History of Bengali Language and Literature c5.8

c5.8

In Bengal new ideas in religion have ever found a fit soil to grow upon, and it is interesting to observe, that out of the twenty-four Tīrthankaras (divine men) of the Jains, twenty-three attained Mokṣa (salvation) in Bengal. The place of their religious activity was Samet-çekhara or the Pārçvanāth hills in the district of Hāzārībāgh and many of the Tīrthankaras, such for instance as Çreamçgunāth and Vāsupujya, were born in Bengal.* The greatest of the Jaina Tīrthankaras—Mahavira spent eighteen years of his life preaching his faith in Rāḍa Deça (Western Bengal).