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Diwali
festival was first time mentioned
in Harivamsha Purana written by Acharya Jinasena, and composed in the Shaka Samvat era in the year 705.
Acharya Jinasena mentions that Bhagavan Mahavira, attained
nirvana at Pavapuri in the month of Kartika,
Krashna paksh, during swati nakshatra, at the time of dawn.
In Harivamsha-Purana sloka 19 and in sloka 20 he writes
that the
gods illuminated Pavanagari by lamps to mark the occasion. Since
that time the people of Bharat celebrate the famous festival
of "Dipalika" to worship the Jinendra on the
occasion of his nirvana.
ततस्तु
लोकः प्रतिवर्षमादरात्,
प्रसिद्धदीपालिकयात्र
भारते|
समुधतः पूजयितुं
जिनेश्वरम्,
जिनेन्द्र निर्वाण
विभूतिभक्तिभाक् ||(हरिवशं
पुराण)
tatastuh lokah prativarsham-aadarat
prasiddha-deepalikaya-aatra bharate
samudyatah poojayitum jineshvaram
jinendra-nirvana vibhuti-bhaktibhak
It means, the gods illuminated Pavanagari by lamps to mark the occasion. Since that time, the people of Bharat celebrate the famous festival of
"Dipalika" to worship the Lord Mahavira on the occasion of his nirvana.
Bhagwan
Mahavira, attained Nirvana on this day at Pavapuri on Oct. 15, 527
BCE |
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An ancient mention of Lord Mahavira's nirvana and lightening of
lamps occurs in
Kalpasutra of BhadraBahu, v. 123, "When Lord Mahavira came to
Madhyam Pava for his last varshavas, it was the fourth month of the
rainy season, seventh paksha, and
krashna of kartik. It was then the last day of krashna of
kartik. That night Lord
Mahavira attained nirvana." Kalpasutra mentions that due to the
presense of gods, the night was
illuminated. It further says "that On the amavasya
night, 16 gana-kings, 9 Malla and 9 Lichchhavi, of
Kasi and Kosal, illuminted their doors. They said: "The
light of knowledge
is gone, we will make light of ordinary matter". Bhagavan Mahavira discarded the body and the bondage of
all Karmas on that night of Diwali, at Pavapuri and attained Mukti
or deliverance. Thus
we have been celebrating Diwali with lights sine the nirvana of
Lord Mahavira.
It is celebrated with with a special worship the next
morning. In the early morning after the day of Diwali,
Ganadhar Gautam Swami, the first disciple of Lord Mahavira attained
absolute enlightenment. This could be another probable cause for
celebrating the Diwali as the festivals of lights.
Vira Nirvana Samvat: The Jain year starts with Pratipada following Diwali. Vira
Nirvana Samvat 2535 starts with Diwali on October 28, 2008. The Jain businesspeople
traditionally started their accounting year from Diwali. |
