Vardhaman (Mahavira) And The Monster

ONE AFTERNOON, PRINCE VARDHAM�N WAS PLAYING A CATCH AND RIDE GAME WITH HIS FRIENDS. THE PERSON WHO WON WOULD GET TO RIDE ON THE BACK OF THE LOSER. A NEW CHILD JOINED THEIR GAME. THIS CHILD WAS EASY TO CATCH, AND HE LOST EVERY TIME. ALMOST EVERY CHILD GOT TO RIDE ON HIS BACK. PRINCE VARDHAM�N ALSO CAUGHT THE NEW CHILD. VARDHAM�N ALSO RODE ON HIS BACK.

(A FEW MINUTES LATER)

WHILE VARDHAM�N WAS ON HIS BACK, THE CHILD STARTED TO GROW BIGGER AND TALLER. AT FIRST, VARDHAM�N'S FRIENDS WATCHED THIS WITH CURIOSITY. LATER WHEN THE CHILD'S FACE BEGAN TO TURN WEIRD, THE CHILDREN GOT SCARED AND STARTED TO RUN AWAY IN PANIC. SOME CHILDREN CLIMBED UP THE TREES WHILE OTHERS RAN TO TELL THEIR PARENTS. DURING ALL OF THIS, VARDHAM�N REMAINED CALM AND BRAVE. THE MONSTER KEPT GROWING VERY TALL SO VARDHAM�N HIT THE MONSTER IN THE HEAD WITH HIS FIST. THE MONSTER TRIED TO THROW VARDHAM�N OFF HIS BACK TO AVOID THE PAIN, BUT HE COULD NOT SUCCEED.

ULTIMATELY THE MONSTER GAVE UP AND ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS. VARDHAM�N FORGAVE THE MONSTER. THE MONSTER CALLED HIM "MAH�VIRA", WHICH MEANS STRONG ONE. SINCE THEN, PRINCE VARDHAM�N WAS CALLED MAH�VIRA.

Questions:

1) What game were they playing?

2) Did anyone else join their game?

3) What did the new child do when Vardham�n rode on his back?

4) What did Vardham�n do to the monster?

5) Why is Vardham�n called Mah�vira?