„梂 縈Ｏ３ 蔣潮 J - Jainism, Jain Religion - colleges

17. BHAGAVAN KUNTHUNATH
The name of the powerful and illustrious king of Khadgi town in Purva Mahavideh area was Simhavaha. He was a very
devoted and religious person. When his son became young and capable, he handed over his kingdom to the son and took
Diksha from Samvaracharya. As a result of his vigorous penance and devotion for the Arhat, he earned the Tirthankar-namand-gotra-karma.
Completing his age he reincarnated in the Sarvarthasiddha dimension of gods.
From the dimension of gods he descended into the womb of Queen Shri Devi, wife of king Shursen of Hastinapur. During her
pregnancy the queen saw a heap of gemstones known as Kunthu in her dreams. This inspired the king to name him Kunthu
Kumar. The pious deeds of earlier birth resulted in unlimited power and grandeur for Kunthu Kumar. After Shursen became
an ascetic, Kunthu Kumar ascended the throne. Soon the disc weapon appeared in his armoury and he proceeded to
conquer the world with his mighty army. Without any confrontation all the kings accepted his sovereignty and Kunthunath
became a Chakravarti. Many mighty kings and princes used to be present in his court all the time. After a long and peaceful
reign of twenty three thousand seven hundred and fifty years he became an ascetic alongwith one thousand kings. Immedi-
„±üü ¿¢¢Ý¢² ½±¼é J
ately after Diksha he acquired Manahparyava Jnan. He spent sixteen years as an ordinary ascetic. Indulging in penances
and other spiritual practices, he attained omniscience on the third day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra under a Tilak
tree in the Sahasramra jungle outside Hastinapur. His first discourse was on the subject of “inner purity”.
As an omniscient ascetic Kunthunath wandered around and preached true religion for a very long period. He then went to
Sammetshikhar and observed a month long fast before breathing his last. His followers were deeply devoted to him. As
such, a large crowd was present at the moment of his Nirvana and cremation ceremony. They witnessed the ceremony with
heavy hearts and tear filled eyes. The mortal remains of Bhagavan Kunthunath were taken away by the gods for worship. (K-
1)
18. BHAGAVAN ARNATH
King Dhanpati of Susima City in Mahavideh area took Diksha from Samvar Muni and after acquiring Tirthankar-nam-andgotra-karma
he reincarnated in the Graiveyak dimension of gods. From there he descended into the womb of Queen Maha
Devi, wife of king Sudarshan of Hastinapur. Besides the fourteen great dreams that precede the conception of a Tirthankar,
queen Maha Devi also saw a gem studded wheel (Ara). Accordingly, after the birth the boy was named Ara Kumar.
When Ara Kumar became young he was married to many beautiful princesses. Later king Sudarshan gave the kingdom to
Ara Kumar and became an ascetic. For some years Arnath ruled as a regional king. Gradually his power and glory increased
and one-day the disc weapon appeared in his armoury. He conquered the six continents and became a Chakravarti. In his
attendance were thirty two thousand kings.
Amar Muni - Tirthankar Charitra - Surana # 20
jainuniversity.org
After a long and successful reign, one day Emperor Arnath was thinking about the ever changing seasons. This triggered a
chain of sublime thoughts that lead to complete detachment. He renunciated all the wealth, power and glory and became an
ascetic. He did spiritual practices and wandered around. After three years he arrived in the Sahasramra jungle outside
Hastinapur and stood in meditation under a mango tree. With the fire of higher meditation he burnt one after another the four
vitiating Karmas including illusory, knowledge obstructing, perception obstructing, and power hindering. Consequently he
attained omniscience. His first discourse after attaining omniscience was on the subject of “how to win over the enemies like
attachment and aversion”. (A-1)
In this first religious assembly thousands of individuals became ascetics including his 32 chief disciples headed by Kumbh.
Spending a long period of twenty one thousand years wandering and promoting religion, he finally arrived at Sammetshikhar
and attained liberation.
The sixth and seventh Vasudevas and Baldevas and the eighth Chakravarti (Subhum) were his followers.
19. BHAGAVAN MALLINATH
In the Aparvideh area there was a city named Vitshoka. A powerful king Mahabal ruled it. He was very intimate with six other
kings who were his childhood friends. Influenced by discourses of ascetics, king Mahabal decided to follow the spiritual path.
He sought opinion of his six childhood friends with the remark-I want to become an ascetic, do you also?
All the six friends replied, “We have been together during both good and bad times. When we have enjoyed the mundane life
in company, it would be shameful if we part company on the spiritual path. We shall become ascetics together and we shall
do all spiritual practices together”.
The seven kings took Diksha from Varadharma Muni and started the spiritual practices earnestly. The bug of ego bit Mahabal.
He thought, “I have always been ahead of my friends. Now, if I do the same practices I will remain at the same level. As such
I should do a little more and be ahead as before”> with this feeling Mahabal started secretly doing more practices than the
others did. All the seven friends would formally take vow of some specific penance together but when on conclusion, other
www.jainuniversity.org