RELIGIOUS SECTS OF THE HINDUS. 251 



There is also great similarity in the general tenor of the legends 

 related of each of the Jinas. They are all born a number of times, and in 

 a variety of characters, before they arrive at the state of a Tirlhankara : 

 after which, as their attainment of divine knowledge is the work of self- 

 denial and ascetic meditation, we need not expect much varied incident 

 in their adventures, a sketch of the life of Mahavira, from the Mahdvira 

 Cheritra, will convey some notion of their ordinary history, whilst further 

 illustration may be derived from an abstract of the Pdrswandth Cheritra, 

 or life of Parswanath, in the Royal Asiatic Society's Transactions. 



LIFE OF MAHAVIRA. 



The twenty-fourth Tirlhankara Mahavira's first birth, which occurred 

 at a period indefinitely remote, was as NayasXra, head man of a village, 

 in the country of Vijaya, subject to Satrumerddana. His piety and 

 humanity elevated him next to the heaven called Saudherma, where he 

 enjoyed happiness for some oceans of years. He was next born as 

 Marichi, the grandson of the first Tirlhankara Rishabha, then transferred 

 to the Brahmaloka, whence he returned to earth as a worldly-minded and 

 sensual Brahman, the consequence of which was his repeated births in the 

 same caste, each birth being separated by an interval passed in one of the 

 Jain heavens, and each period of life extending to many lakhs of years. 

 He then became Viswabhuta, prince of Rajagriha, and next a Vasudeva, 

 named Triprishtha, from having three back bones : his uncle and foe in 

 a former life, Visabhanandi, Avas born as his Protagonist, or Prativdsiideva, 

 named Aswagriva or Hayagriva, and was, in the course of events, des- 

 troyed by the Vasudeva, a palpable adaptation of the Pauranic legend of 

 Vishnu and Hayagriva. TRfPRisHTHA having put his Chamberlain cruelly 

 to death, was condemned to hell, and again born as a lion : he migrated 

 through various forms, until he became the Chakraverlti Priyamitra, in the 

 division of the world, Mahavideha. After a victorious reign of eighty-four 



