•  
  •  
  •  
  •  
 

Shri Shantinath, 16th Tirthankara

 

By Chandraprakash Shah

 

Samyag Darshn, Gyan, Caritrani Moksha Marg : One who has cooled down the sins and helps to remove hurdles of all living beings of the world, such auspicious and benevolent, 16th Tirthanakara and 5th Cakrin, Bhgawan Shantinath is yet felt victorious in the world. I shall bow down to him and with his blessings and the blessing of Goddess Sarswati, I shall narrate his Caritra. His Caritra, can not be equated even to the millions of the Sun, which can destroy the darkness of Delusions.

There are countable Twelve births of Bhagwan Shantinath. They are :
King Shrishena
Yugalika in Uttarkurukshetra
God in Saudharma heaven
Amitatej-Prince of Arkakirti
Heavenly god in 10th heaven Pranat-20 sagars life span
Aparajit Baldeva-in East Mahavideha-life span of 84,00, 000 purva
Heavenly Indra in 12th heaven Achyuta-22 sagars life span
Vajrayudh Cakri-the son of Tirthankar Kshemanakar in East Mahvideh
Heavenly god in Navgraivayak heaven
Megharath-The son of Dhanarath in East Mahavideh in the area where Simandharswami is moving at present. 
heavenly god in Sarvartha Siddha Heaven-33 sagars life span
16th Tirthankara and 5th Cakrin in Bharat Kshetra

Billions of years ago, there lived a king named Shrishena, in the town of Ratnapur of Southern part of Bharatkshetra. He was joined by his two beautiful queens named Abhinandita and Shikhinandita. He was enjoying worldly life with them and passing his time. While enjoying sensual pleasures with king Shrishena, Abhinandita turned pregnant and she saw two both the Sun and the Moon sitiing in her lap at the time of midnight in the dream. She gave birth to two healthy and beautiful luminous sons at the completion of pregnancy period. At appropriate time they were named as Indushen and Bindushen. Both grew up with happiness and pleasures and attained the age of cupid.

There is an internal story within this story of Kapil and Satyabhama. This is related to Shrishena and hence it is narrated here in very brief. Kapil was illegitimate son of Brahmin named Dharnijat. He was very intelligent and clever. He married to the daughter of another Brahmin Satyaki and his wife Jambuka. Knowing some unusual behaviour of her husband, she approached king Shrishena and pleaded that please free her from her husband’s noose. King called Kapil and requested him to waive her. Kapil denied vehemently. But Satyabhama was adamant and threatened that if he would not leave her she would suicide. King proposed to Kapil to allow her to stay alone in his palace for some time. He agreed to proposal.

In the same Bharatkshetra of Jambudwipa, there is a town called Kaushambi. A king named Bala was enjoying the life with his wife Shrimati. They both had a beautiful daughter named as Shrimati. As she grew up, he sent her to marry Indushen, the son of king Shrishena. He also sent alongwith her one maid servant. She too was beautiful. Indushen and Bindushen both saw this maid servant and turned attached towards her with passions. They started infighting to obtain her. King Shrisena observed this and became very unhappy and disappointed. He could not cool down both. Ultimately he alongwith his two queens smelt poisonous lotus and died. Satyabhama thought that Kapil now would not allow her to stay in the palace and would harass her. She also smelt poisonous lotus and died. They all have born as Yuagalia (twins) in Uttarkuru kshetra of this Jambudwipa. Shrishena and Abhinandita became man and woman, while Shikhinandita and Satyabhama turned to be man and woman respectively. They were in three Kosha heights and had three Pallyopama years of life. After completion of their life they all went to Saudharma heaven and turned out to be heavenly gods. This is the third birth of Bhagwan Shantinath.

Now the relation with the soul of Bhagwan Mahavir starts to certain extent. At the time of 11th Tirthanakara Shri Shreyanshanath was converting the earth pious with his Lotus feet, in this Bharatkhsetra, there is town called Rathnupur Cakrawal. A vidyadhar called Jwalanjati was the king of this town. He had prince named Arkakirti and princess named Svyamprbha. Arkakirti married to Jyotirmala, the daughter of Meghvan. Princess Svyamprabha married to Triprushth Narayana. Remember this Narayana is the soul of Bhagwan Mahavir and the first Narayana of this Chauvishi in this Bharatkshetra. Triprushtha Narayan had one elder brother called Achal He was first Baldeva. Jyotirmala gave birth to the souls of king Shrishena and Satyabhama. They were named as Amittej and Sutara respectively. This is the fourth birth fo Bhagwan Shantinath. Svaymaprabha gave birth to the soul of Abhinandita as son. He named as Shrivijay. Remember this Shrivijay will be the son of Bhagawan Shantinath in the last birth and his first Gandhar too. Svayamprabha also gave birth to daughter, named as Jyotiprabha, the soul of Shilhinandita. She again gave birth to another son called Vijaybhadra.

