Lord Mahāvīra attained kevala-jñāna – the ultimate, unabridged, all-encompassing, uninhibited, and absolute wisdom, and had the revelation of tattva – the fundamental truth, in the thirteenth year of his ascetic life of extreme penance near the village of Jrambhika.
The name of Lord Mahāvīra [1], the last jina [2] of this era, immediately invokes the thought of ahiṃsā (nonviolence) – perhaps the most valuable gift ever granted to humanity. There is no one in the history of mankind who promoted the value of nonviolence more robustly than him, and no one is more effective, thoughtful and kindhearted champion of comprehensive nonviolence.
If all of us share universal values such as love, friendship, compassion, mutual respect, and other meritorious qualities, why is social intolerance on the rise, especially when we are all experiencing the havoc unleashed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?
The followers of the Jain tradition observe Navpada Āyambila Oli, also called Navpada Oli in short, two times every year. Each observation lasts for nine days. The dates are based on the Jain lunisolar calendar, called Vīra Nirvāṇa Saṁvat calendar.
The Paryuṣaṇa Parva (festival) is the most auspicious festival for Jains. The festival has immense benefits for personal development, and thus, immeasurable value for the betterment of society. That is why it is called the king of all Jain festivals