jain

Even before his coming in the womb of his mother, it was known that a Tirthankar was to be born. One night, in the last hours, mother Priyakarini Trishla in her quiet sleep saw the following sixteen dreams indicative of a very auspicious happening.    

Nirvana, the Salvation

For Vardhman Mahaveer the final goal of life for everybody was to reach nirvana (Moksh) or salvation. Nirvana was nothing but breaking the cycle of birth, life and death. Vardhman Mahaveer attained nirvana at the dawn of a no moon day at Pavapuri in Bihar when he was 72 years old (527 B.C). On the same day, his chief disciple Indrabhuti Goutam attained Keval Gyan, i.e. omniscience or ultimate knowledge.

The news of Vardhman Mahaveer's nirvan spread all over and the chieftains of 14 kingdoms gathered at Pavapuri. They took part in the funeral of Vardhman Mahaveer. As this was not an occasion of sorrow but of joy as now Vardhman Mahaveer was free from birth and death, the kings decided to celebrate this day every year as a festival of lights, which is celebrated even today all over India.