Now there are several stories within this principal story. Triprushtha Narayana died and went to seventh hellish. Achal Baldev embraced initiation after installing Shrivijay the son of Triprushtha to the throne. He turned out to be the first Omniscience as Baldeva. Shrivijay married to the sister of Amittej, Sutara. Asnighose, the soul of Kapil kidnapped Sutara when she and Shrivijay were enjoying the spring season. Ashnighose later realized the mistake and his mother brought to the assembly of Achal Mini. He was narrating the entire past births history of all those were connected.

Amittej asked Baldev Muni to foretell his future. The Omniscience Achal told him that “You will be the 16th Jineshwara and 5th Cakrin in this Bharatkshetra. The 64 Indras will be honoured and worshipped your lotus feet you. You will be honoured through 32000 crowned kings and they will be at your feet and will have 64000 queens. You will be the sole proprietor of the land.”

Amittej and Shrivijay embraced Jain Diksha. Both conducted vigorous penances. At the same time both took vow of Anashan. Here, Shrivijay remembered his father Triprushta and asked for the similar power he had. They both died. Amittej without pre determined wish and Shrivijay with pre determined will. They both went to 10th Heaven called Pranat. This is the fifth Birth of Bhagwan Shantinath.

Vasundhara, the queen of king Stimitsagar, gave birth to Shrishena. Stimitsagar had another queen named Anuddhara. She gave birth to Abhinandita. Shriosena’s name in this sixth birth was Aparajit and Abhinandita’s name was Anantvirya. They were Baldeva and Vasudev respectively. They born in the town called Shubha in Ramaniya Vijay of East Mahavidehkshetra of Jambudwipa. There was a king named Damitari. He was Prati narayan. Anantvirya Narayana and Aparajit Baldev fought with him because of earlier entanglement in the past births. In this story there are many stories too related to the connected souls. Later on, because of predetermined will Anantvirya Narayan could not take initiation and enjoyed the earth with passions. He died and went to First hellish. Aparajit Baldeva took initiation observed best penances. He strengthened his purest faith in Tatva. He died and went to 12th Heaven. Narayn Anatvirya returned to earth as a son of Meghvahan and Meghamalini. He was named as Meghnad. Once upon a time he went to worship permanent Jinalayas in Siddhayatan. Achyutendra, the soul of Aparajit was also there. He reminded him their relationship and said to renunciation of the world. Meghnad took initiation and took vow of Anashan. At the end of life he too climbed to 12th heaven as god. This is the seventh birth of Bhagwan Shantinath.

Shrishena now in the 12th heaven at the end of his life returned to this earth, in Ratnasanchaya town of Mangalavati vijay of East Mahavidehkshetra. He was born to Ratnamala the queen of Tirthankara Kshemankara. When he entered the womb of Ratnamala, she saw 14 auspicious dreams and Vajra (thunderbolt) as the 15th dream. He was supposed to be the Cakrin. He was named as Vajrayudh. When he grew up he was married to a princess named Laxmivati. At the end of life Achyuta heaven, the soul of Anatvirya (originally Abhinandita) entered the womb of Laxmivati. She at the end of pregnancy period gave birth to a son. He was named as Sahstrayudh. It is worth noting here that Vajrayudh possessed Avadhigyan (Knowledge of clairvoyance).

Once upon a time Tirthanakara was in his court with all the sons and grandsons and family as well as the members of royal families, a heavenly god came to test the Samyaktva of Vajrayudh. He was Mithyatvi and delusional. He said that there was nothing like heaven, hellish, merits and demerits etc. Vajrayudh stood up to reply him that you know yourself very well due to your Avadhigyan and hence how can you say that there were nothing in the Universe as you said. He explained to him the Karmic theory and convinced him. The god was happy and praised the Tirthanakara’s son.

