Bhagwan Mahavir was the last and the twenty fourth Tirthankar of this era in the Jain tradition. He had a highly developed multifaceted personality. He scintil-lated with the infinitely intense glow of the pure soul.

But the seeds of this grandeur and greatness of Bhagwan Mahavir were sown in the remote past. He had been doing vigorous penance, indulging in altruism and practicing deep meditation in many of his past incarnations. From this angle the incidents from earlier incarnations of this supreme soul are very important and inspiring.