When Mahavir was a child and youth , was he aware of the previous tirthankars like Pashwnaath and Adinath ? What kind of religious childhood and lifestyle did he lead in the childhood and youth days ?
Based on the sources, Mahavira was indeed aware of the previous Tirthankaras, particularly Parshva. His parents were followers of Parshva, the penultimate Tirthankara who lived about 250 years earlier, and Mahavira is described not as the founder of Jainism but as its "rejuvenator, propagator and exponent" of a tradition taught by Parshva and other omniscient teachers [5]. This indicates he was raised in a religious environment that recognized the lineage of Tirthankaras, including earlier ones like Adinath (Rshabha), who is mentioned as the first Tirthankara in the tradition [1].
As a child and youth, Mahavira led a princely but spiritually inclined life. He was born into a royal Kshatriya family in Kundalpur (part of the Vaishali republic) to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala, and was named Vardhaman because the family's prosperity increased after his conception [3][4]. From early childhood, he was unusually intelligent, fearless, affectionate, and compassionate; he excelled at school with hardly any instruction needed, and showed courage by catching a snake and remaining unmoved by a giant monster [3][4]. He received a thorough education as a royal prince, studying the arts, the Vedas with their angas, and the whole range of Brahmanical learning [1]. He realized at an early age that worldly happiness is impermanent and based on the misery of others, so he planned to renounce the world, but he delayed doing so because he knew his parents would be sad; he married Princess Yashoda and had a daughter (per the Shvetambara tradition) before his parents passed away when he was 28 [3][4]. After their death, he renounced the world and pursued a life of severe austerities for twelve years before attaining Kevalinship [1][5].
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The early days of Mahavir (born as Prince Vardhaman) were spent in a royal Kshatriya family, as Jain tradition holds that all Tirthankaras are born into warrior royal families because it provides an environment to experience that material comfort brings no permanent happiness [2]. His parents were King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala, who was the sister of King Chetak of Vaishali [2][3]. The family prospered from the moment of his conception, which is why he was named Vardhaman, meaning "ever-increasing prosperity" [2][4]. He had an older brother named Nandivardhan and a sister named Sudarshana [2][4]. The sources do not mention Mahavir hunting or eating meat as a child. His childhood is described as unusually intelligent, fearless, affectionate, and compassionate — he excelled at school with little instruction and showed great courage, such as catching a snake by the tail and throwing it away, and remaining unmoved when a giant monster tried to frighten him [3][4]. This bravery earned him the name Mahavir, meaning "very brave" [4]. His parents, along with the Naya Kshatriyas, were worshippers of Lord Parsva Nath (the 23rd Tirthankara), and they established a monastery named Duipalasa near their town to provide facilities for Parsvanath worshippers performing their religious rites [1]. At a mature age, he married Princess Yashoda and had a daughter named Priyadarshana (though the Digambar tradition holds he did not marry) [3]. He realized worldly pleasures were fleeting and wanted to renounce, but waited until his parents passed away when he was 28 years old [3][4].
Bhagavan Mahavir had an elder brother named Nandivardhan and a sister named Sudarshana [1, 3, 4, 5].
The "8 days" refers to the eight specific days in the Jain calendar that are designated as *asvadhyaya* (periods when scriptural study is prohibited) due to the four great festivals (*Mahotsavas*) and the four days following them (*Mahapratipada*). These are: the full moon days (Purnima) of Ashadh, Ashwin (Asoj), Kartik, and Chaitra, plus the first day of the bright fortnight (Ekam) following each of these full moons—specifically in Shravan, Kartik, Margashirsha, and Vaishakh [1][3][5]. These eight days are the only ones with direct scriptural authority for this type of festival-related prohibition. While some regional traditions have added other days, such as the Bhadarva (Bhadrapada) Purnima, bringing the total to ten days in some areas, these additions are considered mere tradition without original scriptural proof [1]. The core eight days are the ones mentioned in the sutras, and studying on them incurs the prescribed atonement (*prayashchitta*) [1]. The eight-day duration also aligns with the tradition of the eight-day festival (*Ashtanhika*) celebrated in honor of the Chakra Ratna, as described in the Jambudveep Pragnapti, where King Bharat ordered an eight-day grand festival [2].
The 24 Tirthankars of the current time cycle (Avasarpini) are: 1. Rushabhadev (Ädinäth) — symbol: Bull 2. Ajitnäth — Elephant 3. Sambhavnäth — Horse 4. Abhinandan-swämi — Monkey 5. Sumatinäth — Curlew/Red Goose 6. Padmaprabha — Red Lotus 7. Supärshvanäth — Swastika 8. Chandraprabha — Crescent Moon 9. Suvidhinäth (Pushpadanta) — Crocodile 10. Shitalnäth — Shrivatsa/Wishing Tree 11. Shreyänsnäth — Rhinoceros 12. Väsupujya-swämi — Buffalo 13. Vimalnäth — Boar 14. Anantnäth — Bear/Hawk 15. Dharmnäth — Thunderbolt 16. Shäntinäth — Deer 17. Kunthunäth — Goat 18. Aranäth — Nandavarta/Fish 19. Mallinäth — Water Pot 20. Munisuvrat-swämi — Tortoise 21. Naminäth — Blue Lotus 22. Neminäth — Conch Shell 23. Pärshvanäth — Snake 24. Mahävirswämi (Vardhamän) — Lion The first Tirthankar, Rushabhadev, is also known as Ädinäth, and the last is Mahävirswämi. Most Tirthankars attained nirvana at Samet Shikhar, except Rushabhadev (Ashtapad/Kailasha), Väsupujya (Champäpuri), Neminäth (Girnar), and Mahävir (Päväpuri) [1][2].
According to Jain scriptures, the next (future) set of 24 Tirthankaras will appear in the coming ascending time cycle (Utsarpini Kaal) in Bharat-kshetra. Their names, as listed in the Samvayang Sutra, are: **1. Padma, 2. Surdev, 3. Suparshva, 4. Swamprabh, 5. Sarvathbhoot, 6. Devputra, 7. Kulputra, 8. Udak, 9. Proshthil, 10. Jaykirti, 11. Munisuvrat, 12. Aranath, 13. Apap, 14. Nishkashay, 15. Vipul, 16. Nirmal, 17. Chitragupt, 18. Samadhigupt, 19. Swambhu, 20. Anivriti, 21. Vijay, 22. Vimal, 23. Devpal, and 24. Anantvirya** [1][4]. The first of these, Padma, will be the 16th Kulkar (patriarch) of the future era, with a lifespan of 100 years and a height of 7 arnis (cubits). The last, Anantvirya, will have a lifespan of 1 crore years and a height of 500 dhanush (bows) [4]. Additionally, the scriptures note that these 24 future Tirthankaras had specific previous births, including well-known figures like Shrenik, Vasudeva Krishna, Baldeva Rama, and Devaki [1][2]. It is also mentioned that a separate set of 24 Tirthankaras will appear in the Airavat Varsh region of Jambudweep during the same time cycle [3].
According to the Jain scriptures, Lord Mahavir's height was **seven cubits (सात हाथ)** tall [1][2][3]. A cubit is an ancient unit of length based on the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, typically around 18–21 inches (45–53 cm). Therefore, seven cubits would roughly translate to approximately **10.5 to 12.25 feet (3.2 to 3.7 meters)** tall. The scriptures also describe his body as having a *sam-chaturasra* (perfectly symmetrical) structure with a *vajra-rishabh-narach* constitution, meaning his joints were perfect and exceptionally strong [1][2][3]. His complexion was fair, like a line of gold or the pollen of a lotus [2][3].