When Shakrendra was moving to Nandishwar dwipa after worshipping the Tirthanakaras in Mahavidehkshetra saw Vajrayudh. He knew that he would be the next Cakrin in this birth and future Tirthankara in Bharatkshetra, he saluted him and praised him. Kshemamnkara Tirthankara later on accepted initiation and also obtained the fourth gyan, Manahparyay. The Cakra, a powerful weapon of the Cakrin also appeared in his armoury. Vajrayudh Cakrin then set out to win the world over. There are many inter-related stories within this main story for the connected souls. Vajrayudh with his Avadhigyan narrated the past births of Shantimati. Sahstrayudh, the son of Vajrayudh, turned youth and married to Jayna. She gave birth to the son who was later called Kanakshakti. Kanakshakti, married to Vasantsena at the age of marriage. However he embraced initiation early and attained omniscience.

Later on Vajrayudh, accepted Jain Diksha before Tirthankara Kshemanakara. He was harassed by the two sons of Ashvagriva prati-narayan of the past birth. Sahstrayudh who was installed on the throne also relinquished it and took Bhagwati Pravjya. Both Vajrayudh and Sahstrayudh carried out code of conduct vigorously. They observed ten types of Yati Dharma and moved on and on. At the last leg of their life they accepted Anashan on Ishatpragbhar Mount. As the life was over they both went to the third Graiveyak heaven. This is the eighth and ninth respective births of Bhagwan Shantinath.

In the east Mahavidehkshetra of Jambudwipa there is a town called Pundarikini in Pushkalavati vijay. At present Bhagwan Simandharswami is making this land pious with his lotus feet. At that time, A king named Dhanarath was ruling over there. He was a Tirthanakara. He had two queens, named Priyamati and Manorama. Vajrayudh (originally Shrishena) after completing his 24 sagars life entered in to the womb of Priayamati. She saw thick black Megha (clouds) accompanied by thunder and lightening entering in to her mouth. Sahstrayudh too migrated to the womb of Manorama. Both the queens at the end of respective pregnancy periods gave births to two sons. Megharath was the name given to the son of Priyamati and Dradhrath to the son of Manorama. Both the brothers grew up with equal opportunities. Megharath was married to two princesses named Priyamitra and Manorama. While Dradharath married to princess Sumati. Priayamitr gave birth to Nandishena and Manorama gave birth to Meghsen. Sumati

settled with the son named Rathasen. There are several internal stories in this main story. King Dhanarath installed his son Megharath to the throne and renounced the world to embrace the Pravajya. He attained Kevalgyan.

Compassion of King Megharath : Once upon a time King Megharath was in the Paushadh (monk posture) and started studying sermons of Tirthanakaras. At that time a small dove came from somewhere and hides itself in the lap of Megharath. Immediately after that a hawk also turned up at the same spot. It asked the king to give away his prey. King declined and tried to convince the hawk. But the hawk was adamant and said to king that it was his prey and without it, it would die. It argued in the human language with the king “As this dove took your shelter because of fear, I am also hungry and it is my prey. You therefore let me know that whose shelter I should take.” The king then proposed to hawk that he would donate his flash equal to the weight of the dove to satisfy his hunger. The hawk agreed. The king called for a balance. In one pan of the balance dove settled. The king started cutting his flash from the thighs and other parts of the body and placed in another pan of the balance. The weight in the pan of dove has started increasing and the pan of the flash started decreasing. The king observing this immediately stopped cutting flash and put himself in to the pan. Then miracle happened. Both dove and hawk appeared in their original form as gods and praised the King Megharath. He also told the gatherings that they came there to examine the king’s tolerance. Then king Megharath also retired from the Paushadh and started looking after the kingdom. 

However he did not forgot the incident of dove and hawk. He went in to deep thinking and entered in to spiritual phase equanimity. He took a vow of fast for three consecutive days, Attham. He was so concentrated that even the Indranis of Ishanendra could not bother, unstable and deter him.

At the time of dawn Megharath retired from the vow and achieved absolute peace and equanimity. The omniscience Dhanarath while moving returned to the outskirts of Pundarikini. Megharath and Dradharath came there and saluted the Tirthankara and sat at appropriate place. The Tirthankara started sermons and at the end of the discourses Megharath stood up and requested Bhagwan to stay until he returned for Pravajya. He installed his son Meghsen as Dradharath denied the honour to turn king, on the throne and returned to Dhanarath Tirthanakara. They both took Pravajya. Megharath observed and accomplished Visstahank Padas. He then produced and made strong bondage of Tirthankara Naam Karma. Dradharath produced Gandhar naam Karma and made secure.

