was approached during this period by the AJIVIKA
ascetic Makkhali Gosala, who, upon seeing his
magical yogic powers, became his disciple and
companion. Unfortunately, they report, Gosala
eventually broke away and declared himself a jina
or spiritual victor, cursing Mahavira when the lat-
ter contradicted his claim.
After an amazingly difficult and extended
period of austerity, in which Mahavira showed
no concern for any bodily insult or trial, he
ascended to kevalajnana enlightenment—an infi-
nite supreme knowledge and intuition. He then
became the 24th and final Tirthankara of the cur-
rent half-era.
When he became enlightened and omniscient,
the gods built him a vast assembly hall, where he
sat quietly and uttered a divine sound that carried
the essence of the Jain teaching. The Digambaras
believe that the message was heard by all beings of
every sort—heavenly beings, hell beings, humans,
animals, and gods—all of whom gathered there
in amazement; they also believe that Mahavira
no longer ate, drank, slept, or aged, as a sign of
his pure state. Shvetambaras believe that only the
gods and a select few disciples heard his teach-
ing. A Jain community began to form around him
from that moment, though he made no effort to
create it.
After his enlightenment, Mahavira lived for 30
years as an omniscient being, traveling from place
to place. At the age of 72, after undergoing a series
of ever more rigorous fasts, he took his death. He
passed from this world, his soul heading toward
the top of the universe, where it remains eternally
in unlimited consciousness and bliss.
Historians believe that a Jain community of
monks, nuns, and lay people emerged during
Mahavira’s lifetime. Nuns always outnumbered
monks in the community by a significant margin.
Further reading: Paul Dundas, The Jains (London:
Routledge, 1992); P. S. Jaini, The Jaina Path of Purifica-
tion (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1990); L. C. Lalwani,
Kalpa Sutra (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1979).
mahayuga
A Mahayuga or “great age,” is a traditional Indian
unit of TIME In Hindu tradition. It consists of four
YUGAS in descending order, totaling 4,320,000
years.Further reading: Cornelia Dimmitt and J. A. B. van
Buitenen, Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the
Sanskrit Puranas (Philadelphia: Temple University
Press, 1978); W. J. Wilkins, Hindu Mythology, Vedic and
Puranic, 2d ed. (Calcutta: Rupa, 1973).Mahendranath, Sri (Lawrence Amos
Miles) (1911–1991) tantric teacher
Sri Mahendranath was a British-born student of a
great variety of Eastern religious movements. He
founded an ashram to teach his syncretic system
of twilight YOGA. Lawrence Amos Miles was born
on April 29, 1911, in London, England. As a child,
he was interested in spiritual questions and the
pagan way of life, and as a young man he had
a series of unique experiences that forecast his
devotion to the inner life.
In his early 20s Miles met Aleister Crowley
(1875–1947), who suggested that he study the I
Ching with Asian adepts. Miles went to India in
1953 and was initiated into SANNYAS (renuncia-
tion) by Sadguru Lokanath, a teacher in the Adi-
nath branch of the Nath Sampradaya School (see
NAT H YOGIS). This tantric order (see TANTRISM) is
unorthodox in its practices, which include wan-
dering and nudity. During his 30 years as a renun-
ciant in India, Miles studied with other GURUS and
was initiated into two other schools, the Kaula
and the Sahajiya, both of which are “left-handed”
tantric sects, meaning that they use the impurities
of life as a means of SELF-REALIZATION. He also went
to Bhutan, where he was initiated into Tibetan
Buddhism; to Malaysia, where he became a Tao-
ist priest; and to Sri Lanka, where he became a
Theravadin monk.
In 1975, he founded an ashram in Gujarat
and began to teach a spiritual system calledK 272 mahayuga