Picture of the Week: Mahavira

(CHAKRA) Mahavira is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian holy man Vardham?na who established what are today considered to be the central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Aruka or Arukadevan. He is also known in texts as Vira or Viraprabhu, Sanmati, Ativira,and Gnatputra. In the Buddhist Pali Canon, he is referred to as Nigantha Nitaputta.