252 SKETCH OF THE 



lakhs of years, he became an ascetic for a further period of a hundred 

 lakhs, and was then translated to one of the higher heavens. Thence 

 he returned to earth in the Bharata division, as Nandana, the son of 

 Jitasatru, who adopted a life of devotion and diligently adored the Jinas. 

 After an existence of twenty-five lakhs of years, he was raised to the 

 dignity of king of the gods in the Pushpottara heaven, in which capacity 

 he preserved his ancient faith, offering flowers to, and bathing daily the 

 one hundred and eight images of the Arhats. Such exalted piety was 

 now to meet with its reward, and the pains of existence to be terminated 

 in the person of the Tirthankara, Mahavira, or Verddhamana. 



On the return of the spirit of Nandana to earth, it first animated 

 the womb of the wife of a Brahman, but Mahendra disapproving of the 

 receptacle as of low caste, transferred it to the womb of Trisala, wife of 

 Siddhartha, of the family of Ikshwaku, and prince of Pavana, in JBhara- 

 takshetra. Mahavira was born on the thirteenth of the light fortnight 

 of Chaitra : the fifty-six nymphs of the universe assisted at his birth, and 

 his consecration was performed by Sakra, and the other sixty-three Indras. 

 The name given by his father was Verddhamana, as causing increase of 

 riches and prosperity, but Sakra gave him also the appellation of Maha- 

 vira, as significant of his power and supremacy over men and gods. 



When arrived at maturity, Mahavira was prevailed upon by his pa- 

 rents to marry Yasoda, daughter of the prince Samaravira. By her he 

 had a daughter, Priyadersana, who was married to Jamali, a prince, one 

 of the Saint's pupils, and founder of a schism. Siddhartha and his wife 

 died when their son was twenty-eight years old, on which Mahavira 

 adopted an ascetic life, the government devolving on his elder brother Nan- 

 diverddhana. After two years of abstinence and self-denial at home, 

 he commenced an erratic life, and the attainment of the degree of a 

 Jina. 



