Mahavir Ka Jivan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Mahavir ka Jivan" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, focusing on its historical and critical perspective:

The author, Sukhlal Sanghavi, begins by acknowledging the annual tradition of commemorating Lord Mahavir's birth and death anniversaries, noting that many Jain periodicals and special issues are dedicated to his life. He observes that this practice has continued for many years, following a trend set by other religious traditions. Despite the existence of numerous books and articles written about Mahavir's life in various languages and by diverse authors (both sectarian and non-sectarian), there remains a persistent demand for new writings on his life, particularly comprehensive biographical works.

Sanghavi posits that this ongoing demand stems from a fundamental dissatisfaction with existing biographies. He explains that traditionally, biographies of great figures like Mahavir, Krishna, and Christ have been written by their respective community's devotees and scholars. While these sectarian accounts often contain valuable traditional truths, they suffer from a significant flaw: an excessive tendency to portray their chosen deity as exceptionally high and extraordinary, often blurring the line between human and divine. This results in Mahavir, like Buddha, Krishna, and Christ in other traditions, being depicted as a god-like, rather than a fully human, figure.

The author highlights that the current era is characterized by a scientific and historical worldview. People today value truth, evidence, and logical reasoning. They are unwilling to accept anything unproven by science or unsupported by history, even cherished beliefs from generations past. This modern perspective means that a mere abundance of existing material on Mahavir's life is insufficient; the modern reader seeks to understand how much of it is supported by logic and history.

Sanghavi argues that traditional biographies, saturated with embellishments, fail to satisfy this critical inquirer. While a devout follower might reconcile these elements, a neutral observer is left wanting. This difficulty in providing satisfactory answers to the younger generation is the primary reason for the demand for historically grounded biographies.

The author then delves into specific examples of traditionally presented events that challenge a historical perspective:

Two Mothers and Two Fathers: The description of Mahavir having two mothers (Devananda, a Brahmin woman, and Trishala, a Kshatriya woman) and implied two fathers is presented as logically impossible from a human biological standpoint. Sanghavi suggests that Devananda was the biological mother, and Trishala was the adoptive or nurturing mother. He hypothesizes that Trishala, a childless wife of Siddhartha, may have taken Mahavir in. The discrepancy in the scriptures, he argues, arose from a later effort to reconcile Mahavir's popular association with Trishala with the reality of his birth to Devananda. This led to the concept of garbhasankraman (transfer of embryo) to explain how Mahavir could be the son of both, a concept further complicated by later attempts to explain away potential caste hierarchy issues.
Shaking Mount Meru with a Thumb: The depiction of an infant Mahavir shaking Mount Meru with his thumb is presented as a clear example of hyperbolic storytelling, not historical fact. He likens this to similar miraculous feats attributed to figures like Hanuman lifting Mount Kailash or Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan. Sanghavi believes these fantastical elements were introduced by Jain authors to entertain their devotees, much like Puranic storytellers, and that this competitive inclusion of miraculous events led to a loss of critical discernment in their writings.
Divine Intervention and Celestial Beings: The presence of countless gods and goddesses constantly attending to Mahavir is also considered unhistorical. He notes that similar fantastical elements are found in Buddhist texts describing Buddha's life. The inclusion of such divine interventions in Mahavir's biography, he suggests, was influenced by the prevailing cultural milieu and a desire to satisfy the beliefs of followers who were accustomed to such narratives.

Sanghavi emphasizes that a historically accurate biography must rely on a critical examination of all available material, regardless of its sectarian origin. He identifies three primary sources for such a biography:

Literary Sources: Including Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain ancient literature.
Geographical Sources: Identifying and personally visiting places mentioned in Mahavir's life, as many have retained their names or similar forms over millennia.
Traditional Practices and Lifestyles: Analyzing the ethical and behavioral patterns of Jain householders and ascetics, which reflect Mahavir's teachings and influence.

He argues that historical writers should not prioritize popular notions of greatness but rather focus on the authentic core of Mahavir's life – his self-purification (आत्मलक्षी) and his spiritual guidance to others (परलक्षी). The author points to the Acharanga Sutra's ninth chapter as a rare, authentic, and unembellished account of Mahavir's spiritual discipline during his ascetic period.

Sanghavi stresses the importance of understanding the socio-religious context in which Mahavir lived. This includes:

The prevalence of animal and even human sacrifice in Vedic rituals and Mahavir's strong opposition to such violence.
The deep-rooted caste system and untouchability, particularly the exclusion of Shudras, and Mahavir's radical inclusion of people from all castes, including the very lowest (like Chandals), into his monastic order. He draws a parallel to Mahatma Gandhi's efforts to eradicate untouchability.

He highlights that Mahavir did not initiate a entirely new tradition but revived the teachings of his predecessor, Parshvanath. Understanding this revival involves examining what changes Mahavir introduced, his relationship with followers of the older tradition, and his core beliefs and practices. The author notes that the Buddhist Pitakas provide corroborating evidence for many aspects of Mahavir's life and teachings, such as his asceticism and the existence of both nude and clothed ascetics in his order.

Finally, Sanghavi acknowledges the historical debate regarding the chronology of Buddha and Mahavir's lives, referencing Professor Jacobi's conclusion that Mahavir's nirvana occurred after Buddha's. He emphasizes that a historical biographer must meticulously examine all events described in Jain scriptures, distinguishing between factual accounts and later embellishments, especially when comparing texts like the Kalpa Sutra with Buddhist scriptures like the Mahavastu and Lalitavistara.

In essence, Sanghavi advocates for a critical, evidence-based approach to Mahavir's biography, moving beyond sectarian veneration to a more historically grounded understanding of his human efforts and spiritual teachings, thereby fulfilling the "demand of the times."