That great sage Megharath then commenced new penance named “Sinhnikridit” and carried out it till 100,000 purva years. At the near end of the life both approached and climbed “Ambartilak mount” and accepted voluntarily Anshan. At the end of life they went to highest heaven of this universe, “Sarvarth Siddha Viman.” Here the life span is 33 sagaras. These were the tenth and eleventh respective births of Bhagwan Shantinath.

As a rule mentioned in the scriptures the soul which enters in the Sarvarthasiddhaviman is certain to achieve salvation in the next birth. This is retiring room for Salvation.

The last and final Birth of Bhagwan Shantinath : At that kaalen and samayen, there was a town called Hastinapir, in the Kurudesh of Jambudwipa. A king named Vishwasen was living with her beautiful and chaste queen, named, Achira. They were in the lineage of Ishwakuvansha. This lineage starts from the rule of Bhagwan Rishabhadev. He was enjoying all the pleasant and happiness of the world along with her beautiful queen.

One day on completion of the life of 33 sagaras in the “Sarvarthsiddha,” the retiring room to travel to Moksha, the soul of Megharath entered in to the womb of queen Achira. It was seventh day of dark half of Bhadrapad month. She witnessed fourteen divine dreams entering in to her mouth which suggested that her son to be born would be either Cakrin or Arhat. She first witnessed divine elephant. It is worth while to note here that the mothers of twenty-two tirthanakaras first saw divine elephant; Marudeva and Trishla first saw Rishabh in the first dream. She woke up and passed her remaining night in meditations. In the morning she went to the bed of king Vishvasen and narrated the dream story. King said she would have Lokottar son.

On the thirteenth day of dark half of Jayeshtha month, at completion of nine months and seven and half days of pregnancy period, she gave birth to the son having golden colour and Deer as identification mark. Although there was epidemic of plague and other diseases in the Hastinapur town, these epidemics and other diseases started slowly to vanish due to the influence of the embryo soul of Bhagwan Shantinath. The name of the son therefore registered as Shantinath.

Fifty six goddesses of the eight directions (56 Dikkakumarikas) provided maternity service and sixty four Indras celebrated the Janma mahotsav of the son of queen Achira and king Vishvasen. Since the worship of the Saudharmendra is notable it is provided here. The same is as under.

“Hey my Arhat! You are benevolent to all the souls of the world; you possess wonderful supremacy and greatness and provider of the shelter to all the souls, your birth is welcome to us and we salute to you. My eyes and my hands became auspicious when they saw and touched you. The darkest nights in the Bharatkshetra are over and bright mornings will settle down because of your pious birth. Hey Bhagawant! Several times in the past you have enjoyed superb position and become ‘Vidyadhar of renowned prosperity and wealth, Baldeva of unlimited source of power and strength, Indra in Achyuta heaven, Cakravarti with Avadhigyan, Ahamindra in Navgraiveyak, powerful Cakrin whose father was Tirthanakara, essence of saintly personality possessing Avadhigyan whose father was Tirthanakara, you also increased the beauty and gorgeousness of Sarvarthsiddha viman and in this last birth once again you will turn to be 16th Tirthanakara and fifth Cakravarti once again to rule the spiritual as well as materialistic world respectively. He my Jineshwara! In all the past births you have enjoyed unparallel topmost positions but never lost your essence. I am unable to describe your virtues and qualities. Therefore, hey my Arhat! I beg before you for my selfishness that let me have my total and unbreakable worship in your lotus feet.” 

Shantinath grew up. When he had completed twenty-five thousands years of his life he was established to the throne. King Vishwasen retired to the saintly life. Shantinath married to several princesses. He had one beautiful queen named Yashomati. Now the soul of Dradharath, was in Sarvarthsiddhaviman, entered in the womb of Yashomati. She observed a wheel as bright as the sun entering in to her mouth. She narrated the dream history to her husband. Later on she gave birth to son. His name was registered as “Cakrayudh” He also married to several princesses when he turned young and suitable for marriage age. Shantinath passed another twenty five thousand years. One day the Cakra appeared in his armoury. He too offered worship to it as a custom and started for Universal Victory. He took 800 years for the universal victory and established his supremacy over the six khandas of Bharatkshetra. He also wrote his name as Fifth Cakravarti Shantinath in the Tamistra cave of mount Vaitadhya.

This is the custom for every Cakravartin. He completed further twenty five thousand years while ruling and enjoying the worldly pleasures without attachment to it. He then installed his son Cakrayudh to the throne. As the day for initiation drew near he started giving charity and continued until one year.

