Tirthankara Bhagawan Mahavira : 05. Cyavana-Kalyanaka (The Auspicious Event Of Conception) [Lie.26-27th]

05. Cyavana-Kalyanaka (The Auspicious Event Of Conception) [Lie.26-27th]

It is only as a human being that a soul can attain perfection. But such perfected souls, tirthamkaras of Arhats, come from heaven of hell, Where they had preceding birth. Bhagavan Mahavira was a god in the Pranata Kalpa of the Vaimanika Nikaya (a celestial region) in his preceding birth. At the proper time he entered a foetus in the womb of Devananda, a Brahmin person of Jalandhara Gotra ad wife of Rsabhadatta of Kodala Gotra and a leader of Brahmanakundapura - a suburb of Vaisali. This apostle of Ahimsa was born for the uplift of all souls in the three worlds. The five land-marks in his life are:

1. Conception,
2. Birth,
3. Initiation
4. Attainment of omniscience (Kevala-Jnana) and
5. Attaining liberation.

These five are termed as Panca-kalyanakas in the Jain scriptures.
This illustration depicts the first Kalyanaka (Cyavana)- the descent in the foetus.