Amar Chitra Katha - Mahavira

ahavira

,

Illustrated Classics From India

Over 86 million copies of over 400 titl es sold worldwide! Amar Chitra Katha is a collection of illustrated classics that retell stories from Indian mythology. history. folktale and legend through the fascinating medium of comics. Over 430 stories from all over India have been told in this series that has been endorsed by educationists and recommended by teachers the world over. Through a masterful blend of commentary. dialogue and illustration. Amar Chitra Katha presents complex historical facts and intricate mythology in a format that would appeal to children. They not o n~ entertain. but also provide a fitting introduction to the cultural heritage of India. In a country SO vast and varied. the series also serves as a medium for national integration, by introducing young readers to the rich cultural diversity of the country and highlighting the achievements of local heroes. Amar Chitra Katha comics are like fami!y heirlooms. passed down from generation to generation. These timeless illustrated classics are now also available onl ine on www. AmarChitraKatha .com . Start your own collection todayl

No. 594 • Rs 30

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IBH INDIA BOOK HOUSE o lodi;a Book House Pvt. ltd. 1975 Reprinted: M;arch 2006 ISBN: B1.7508·320·4 Published ;100 Printed by Indi;a Book House Pvt ltd, Mahala~mi Chambers, 5th Floor, 22 Bhulabhlli Desai Road, Mumb;li 400 026, India.

1t8OlJT a,5OO YE/JR51t@() THERE LIVED /N KUNDfl6RIWI,NEfIR. VII/SHIILI /N 81H/1R , 1I KINg C/lLLED 5/DDHIIRTHII.

HE Wfi5 MfiRRIED TO TRI5H/jLfi, SISTER OF CHET/tKfi, WHO WAS

THEY HfjD /J SON CIILLED NfiNDIV/jRDHfiN/J.

THE ELECTED CHIEFTIUN .OF V/llstf/lLl.

SOON fiFTER THE BIRTH OF /II/t/llDIV/jROtiflN.fi . TRISH/lLfi HIW 5EVERfiL 5TRIIN6E DREIIN1S.

THEY WERE NO ORDINRRY DRERM S.

