Bhagwan Mahavira, the 24th and final Tirthankara of Jainism, was born in 599 B.C. in Bihar, India. In his early 30s, he renounced his family and royal status, forsaking all worldly possessions, even clothing, to embrace the life of a monk. He wandered barefoot, abstained from eating for extended periods of time, and spent years practicing meditation to make sure he did not harm wildlife or birds. He advocated that achieving self-liberation can be facilitated by having correct faith (Samyak-Darshan), right knowledge (Samyak-Jnana), and proper action (Samyak-Charitra).