{"id":161685,"date":"2025-04-10T19:54:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T14:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=161685"},"modified":"2025-04-10T20:02:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T14:32:00","slug":"mahavir-jayanti","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/mahavir-jayanti","title":{"rendered":"Mahavir Jayanti"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi paid tributes to Bhagwan Mahavir on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Mahavir Jayanti<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the <\/span><b>birth of Lord Mahavira,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the <\/span><b>24th<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>last Tirthankara <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(supreme preacher) of the current <\/span><b>Avasarpini cycle. Mahavira succeeded Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7982%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Navkar Mantra<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Navkar Mantra is a <\/span><b>seven-line prayer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that salutes and seeks blessings from <\/span><b>five supreme beings in Jainism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These beings include the <\/span><b>Arhats (enlightened beings or Tirthankaras), Siddhas (liberated souls), Acharyas (spiritual leaders), Upadhyayas (teachers), and Sadhu (monks or ascetics).<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is celebrated as a tribute to compassion, self-restraint, truth, and ahimsa (non-violence).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2025, this auspicious occasion falls on <\/span><b>April 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, marking the <\/span><b>2623rd birth anniversary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Lord Mahavira.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Celebration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated with temple visits, <\/span><b>Rath Yatras<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, charity, and scripture readings.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Devotees also perform <\/span><b>Abhishekam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><b>ceremonial bathing of Lord Mahavira&#8217;s idol.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Lord Mahavira<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Birth Name<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Vardhamana,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> meaning <\/span><b>\u201cOne who grows,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d symbolizing prosperity during his birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Clan and Lineage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Born into the <\/span><b>Jnatra clan <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the <\/span><b>Ikshvaku dynasty.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Parents<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>King Siddhartha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> Queen Trishalaa, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a <\/span><b>Lichchhavi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> princess.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Date of Birth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>599 BC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Chaitra Sud 13 (according to Jain texts).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Birthplace<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Born in the <\/span><b>Vajji confederacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (a democratic republic), with <\/span><b>Vaishali as its capital.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Renunciation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the age of <\/span><b>30<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Mahavira <\/span><b>renounced worldly life <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in search of truth.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Kevala Jnana:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> After <\/span><b>12 years of intense meditation and penance, he attained Kevala Jnana (supreme knowledge) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and spent the rest of his life preaching spiritual liberation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Moksha: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He attained Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at age 72 (5th century BC).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Sangha: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mahavira established the <\/span><b>Sangha, which was a monastic community <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aimed at disseminating his teachings.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It included<\/span><b> both male and female followers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, thus promoting an inclusive approach to religious practice.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>First Sermon:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Delivered his first sermon at <\/span><b>Pava (near Patna).<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Passed Away:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Died at<\/span><b> Pavapuri<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (near modern-day Rajgir, Bihar).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Patronage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> He often visited the courts of <\/span><b>Bimbisara <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Ajatasatru.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Symbol: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A symbol is associated with every Tirthankara,<\/span><b> Lord Mahavira\u2019s symbol was a lion.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Titles: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mahavira (great hero), Jaina\/Jitendriya (who conquered all his senses), Nirgrantha (who is free from all bonds)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Teachings\/Mahavratas (the 5 great vows):\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahimsa (non-violence)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Satya (truth)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asteya (non-stealing)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aparigraha (non-attachment)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Brahmacharya (chastity) (propounded by Mahavira)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Language of Teachings:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mahavira and his disciples taught in <\/span><b>Prakrit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to teach ordinary people.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Relevance of Lord Mahavira to Contemporary India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Promoting Non-Violence: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourages <\/span><b>peaceful coexistence in a pluralistic society like India,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fostering communal harmony and mutual respect.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Sustainable Lifestyle: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jain principles of simplicity, restraint, and sustainability aligns with the national <\/span><b>Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Ecological Significance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jainism\u2019s sutra or aphorism of <\/span><b>\u201cParasparopagraho Jivanam,\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> emphasizes <\/span><b>mutual interdependence and ecological balance.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Cultivating Emotional and Mental Wellness: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The principle of <\/span><b>Brahmacharya (Self-Restraint) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">encourages <\/span><b>control over desires and moderation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in personal habits for inner peace and balance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Public trust and Institutional integrity: Satya (truth)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Asteya (non-stealing)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> together uphold honesty and fairness. They form the <\/span><b>ethical foundation for public trust and institutional integrity.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span class=\"vc_button\"><b>Additional Reading: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/jainism-definition-doctrines-cultural-impact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Jainism: Definition, Doctrines And Cultural Impact &#8211; PWOnlyIAS<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/ck\/a?!&#038;&#038;p=b192da7beb6ce940b1637303fb7ec5ce6c08557ad3dc408ccd4416f75beccbdaJmltdHM9MTc0NDI0MzIwMA&#038;ptn=3&#038;ver=2&#038;hsh=4&#038;fclid=2521ad8d-aca9-6308-16fa-b935ad0462c1&#038;psq=JANISIM+PWONLYIAS&#038;u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9wd29ubHlpYXMuY29tL3Vwc2Mtbm90ZXMvYnVkZGhpc20tYW5kLWphaW5pc20v&#038;ntb=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Jainism<\/b><\/a><\/span>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi paid tributes to Bhagwan Mahavir on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":161666,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2088],"subject":[4646],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161685"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161685"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161693,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161685\/revisions\/161693"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161685"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=161685"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=161685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}