,

WHEN SHE TOLD 5IDDHIiRTHIIII80UT THEM -

THE Ii5TROL06£R5

AE>K THEM TO E>EE ME

~~~5ENTFOR

IMMEDIATELY.

WHEN THE fl5TROL06ER5 HEflRD ·IiBOUT TRlSHIiLfI'5 OREIiMS-

WE ARE FORTUNATE. YOUR QUEEN WILL BEAR A WN WHO IS DE5-TrNED TO

BEC.OME GREAT .

)

LET U5 CONSULT THE . f\5TROL06ERS.

I

TRISHflLfl fiNO SIODHflRTHfl WERE OVER..;OYED.

LET US HAVE A GRAND FEI\5r AND INVITE

YES. fiND AFTER THE FEAST WE C.OULD DISTRIBUTE

6rFTS TO THE POOR RND THE

EVERY PERSON IN THE

KIN0DOM, BE HE RICH OR POOR ~ YOUN6 OR OLD.

I CANNOT WR IT TO HOLD MY 60N IN MY

. ARMS.

THEN ON TItE THIRTEEN TH DIlY OF CHfII TRIJ ~ THE QUEEN HA5 61VEN BIRTH TO A SON.

DECOR/HE THE CITY. FREE T H E PRISON ERS! LET T HE BRAHMANS t9ND

ASCETICS SE G IvEN

HE HAS AL L THE

6 IFTS.

RUSPIC IOUS MRRKSOF A 6REAT PER50N !

WITH H 15 BIRTH PEfKE AND PROSPERITY HAVE BEEN INCREflSIN6 IN OuR KIN000M • SO LET HIM BE CflLLED

AS YOU f?fW .IV~""I

LORD . .. THE FIRST N'ONTH ReCOR.D/Ne TO THE UlNAR. CflLENDfJR. OF THE ftINDU5.

5.

TlfE. BOY VflRDtfflMflNI7 Wfl5 IN EVERy wily ''IN IDEI'IL PRINCE.

OUR SON IS INDEED THE PRINCE O F PRI N CE5. 5EE HOW N08L'f HE

--- TEIiCHER..

OON'T YO U THINK

'IE5, YOU ARE

IT'.5 TIME HE BE0AN HIS FORMAL . INSTRUCTI O N?

RIC3HT . I SHALL ATTEND 10 IT.

THE /Y'5E WITH WHICH /1E Mfl5TERED HIS LESSONS . flMflZED HIS (bURUS .

THAT WAS PERFECT. ONCE A0AIN, VARDH~MflNA . LET fiLL O F THEM LISTEN CAREFULL"'Y T O 'fQU.

-, j~j •

THE PROPHECY vvflS NOT IN VAIN. HE 15 UNU~Uf\LLY

INTELU0ENT. IT'S ASTON I5HIN0

ONE OF THE BOYS SPOTTED THE COBRfl.

WHEN THE COBRfi CfiME N£I7R,

~ ' .'- "

'. '

... •

.. 8

. . . CARESS ED IT.

THE SNAKE Wfi5 Pl9C1FIED fiND SLITHERED fl wflY.

YOu RRE.

THE BRAVEST O F U S R LL.

".

THEY HOISTED VflRDHflNlI1N/i ONTO THEIR SHOULDER.S. WE SHR L L PARADE "YOU TH ROU0 H THE STREETS.

8lIT ONE OF THEM WHO WI1S Ii BIG BULL Y, fiND CONSIDERED HIMSELF THE 8RfWEST OF flLL L E T ' S SEE YOU MIn CH YOu R STREN0TH A0f\IN5T MI NE .

10

..• fiND C;:'RRYIN(b H IM ON HIS OWN" TRIED TO RUN !tW;:'Y.

L eT M E

00 !

. . . THREW VfJRDH;:'M RfYR DOWN'

IlNO ...

_. _RRN f)WIW.

YOU fiRE

MAHAVIRA fo"! THE BRAVEST AND THE 5TRON0EST OF US AlL.6LORY BE TO YOU,

.. t9 0RERT WfJRRIOR,..

12

ONCE FIN ELEPHFlNT SUDDENLY TURNED WILD fiND R/lN "MUCK. TERRIFIED, THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS RIJN FOR THEIR LI=-VE==5c.. _ __ "C;;;::;:::'-='""'Z~:::-1

13

BY 1115 MERE TOUCH ..•

.

. '

..

. . ..

THE STORY OF MIIHIIVIRfl ':!j IIDVENTURES SOON SPREflO AND-

IT WAS COURA0EOUS Of HIM TO DARE THE COBRA!

WHAT A8OL/T TH E MRD ELEPHANT?THRT WA5 THE HEI6HT Of BRAVER'f.

HE IS DESTINED TO 8E SOME 80DY 6RE1\T. REMEM BER THE PROPHECY.

~~-;

... ANO I MU ST FIND IT. . I SHALL ASK MY PflRENT5 TO RLLOW ME TO BECOME RN R~CETlC.1 MU~T ~EPRRI\TE RERLITY FROM APPEflRANCE AND SEEK TO KNOW TH E

TRUE NATURE

OF THIN0S.

THE WORLD IS TORN BY DIFfERENCE OF CASTE, COLOUR CREED AND 50ClflL STATUS. AS A RESULT MAN IS ALWA'iS

WRR.OWFUL.THERE MUST BE A WAY OUT ...

50 HE flPPROflCHED HI5 PII!ii!ENTS.

DEAR FATHER fiND PLEASE flLlOW ME TO RENO UNCE MY PRlNCEL"f LIFE.' WJ!';>H 10 60 AWAY AND FJND A WAy 10 LE ~~EN THE. MI S ER.)' OF MANKIND.

NO MAHAVIR!\ ,

t

