Leader/Founder
According to the Kalpasutra, before Mahavira's final rebirth, when he was after many lifetimes ready to achieve enlightenment, he took the form of an embryo in the womb of Devananda, a Brahmin woman. Sakra, or Indra, the king of the gods, believed that it was not fitting for a future great spiritual leader to be born to a woman of the Brahmin caste and that he should be born instead into a royal family of warrior caste. Accordingly the commander of Indra's army, Harinegamesin, who is depicted with a goat's head (or sometimes an antelope's), removed the embryo and transplanted it into the womb of a woman of the warrior caste (Kshatriya) called Trisala. Trisala experienced 14 auspicious dreams, interpreted as foretelling the birth of a universal sovereign or a spiritual leader. The dream images had also been seen by Devananda when Mahavira was in her womb. Mahavira was subsequently born to Trisala and her husband, King Siddhartha, and was given the name Vardhamana. In adult life Mahavira renounced the householder's life and all his worldly wealth and power, and became a homeless mendicant. He is often shown giving away his possessions to the poor. During years of wandering as a homeless ascetic, Mahavira endured great hardships, including cruel treatment by men and attacks by animals, and earned the name Mahavira or 'great hero'. In the 13th year of wandering he gained enlightenment. This event is seldom depicted. However, the gods constructed a heavenly preaching hall, the samavasarana, for him when he had attained enlightenment. Mahavira is depicted in the center of a samavasarana, where gods, men and animals come together in peace to hear him preach. Jain temples are conceived as replicas on earth of these celestial assembly halls. Finally, in the town of Papa or Pava, in Bihar, he attained final release (moksha) and became a Jina.