Tirthankara Mahavira and His Religion of Compassion

The Sramana tradition has firmly established the importance of individual endeavour and raised the hope in the human heart that he, too, can attain the status of the supreme soul through his own efforts. By treading the path of self-development and spiritual emancipation the Tirthankaras have proved that everyone is responsible for one's own actions, and that by treading the path of non violence and equanimity one can ensure one's own weal as well as that of the others. The life of the twenty-fourth Tirthankara. Mahavira, is a living example of this precept. Many scholars have written many books on Mahavira's life, teachings and philosophy. My own novel. entitled 'Citta Basen Mahavira has been published by Loka Bharati Prakashan, Allahabad. Earlier Mahaveer Jain Parishad, Udaipur had published my booklet entitled Tirthankara Mahavira', which was greatly appreciated by all sections of the society.