NEVER J WILL NEVER LET yOu 6O.IFI AM PARTED FROM

'IOU I "HALL DIE OF 0 RIEF.

PLEASE DON'T CR't. MOTHER . I WILL NOT TALK OF 6OIN0 AWAY A" LON6 AS BOTH OF YOu ARE ALIVE. I PR.OMI&E.

BELOVED SON , GlVE UP THESE IDEAS AT

LEAST AS LONE> AS 'YOUR

MOTHER LIVES .

fJ5 sOON ItS MflHflVIRfi LEFT THe ROOM-

NOTHIN0 LIES IN

O U R- HANDS. REMEMBER, HE IS DESTINED TO BECOME GREAT.

HE HAS PROMISED NOT TO 00

WHILE WE LIVE _WHAT WILL H,9PPEN AFTER WE

ARE DE,90 ?

BY THE TIME MflffIWIR/J WfJ5 26 YEflR5 OLD,80TH HIS PflRENTS HflD DIED. HIS ELOER BROTHER , NI'INOJVfI!i!.OHl'IlYfI 8EC/iME KIN0. I AM NOW FREE. TO BECOME AN ASCETIC. I S HALL ASK NANDIVflRDHRNR TO PERMIT ME TO TAKE THE VOWS.

BUT NflNDIV/jRDHfJNI7 Wt9S ReLUCTfWT. AS IT -15,WE HAVE LOST OUR PARENTS. IF YOU TOO 0;0 AWAY, I S HALL BE DESOLATE.

DEAR BROTHER. I WO N'T 00 NOW. I'LL WRIT FOR-A YEAR OR-TWO.

TWO YEIiRS LIiTER Nf'lNDIVIIRDHrJNrJ 011V£ HIM PERMISSION 70 BECOME liN flSC£TIC . - -'-"1rrTT-.,-- ---,-

DEAR BROTHER,

WE

1 WOULD LIKE TO 61VE AWAY MY

SHALL HOLD A FEAST AND DISTRIBUTE

WEAL:TH TO THE

POOR AND NEED'!.

YOUR WEALTH.

THE FEflST WII5 HELD. WHEN IT WIIS

1=:"":':":'

~

-\18

THEN HE PROCEEDED TO

~

P/JRK IN THE VICINITY,

. ..C/l5T OFF filS PRfNCEL Y flNO . .•

~RMENTS

20

HE WIINDEREO FIJR AND WIDE .

REVERED 51RE I I HAVE RENOUf\lCED THE WORLD TO I ENU0HTENMF"T ~ND TH"XlUeoHi I "fAT ENLlQ)HTEN MENT SEEK TO LIGHTEN OUR

BURDEN OF 5O~1R'1. 1

THE RISHI MISTOOK HIM POR

1'1 8E661'1R.. ONE OF YOUR MAIN DUTIES WILL BE TO 6UARD THIS 6RA5S .lT IS PRECIOUS AS THE RAINS HIIVE Fill LED liND THERE. 15 NO 6Rl\5S ANYWHERE AROUND.

I

WHEN THE RISHI M W WHI1T THE COW tfl10 DONE, HE WI1S FURIOUS.

YOU Hf\VE SHI~D YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

FOR TWELVE LONtS YEflRS MIIHIWIRfj WflND£RED ItS 11 NAKED ItSCETlC. HE P/lTlENTL Y 8OR.E THE NUMEROUS INSULTS fiND INJURiES HEflPED UPON HIM. OFTCN HE Wli5 PHYS/CJ9LL Y ASSItULTED.

OR PERHAPS AN IDLE. VMlABOND, TOO LAZY TO EARN A

STONE HIM. HE MUST BE. A THIEF.

LlVIN6 .

, " '.

./

'

, 12

THe CROWD FELL UPON HIM AND BEAT HIM 8l.IT HE HIJD BECOME INSENSITIVE

70 PLEflStlRE AND PIIIN ALIKE .

HE INTENSIFIED HIS flUSTERITIES

BY 08SERVIN6 Il STRler SILENCE. fWD LON6 FI'IST5. HIS PEN,~'NCE5 TOO BECAME MORE SEVERE.

HE SLEPT.

.'

THE

WHICH IS THE WAY T HAT LEflD5 TO UTTAR VACHA-LA?

OUTER ROAD IS SAfER. BUT IT WILL Tfll(.E. YOU MUCH LON6ERTO REACH.

THIS BEAT EN

PATH TH ROU0H THE .J U N6LE W ILL TAKE YOU T H ERE VERY FAST. BUT THERE 15 Pt VENOMOU5 SERPENT INfESTl N 6 T HE

PflTH .

. . -=--. 24

M~HflVIRfi

KNEW NO F£flR . HE ENTEReD THE 5 ERPENT-INPE5TED FO RES T. '

DOES HE NOT Cf~RE FOR HIS LIFE ?

... . -.,.'. -... ,

~ '"

UNPERTURBED BY THE FURIOUS HI5SIN6 OF' THE SERPENT, MflHfWIR!I PI
IMMED/~TEL Y

IT SUBSIDED

fiND SLITHERED flWflY liS IF flSHIt/VIED OF ITSELF.

IF EVER HE WANDERED INTO mE VILL/16Es IN THE TRIML f1ReIlS , THE PEOPLE 5ET THEIR DO@S ON HINJ RNO •• .

26

. . . HE Wfl5 ENLIGHTENEO.KEVI1LII JNflNfl , TilE ONLY KNOWLED6E WI"IICJ-I15 FLILL

fWD COMPLETE,INFINIT£ fiND SUPR.EME , 8ECfltfJ£ HIS. HE UNDERSTOOD SORROW. Ttf£ CRUSE OF SORROW, rtfE CURE OF SORROW, liND THE PI1TH WHICH LEJ9DS RWfW FR.OM SORROW . HE BECAME 11 JINfI .

\

