Bhagwan Mahavira’s First Sermon and the Celestial Homage
By Unexhibited
Summary
In October 2022, the third issue of the magazine "Voice of the Practitioners of Jain Dharma" (Vol. 3, Issue 3) recounted the story of Bhagwan Mahavira’s birth and the event of Gandhar. The narrative begins in 607 B.C. in the village of Gobar, Magadha, where a Brahmin couple, Vasubhuti and Prithvi Gautam, raised three sons—Indrabhuti, Agnibhuti, and Viyubhuti—all accomplished scholars of Hindu scriptures and rituals, each with 500 disciples. The story highlights Indrabhuti’s prominence during a grand sacrificial ceremony (Yajna) organized by Brahmin Somil in Apipi, where forty-four hundred Brahmins gathered. Indrabhuti, as the head priest, conducted the ritual amid great excitement over the impending sacrifice of animals. However, celestial beings descending from heaven bypassed the ceremony, heading instead toward the Mahisen forest to honor Bhagwan Mahavira, who had just attained Keval-jnana (omniscience) and was about to deliver his first sermon in Ardha-Migadhi, a common language. Indrabhuti’s frustration at being ignored by the divine beings underscored the shift in spiritual focus. The article, originally published on Shrimad.com in 2011, is secured under copyright.
Conclusion
This document highlights the pivotal moment when Indrabhuti Gautam, a skilled Brahmin scholar, witnesses celestial beings bypassing his ritual to honor Bhagwan Mahavira’s first sermon, marking a profound spiritual shift. The narrative underscores the transition from traditional Vedic practices to Mahavira’s teachings, emphasizing the universal appeal of his message delivered in the common language, Ardha-Migadhi. The outcome signifies the limitations of ritualistic practices and the rise of a more accessible, inclusive spiritual approach, challenging the established religious order. The celestial beings’ actions symbolize divine endorsement of Mahavira’s enlightenment and his role in guiding humanity toward a new era of spiritual understanding, as reflected in the Jain tradition.