Mahavira Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira is being celebrated this year on April 18, 2008. This festival is  connected with the great auspicious event of the birth of Lord Mahavira. According to the Digambar school of Jainism, Lord Mahavira was born in the year 615 BC, but the Swetambaras believe that he was born in 599 BC. Both sects however agree that he was the son of Siddhartha and Trisala. It is said that  mother Trishala had sixteen auspicious dreams (Dreams of Mother Trishala ) before the child was born (only 14 according to the Swetambaras). Astrologers interpreting these dreams, stated that the child would be either an emperor or a Tirthankara. 
  To liberate one's self, Mahavira taught the necessity of right faith 
(samyak- darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct 
(samyak-charitra').  At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great 
vows:
Nonviolence (Ahimsa) - not to cause harm to any living beings; 
Truthfulness (Satya) - to speak the harmless truth only; 
Non-stealing (Asteya) - not to take anything not properly given; 
Chastity (Brahmacharya) - not to indulge in sensual pleasure; 
Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha) - complete detachment from people, places, and material things. 
   Lord Mahavira's metaphysics consist of three principles - Anekantavada, SyÄdvÄda, and Karma. Lord Mahavira preached that from eternity, every living being (soul) is in bondage of karmic atoms accumulated by good or bad deeds. Under karma, the soul seeks temporary and illusory pleasure in materialistic possessions, which are the deep rooted causes of self-centered violent thoughts, deeds, anger, hatred, greed, and other vices. These result in further accumulation of karmas. To liberate one's self, Mahavira taught the necessity of right faith (samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct (samyak-charitra'). 

Bhagwan Mahavira
  Sign -Loin 
 Mahavira's images are mostly either in 'kayotsarga- mudra' or in 'padmasana'. Besides his lion emblem and a slightly different modeling of head, the images of Mahavira are largely identical to those of other Tirthankara. There are various Jain text describing life of Lord Mahavira. Most notable of them is Kalpasutra by Acharya Bhadrabahu I.

  Lord Mahavira was the son of the king Siddartha and  lived as a prince. At the age of thirty Mahavira renounced his kingdom and family, gave up his worldly possessions, and spent twelve years as an ascetic. During these twelve years he spent most of his time meditating. He gave utmost regard to other living beings, including humans, animals and plants, and avoided harming them. He had given up all worldly possessions including his clothes, and lived an extremely austere life. His courage and 
braveness earned him the name Mahavira. At the end of twelve years  he achieved Keval Gyan and became a person of infinite harmony, knowledge and self-control.
  Mahavira devoted the rest of his life to preaching the eternal truth of spiritual freedom to people around India. He traveled barefoot and without clothes, in the hardest of climates, and people from all walks of life came to listen to his message. Lord Mahavira's preaching and efforts  spread Jain philosophy throughout India and world. At the age of 72 years and 4.5 months, he attained Nirvana at Pawapuri.

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