more details of
Mahavira's life both before and after he attained omniscience. The later
Jain writers collected these and other bits of stories about his life and
put them in the works called the "Lives of the sixty-three Supermen."
Among these works the most well known is the Trishashti-
Shalakapurushacharitra of Hemachandra.10 Mahavira's life is given in the
tenth book of this work. Since Hemachandra was one of the most learned
persons among the Jains, it may be presumed that he has given in his work,
only those parts of the myths and legends connected with Mahavira's life
which he found most believable. For mahavira's life. He had, therefore,
filled-up most of his work with the histories of other important people
such as the contemporary rulers and their spouses. Sometimes it is
difficult to find relevance of these stories to the life of Mahavira).
Shortly after attaining omniscience Mahavira started wandering in
villages, mines, cities, etc., to give help to souls capable of
emancipation. Many people would come to see him. Among the first people to
him were his natural parents Rishabhadatta and Devananda. It was during
this visit that Mahavira recognized Devananda as his mother in whose womb
he had first descended from heaven and stayed on for eighty-two days
before being transferred to Trishala's womb.
Among the early visitors to Mahavira during his wandering were Jamali, his
sister's son as well as his son-in- law. Jamali met Mahavira while the
latter was in Kshatriya- Kundagram, the village where Mahavira was born.
Priyadarshana, Mahavira's daughter, and wife of Jamali had heard a sermon
and obtained his parents consent; he took the vow together with five
hundred of the warrior caste. Priyadarshana, Jamali's wife, the Blessed
one's daughter, together with one thousand women took initiation under the
Master. Then the Blessed one went elsewhere to wander, and Jamali followed
him with the warrior-sadhus. In the course of time Jamali, as he wandered,
learned the eleven Angas and the Lord made him the head of his
fellow-mendicants. He practiced penance�s, two-day fasts, etc.
Priyadarshana followed Candana.
This Candana was the daughter of Dadhivahana, king of Champa. He had been
defeated in a battle and his daughter Candana had been enslaved. Once
Candana had given half the food that had been given to her while she was
nearly starving to Mahavira as alms. At that time Mahavira had still not
attained omniscience. He had taken a vow that he would fast for a long
time. It was predicted by the gods, "This girl, who has her last body
(before emancipation), averse to desire for worldly pleasures, will be the
first female disciple, when Mahavira's omniscience had developed".
One day Jamali bowed to the Lord and said: "With your permission I and my
group shall proceed with unrestricted wanderings." The Blessed One knew by
the eye of knowledge that evil would result, and gave no answer to Jamali
asking again and again. With the idea that what is not forbidden is
permitted, Jamali and his group separated from the Lord to wander.
While thus wandering along with his followers Jamali once fell ill. He
wanted to lie down and asked his men to spread a bed for him. After some
time, he asked them whether the bed was spread or not. They were still
spreading the bed and replied that the bed was spread. When Jamali saw
that the bed had not until then been spread, he got annoyed with his
followers. They replied that according to the teachings of Mahavira "What
is being done is done". But now they realized their mistake and knew the
truth that "What is being done is not done". This in fact was the sole
point in the schism on which Jamali and his group separated from Mahavira.
Jamali started boasting that he had attained omniscience. He told Mahavira
that he had become all knowing, all perceiving, an Arhat here on earth.
His wife Priyadarshana also joined him in his heresy. She, however,
realized her mistake by a personal experience. Once a person had
intentionally allowed a spark of fire to drop on her habit, which caught
fire. When she saw that her habit was burning Priyadarshana said, "Look
Dhanka, my habit is burnt by your carelessness". Dhanks said, "Do not
speak falsely, Sadhvi, for according to your doctrine, it is proper to say
such a thing when the whole habit has been burnt." Being burnt is burnt'
the teaching of Mahavira. "Priyadarshana realized her error in following
Jamali's teaching and came back with her followers to her father.
Jamali, however, continued with his false doctrine and at last died
without confessing his sin. Jamali's doctrine died with him.
The next important episode described by Hemachadra, is the death of
Goshala, the leader of the Ajivikas (Hemachandra spells it Ajivaka).
In his wanderings Mahavira had come to Shravasti and stopped there in the
garden of one Kosthanka. Goshala had come there earlier and was staying in
Shravasti in the shop of a potter woman called Halahala. Goshala used to
call himself omniscient. Once while he entered Shravasti for alms, Gautama,
one of the chief disciples of Mahavira heard that Goshala was making these
claims. Gautama asked Mahavira whether Goshala was right in this matter.
Mahavira said: "The son of Mankha, Mankhali, thinking himself a Jina
though he is not a Jina, Goshala is a house of deceit. Initiated by me
myself, taught by me, he resorted to wrong belief about me. He is not
When Goshala heard Mahavira's opinion about him, he was greatly annoyed.