ONE. S HO ULD N O T HARM O R HURT AN'! U VIN 0 BEING IN THOU6HT OR ACTI O N .

(

HE 6.AVE SERMONS I7T MI7NY PUKES. DURiNG TlfE SERMON ON VIPlJLRCHIILfI HILL IN RflJfl6RIHfl, THE CliP/TilL OF Mll0/lDHII, KING 81MB/SlIM TOO CflM£ TO LISTEN TO HIM.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE HRPPY. NO ONE DESIRES PAIN .

liFTER THE SER!VION 81M8/5f1RfI flSKED Mfltfl WIRfi /NNUMER/lBL£ QUESTIONS. MASTER, AS A KIN6 INVOLVED IN THE WELFflRE OF M'f PEOPL E HOW CAN I ST RIVE FOR N IRVANA '?·

WHAT ARE THE VOWS I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE FOR T H AT ?

SIMPL'( POSSESS THE THREE. JEWELS R10HT BELIEF, RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND RI6HT CONDUCT.

YOU MUST VOW THAT 'fOU WILL NOT HURT i9NYONE ,WILL NOT UE,WILL NOT 5TE/R,WJLL REMAIN CELIBATE AND WILL NOT OWN PROPER.TY. '(ou SHOULD SPEN D AT LEAST 4-e MINUTES EACH DAY IN SELf A"IflLYSIIS RND MEDITRTION •

SIIT/SFIED WITH BtM8ISliRR BECflME ONE filS' 5TliUNCH '#-

THE 5 TflTE OF FINII L EMfiNCIPflTfON.

70 HIS DISCOURSES HE WeLCOMeD PEOPLE OF CnST£S J IK5E5, CLl~SSES , IJNO SEXES.

AND

TH E CHRNDRL R"" RI5HIICESH, IT [S REPORTED,RECE[VED TH~ MR STER'S MESSR6 E,

HIS f i RsT

COUSIN IS THE HEllO OF HIS FEMRLE DISCIPLEs.

HOW COULD YU'U< HE 15 11 CHRNDRLA.

INTO H IS SRN0HA, 5UREL'( WE. CAN RT LEA5 T FEED

ONE. ,: O UTCn STE .

MflHflVlR!J WIJNOERED fiNO PR.EACHED THROU0HOUT THE LENGTH fiND BREflDTH OF NORTH INDI;=', WHILE HIS ME5SFJGE SPReAD TO IJLL PARTS OF mE COUNTRY.

MA5TER,CFlN I fHTfl lN NI RVfl NA ?

'YES. EVERy MAN HAS A RI6HT fiND

CRN

I

BY HIS OWN EFfORTS, WITHOUT THE HEL P OF RNY S UPREME -",' ''-.j\ AUTHO RITY OR MEDIATORY PRIESTS .

MASTER, HOW CAN I

ATTA IN NIRVANA

'?

BY CONTROLLING . YOU R PASSIONS AND CONQUERIN 6 YOUR ICfIRMR!"

K:FJRMIJ : YOUR. DESTINY FOLLOWING FRDM YOUR. THOU0HTS ,IJCTlOl:V5 IJNO ,Y"/<"">WLEDGE IN PREVIO US BIRTH

30

IN TffE THIRTY YEfiR5 THflT HE PREIICHED flS IJ JINIJ HE SlICCEEDED IN CONVERTING TO ..JIHNISM ( flS HIS FfJlTH Wfis LFITER KNOWN) MOST OF THE POWERFUL 5TflTES OF NORTHERN INOlfJ.

THEN liT THE fl6E OF SEVENTY-TWO,flr P/WIlPURI IN 81HflR,HE fiTTflINEO NIRVfiNII, FREED FOR. EVER FROM fiLL MISERY, FR.OM. fiLL PfJIN.

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Illustrated Classics from India

NOW AVAILABLE ONLINEI

The rnagic of the colourful tales of Arnar Chitra Katha has woven nostalgic bonds arnong the Indian diaspora allover the globe. The Arnar Chitra Katha comic books help Indians remain tethered to their roots. wh ile making their Illark as citizens of the world.

Order frol11 the complete catalogue at a special online price, and also access heaps of inforrnation on Indian heritage and culture.

www.AmarChitraKatha.com ....... IBR INDIA BOOK HOUSE ,\1"h"I .l xm l C" ~!l\I)I·r •• 5t h Floor, 12 Hh"lnhh,H DC'Sai ROJd, Mumb'lI 400 021,. Indi.!. Tel.: 2"152 140'1, 21<;2 ';(,36 F,lX: LlSJ 640(, [.m;lIl : In iO@,lmafTh'lf.lbt!)'1.rnm

, !. \ II H ~

II I I ~ \ \ I :. ' I

Amer Chitro Kotho is a collection of illustrated classics thot retell stories from Indian mythology, history, fol kta le and legend, through the fa scina ting medium o f comics. Over 400 tilles hove

