Synopsis Nature was in its full bloom, heralding the dawn of an auspi­cious event.. ..BIRTH. Mahavir was born in the year 599 B.C.E. on Saturday, 19 March (the 13th day of the bright half of the moon in the month of Caitra) at Kundagram, near Vaishali in Bihar. Kundagram was a republic of the Jftatri Kshatriyas.

Mahavir's father, king Siddhartha was the head of the State. His mother Trishala, also called Priyakarini was the sister or daugh­ter of Cetak, the famous head of Vaishali Republic and was of the Licchavi clan. On conception of the son in the mother's womb, the treasure and agricultural produce increased in the state. Therefore, the father named the son VARDHAMAN. Then right from child­hood, due to purity of thought and his many acts of bravery, young Vardhaman captured the titles of SANMATI and MAHAVIR.