When he saw Ananda, another disciple of Mahavira, he threatened that he
had a hot flash with which he would consume an enemy. He would destroy
Mahavira and his disciples with his flash. When Ananda reported this to
Mahavira, he remarked that Goshala indeed had this dangerous flash, with
which he could consume anybody except the Arhat, who would only feel some
discomfort. That is why Goshala should not be teased.
Ananda reported this to the people of Shravasti. This made Goshala
angrier, and he came and started abusing Mahavira. Indeed, he was able to
kill two of Mahavira's disciples with his hot flash when they tried to
Mahavira tried to pacify Goshala, but Mahavir's words made Goshala
angrier, and he discharged his hot flash at Mahavira. "Powerless against
the Master like a hurricane against a mountain, it (the flash)
circumambulated the Lord, resembling a devotee. From the hot flash there
was only warmth in the Master's body..... The hot flash, as if angry
because he had used it for a crime, alas! Turned and entered Goshala's
"Burned internally by it, Goshala had recourse to audacity and said
arrogantly to the Blessed Mahavira: "Consumed by my hot flash, you will
die at the end of six months succumbing to a bilious fever, still an
ordinary ascetic, Kashyapa".
"The Master said: "Goshala, your speech is false, since I, omniscient,
shall wander for sixteen years more. But you suffering from a bilious
fever from your own hot flash, will die at the end of the seven days.
There is no doubt about it".
"The miserable Goshala, burned by his own hot flash drank wine to allay
the great heat, accepting a bowl of wine. Intoxicated by the wine he sang
and danced and frequently bowed to Halahala (the potter woman), making an
anjali..... He spoke disconnected and contradictory speeches; and he
passed the day nursed by his sorrowful disciples". Thus he suffered for a
At the end of seven days, Goshala repented, confessed his errors and died.
(The story of Goshala, taken by Hemachandra mostly from the Bhagavati-Sutra
probably gives the history of a serious quarrel between the sects of
Ajivikas led by Goshala and the Nigganthas led by Mahavira. As described
later, Hoernle say in it the signs of the beginning of the Digambara
In the course of a few days, Mahavira also became weak from dysentery and
bilious fever from the effects of Goshala's hot flash, but he did not use
any medicine. Rumour spread that he would, as predicted by Goshala, die
within six months. His disciples became greatly alarmed, and requested
Mahavira to take some medicine. At last, Mahavira agreed and said that his
disciples should bring that had been cooked by Revati, a housewife, for
"Sinha (one of the disciples) went to Revati's house and got the
prescribed remedy which she gave. Immediately delighted gods made a shower
of gold. Lord Vardhamana made use of the excellent medicine brought by
Sinha and at once regained health, the full moon to the partridge (chakora)
of the congregation.
Mahavira lived for sixteen years more after this. He wandered about north
Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, teaching people the ethics of his
religion. Perhaps nothing very much noteworthy happened during these
Mahavira died twenty-nine and half years after he had attained
omniscience. The death took place in the house of king Hastipala's scribe
in the town of Pava, near Rajagriha. Out of the eleven Ganadharas, nine
had already died. Only (Indrabhuti) Gautama and Sudharman survived him. A
day before his death, Mahavira had sent away Gautama for a day. Perhaps he
had feared that Gautama might be too demonstrative of his grief. However,
Gautama attained omniscience instantly on the death of Mahavira. He
remained in this state for twelve years and on his death Sudharman
attained omniscience. Sudharman was the first leader of the Jain Church
after Mahavira, for Gautama never acted as a teacher.
Svetambaras place the year of the death of Mahavira, which is the initial
point of their era, 470 years before the beginning of the Vikram era, or
in 527 BC.12
On the death of Mahavira, "The light of knowledge having been
extinguished, all the kings made material lights. From that time among the
people also a festival called Dipotsava, takes place everywhere on that
night by making lights".
(Hemachandra in this last part of his Trishashtishalakapursha- charitra
has covered nearly all the facts known to the Jains about the life of
Mahavira. It is, however, interesting to note that he has not mentioned
the second schism of the Jain Church. This was started y Tissagutta during
Mahavira's lifetime, sixteen years after the latter had attained
What kind of man was Mahavira? We do not know much about his character
from the Jain canon, but some conclusions can be draw from his behavior
and sayings. He must have been a man of strong will power and patience.
Otherwise he could have not withstood the tortures and privations he
suffered during the period of twelve years he was travelling either alone
or with Goshala. His constitution must also have been quite strong.