been published in the Arner Chilro Kothe comic series thot ore approved by parents, appreciated by children and accepted by schools.

Mythology 501 Krishno

525 Tole$ of Arjur.o 531 Komo

502 Honuman 510 Bvddho

533 Abhimonyv 547 Gorvdo

511 Sovitri

512 To les of Vishnu

565 Orono

566 Suryo

570 Doshorcrho 571 Dhruvo and Ashtovokro 572 Anceston of Romo 589 Krishno and Shi5!,upolo 592 Gholotkocho 6 12 Urvoshi

Fol ktales 558 559 578 580 581 58" 587

507 Nolo Domoyonti

523 Roman of Tenol; 543 Joloko Toles: /II\onkey STories

553 .Iotoka To les: JockolStories 55" JolOko Toles: Elephant Stooes 555 JOIO~O Toles: Deer Stories 557 Bi,balthe

Bi'balthe Clever Birbolthe Jvst Kesori the Flying Thief Inimitoble Birbol Ramo n the Motchless W" Gopol the Jester Bi,bolthe Genius

607 A Bag 01 Gokl Coins 621 Udoyono 625 Bollie of Wits 659 Devi Chovdhuroni 664 King Kusho

667 Sikollhe Terrible 713

"

I

History 606 Rani Dvrgovoli 627 Horsho

508 Chonokyo 536 Ashoka 563 Rana P,otop 568 Yikromadityo 57? Modhvochoryo 603 Akbar 604 Chovhan

630 Rano Songo 632 Vidyosagor 648 Somudro GvplO 676 Rono Kvmbno 682

685 Chond Bibi 701 Noor Johon 704 Jollionwolo Bogh 722 Megosthenes 723 Jnoneshwo. 725 Svhono Rozio 73 4 Bonde Bohodv,

Biography 517 Vivekonondo 535 Miroboj 539 Rani of Jhonsi 544 Svbhos Chandro Bose 548 Rabindronoth Togore 551 Tulsidos 563 Rano

564 Shivoii 608 Bhogat Singh 611 Bobosaheb Ambed~ar 61 3 Soordos 631 Choitonyo Mohoprabhu 636 Krishnadevo Rayo Ti lok

6"7 LoIBohodvr Shastri 650 Moholmo Gondhi 678 Yeer So"",rkor 679 Swomi Pronovonondo 693 Joyoprokosh Noroyon 700 Jowohorlol Neh rv 732 Swomi

Visit www.AmarChitraKatha.com for details on how to order these titles online. ~

IBH INDIA BOOK HOUSE Mahalaltmi Chambers. 5th Floor, 22 Bhulabnai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026, India. Te1 2J523827 FaK 23538406 Email infoCl.ama rchitra katha. com

Illustrated Classics From India

Mahavira Mahavira was born in Kundagram near Vaishali in Bihar to King Siddhaltha and his wife, Trishala, in 599 Be. Prince Vardhamana, 8:S he was named, was destined to become great. After years of contemplation on life and the ultimate truth, he renounced the world and became an ascetic at the age 01 30.

For 1210n9 years he practised deep meditation, silence and compassion, leading a life of austerity and penance. At the end of this period, he achieved enlightenment - full knowledge or kella/a gran, - and went on to become the 24th Jain Tirlhankara (one who finds enlightenment and shows the way to

otherst. Bhag8wan Mahavira, however, was neither a pioneer of Jainism nor its last Tirthankara. Jain tradition believes that there have been many Tirthankaras before Mahavira, and there will be several in the future . Mahavira himself said that his religious teachings - based on the Jain principles of shims', kfrms end nirv,n' • had been propounded by many Jines (one who has conquered I in the past, and will be taught by many Jinas in the future .

Editor: Anant Pai Script: Rishabhdas Ranka

Illustrations: Pratap Mutick Cover: Pratap Mulick

Related TItles Buddha. Bahubali • Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Kabir • Adi Shankara • RamanUja Basaveshwara • Inaneshwar

I SBN 81-1508-320-'

INDIA BOC)K HOUSE