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Lord Mahavir was a Tirthankar who taught how to walk the path to liberation from the cycle of life and death to attain Moksha – abundant, infinite, eternal bliss and how to find the hero within one’s self. On the day of Mahavir Jayanti, the Jains dig deep down within themselves to find the self-control to detach themselves from certain worldly pleasures, instead of collecting temporary, material possessions. For some Jains it is like Christmas – a time for giving the gifts of compassion and friendship to those less fortunate than ourselves, and sharing whatever qualities we have, with those that deserve them.
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Jains celebrate Mahavir Jayanti as the day when Trishla Mata gave birth to Lord Mahavir, over 2600 years ago. They celebrate it on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the Indian month Chaitr (March or April). Similar to celebrations in other religions, Mahavir Jayanti commemorates the birth of one who spiritually inspires many.In Jainism also, the same truth was taught by Mahavir. When the senses are allowed to have their way, all kinds of reactions occur. It is only when the senses are brought under unified control that the nature of Divinity can be comprehended. The eyes have the power of sight. The ears can hear. The powers of all the sense organs - seeing, hearing, speaking, etc., are derived from the Divine. It is the Divine that enables the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the mind to think and to have various experiences. It is when all these sensory processes are brought under unified control (by the conquest of the senses) that man becomes a conqueror a "Jina" - as termed by the Jains. Because he had conquered his senses the title of victor was conferred on Mahavira.4
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