He was evidently not of a cheerful disposition, and disliked mirth among
his disciples. We have in the Acharanga-Sutra, "A Nirgrantha comprehends
(and renounces) mirth, he is not mirthful. The Kevalin says: " A
Nirgrantha who is moved by mirth, and is mirthful, might utter a falsehood
in his speech."13
He must have also had charisma and the quality of attracting people. This
conclusion can be drawn from the success he obtained in combining the
Nigrantha Church into one, and creating a religious system, which has
lasted almost unchanged these 2500 years. His power of attracting people
was a cause of envies to his one time companion and later his rival
Makkhali Goshala who complained to Ardraka. "Listen, Ardraka, to what (Mahavira)
has done. At first he wandered about as a single monk; but now he has
surrounded himself by many monks, and teaches every one of them the Law at
As Jacobi says, "Mahavira must have been a great man in his own way, and
an eminent leader among his contemporaries; he owed the position of a
Tirthakar because of the sanctity of his life and his success in the
propagating of his creed"15.
The report about Mahavira's death is also recorded in the Buddhists texts.
In fact the report appears at three places. These are Majjhima Nikaya,
Samagama Sutta, 3.14; Digha Nikaya, Pasadika Sutta 3.6; and Digha Nikaya,
Paryaya Sutta 3.10. The purport of these records is as follows:
Chunda Samanuddesa, a Buddhist monk was passing his rainy season in Pava.
At that time the Buddha was dwelling among the Shakkas at Samagama. "Now
at that time Nigantha Nataputta had just departed from life at Pava. After
his death the Niganthas were divided into two groups. They were making
quarrels, making strife, falling into disputes were wounding each other,
"You do not know this law of discipline, I know this law of
discipline.....You are having false beliefs, I am having true beliefs"
etc. Thus the Niganthas of the Nataputta were as if warring with each
Chunda Samanuddesa after passing the rainy season at Pava went and
reported the whole matter to Ananda. Thereupon the venerable Ananda said
to him: "Reverend Chunda, this news is worthy to be presented to the
Blessed One. Come let us go to the Lord".
Then, the venerable Ananda and Chunda Samanuddesa approached the Buddha,
and saluted and sat down at one side and so seated, the venerable Ananda
said to the exalted one: "Lord: this Chunda Samanuddesa says "Nigantha
Nataputta has just departed...."
This record in the Buddhist text is so vivid, that the obvious inference
from it that the Buddha was living at the time of Mahavira's death ought
to be accepted. The belief among some scholars, on the other hand, is that
it was the Buddha who had died earlier. This later hypothesis is supported
among others by Snhalese Buddhist tradition that the Buddha died in 544 BC
Since the Jains believe that Mahavira died in 527 BC, this would put the
year of death on the Buddha 16 to 17 years earlier than the year of
Mahavira's death. Things are, however, not free from complications.
Hemchandra, the historian of the Jain Church, has written that
Chandragupta Maurya became emperor 155 years after the death of Mahavira.
This would bring the years of the death of Mahavira to 468 BC There are
other traditions also about the years of death of Mahavira and the Buddha.
1. The fact that Trishala, the mother of Mahavira, was a sister of king
Chetaka is not mentioned in the canon. We learn about this only from
Avashayakachurni of Jinadasagani (7th century AD)
2. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXII. p. xv
3. Winternitz, op. cit. 443
4. Acaranga Sutra in Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXII, p. 194
5. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXII. p.84
6. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXII, p.411
7. The account of Mahavira's travel as given in the Avashakchurni has been
summarized above from J. C. Jain Life in Ancient India, pp. 257-261
8. Schubrihg, op. cit. P. 44
9. There is some similarity here with the life of the Buddha. The
Lalitvistara describes the life of the Buddha in some detail to the time
he attained Buddhahood and traveled to Sarnath to preach his first sermon.
This was when he was 36. For the remaining 44 years of the Buddha�s life
we have little connected details.
10. Helen M. Johnson has translated this work by Hemachandra in six
volumes. The Oriental Institute, Baroda, published the translation. Vol.
VI, which is used here extensively, was published in 1962.
11. That Jamali was Priyadarshna's husband, is not mentioned in the canon
though his name occurs several times in the canonical texts. The later
commentaries however say that Jamali was the husband of Priyadarshana,
daughter of Mahavira.
12. H. Jacobi mentions in his article on Jainism in the Encyclopedia of
Religion and Ethics, Vol. VII, that 527 BC was the date given by
Shvetambera of Mahavira's Nirvana, while Digambers place the event 18
years later. This does not seem to be correct. Trilokasara (shloka 850), a
Digambra's work mentions that Mahavira's Nirvana took place 605 years and
5 months before the shaka king
(AD 78). This gives 527 BC as the date of Mahavira's Nirvana. Another
Digambera work Tiloypannati gives three dates dates for Mahavira's Nirvana
. Two of them absurdly give old dates, but the third one (sl. 1499) agrees
13. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXII, p.205
14. Sutrakritanga in Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XLV, p.409
15. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XLV, p. xxxii
16. See chapter v