Question

Where was Mahavira born?
(A) Sravasti
(B) Vaishali
(C) Rajagriha
(D) Pataliputra

Answer 1

Hint: Mahavira is also known as Vardhamana or Kevala. He was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. Mahavira was born in a royal Kshatriya Jain family, in the early part of the 6th century BCE in Bihar, India.

Complete answer:
Mahavira’s father's name was Siddhartha and his mother's name was Trishala. They were Parshvanatha’s lay devotees. He was born in Vaishali. At the age of about 30 years, Mahavira abandoned all worldly possessions. He also left home in pursuit of spiritual awakening and became an ascetic. For 12 and half years Mahavira practised intense meditation and severe austerities. Later he attained Kevala Gyan. He preached for 30 years and in the 6th century BCE, he attained Moksha i.e., salvation. The older contemporary of Gautama Buddha was Mahavira. He also preached Jainism in ancient India. The observance of the vows of Satya, asteya, ahimsa, brahmacharya, and aparigraha was taught by Mahavira. These are necessary for spiritual liberation. The principles of Anekantavada: syadvada and nayavada were also taught by him. The Jain Agamas are Mahavira's teachings which were compiled by Indrabhuti Gautama. The texts were believed to have been largely lost by about the 1st century CE. Some of Svetambara Jainism's foundation texts whose authenticity is disputed in Digambara Jainism are the surviving versions of the Agamas taught by Mahavira.

Thus, option (B) is correct.

Note: The usual depiction of Mahavira is in a sitting or standing meditative posture and there is a symbol of a lion beneath him. His birth also is celebrated as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak and also the enlightenment of his first shishya Shri Gautam swami is observed by Jains as Diwali.