He then embarked on the palanquin named “Siddhartha” and proceeded towards Sahshram forest garden. His alighted from the palanquin, saluted to Siddhas and embraced initiation for the last time. He had two consecutive days fast. He attained the fourth gyan called “manahparyay.” It was the fourteenth day of dark half of Jayeshtha month. One thousand more persons took initiation with him. Later the Shantinath moved from the place to another places. Next day Shantinath broke his fast at the house Sumitra. As he completed one year in initiation, Shanitanth returned to Hastinapur while moving from one place to another. He settled under the Nandi tree. While meditating his four Ghati Karmas annihilated and he achieved Omniscience. This kevalgyan was no different than other Tirthankaras and other kevlin achieved. It was brightest as if millions of the Sun are shinning. It has one more quality, that it can provide the knowledge of each paryay of each Dravya of three times; past, present and future. Now Shantinath is called “Arhat,” and Jineshwara. It was the ninth day of bright half of Paush month.

Arhat Shantinath then moved to “Samosaran” created by the heavenly gods. He gave sermons. The subject was “Samsar And Its Swarup.” When he finished sermons, his son stood up with the passion for Pravajya and requested Shantinath to stay till he returns after installing his son to the throne. Shantinath replied “never make a delay in the best work.” Cakrayudh then installed his son Kurucandra and embraced Bhagwati Pravajya. At the same time the “Gandhar Naam Karma,” which he created in the last birth, rose and Shantinath offered him the title of first Gandhar of his four-fold organization. He along with another thirty five turned to be Gandhar. Cakrayudh, now the first Gandhar also gave sermons due to divine knowledge he attained as soon as he became Gandhar.

Arhat Shantinath then moved to different places with several monks and nuns. Again he returned to Hastinapur. King Kurucandra went there and offered worship to Shantinath. Now there are internal stories. After finishing sermons and details of past birth of Kurucandra Shantinath, realizing the end of his life returned to mount Sammetshikhar with 900 monks and settle in the vow of Anashan. He attained Nirvan (Emancipation) and settled on the seat of Moksha on thirteenth day of dark half of Jayeshtha month with those monks. Gandhar Cakrayudh also attained kevalgyan and later emancipation with several monks on the mount Kotishila. Bhagwan Shantinath had total life span of 100,000 years as under;

25000 years in princely time
25000 years as Cakravartin
25000 years in monkhood
25000 years as Omniscience.

His four fold organization comprised of
62000 Spiritually advanced monks
61600 Nuns
00814 Purvadhari
03000 Avadhigyani
04000 Manahparyaygyani
04300 Kevalgyani
06000 Vaikriyalabdhi
02400 Vad Labdhi
2,90,000 Shravakas and
3,93,000 Sharvikas

The Indra established Garuda as Yaksh and Nirvani as Yakshini in the rule of Bhagwan Shantinath. I here conclude the autobiography of Bhagwan Shantinath, which is most auspicious and merited among all the Tirthankaras. Bhagwan Shantinath and Gandhar Cakrayudh were closely related from the existence of Shrishena and his wife Abhinandita. This is the Samsar in one existence one is husband and wife and in another existence the table turns in many relations. There are many notable pilgrimage places of Bhagwan Shantinath in India. Hastinapur, Bhopavar in Madhya Pradesh and Datha near Talaja in Gujarat

Relationships of five most worshipped Bhagwan of this Chauvishi
Bhagwan Shantinath and Cakrayudh 12 existences
Bhagwan Parshwanath and Tapas Kamath 10 existeneces
Bhagwan Neminath and Rajimati 9 Existences
Bhagwan Adeshwar and Bharat Cakravati 13 Existences
Bhagwan Mahavir and Gandhar Gautamswami 2 existences

Thanks To Kalikal Sarvgya Acarya Shri Hemcandrasuri and Very Much Obliged To Him The one, who has not put in special efforts for Universal Victory and accomplished Shatkhandas, also relinquished these shatkhandas and its wealth as if it is Straw and accepted Bhagwati Pravjya, and whose fame and success is victorious even today like a sweet fragrance throughout the world, such Bhagwan Shanitanth’s this autobiography shall ultimately provide peace and bliss the world. Truth Is Kevalin And Rest Is Mine.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

Author : Mr. Chandraprakash Shah
49, Highfield Avenue, London NW11 9EU
Tele: 0044 020 8632 0544, 0091 79 2660 4559 (India)
E-Mail : chandraprakashshah@rediffmail.com & cshah90@aol.com

-----------------------------------------------------

Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R080102