Mahāvīra (literally, 'the great hero') is the 24th or last Jina, or deified saint, of the Jains (q.v.). His legendary history is given in the Kalpa-Sūtra and the Mahāvīra-Charitra, two works held in great authority by the Jains.
Mahāvīra
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 6: Humber to Malta, p. 806
Source scan(s): p. 0821