-Presented By – Jinesh Sanjay Jain Papdiwal

Sumatinath -Fifth Tirthankara

PLACES

Birth: Ayodhya (U.P.)

Nirvana: Sammed Shikharji

Introduction

Sumatinathh Swami is the fifth Tirthankara of the Avasarpini period. He renounced his worldly possesions to live a harsh life of a sadhu. Performing great penance and meditation he achieved moksha to become a sidhha. He was a prince born in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His body texture was goldden and he was 12 hundred hands tall. His symbol is a Sheldrake (Chakava).

King Ratishen

Pushaklavati is a country located in the Meruparvat of the Dhatkikhand. In this country, King Ratishen ruled over the town of Pundarikini. He was a very successful king. One day he suddenly decided to give away his kingdom to his son and become a sadhu.

On undertaking Jaineshwari Diksha, he started meditating. His constant penance and learning of the ‘gyarah ang’,earned him the destiny of becoming a Tirthankara. He then became an Ahamindra in the Vaijayvant viman.

Panchakalyanak

Incarnation and Birth

Disappearing from the Vaijayvant viman the Ahamindra became incarnated in Queen Mangalavati’s womb on ‘Shravan Shukla Dwitiya’. Therafter on the golden day of ‘Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi’ A child was born to King Meghrath and Queen Mangalavati. Jewels rained from the skies as Indras came down to see the baby. Saudharma Indra named him ‘Sumatinath’.

Diksha

On ‘Vaishakh Shukla Navmi‘ Sumatinath along with a many kings took diksha in Sahetuk forest under a Priyangu tree. He recieved his first ahaar from King Padma of Saumnas Nagar (Kheer).

Kevalgyan

After meditating for twenty years, Lord acquired kevalgyan on ‘Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi‘. The Indra’s created the divine hall(samavsharan) for swami’s sermon. This was attended by 116 gandharas, 3 lac 20 thousand muni, 3 lac 30 thousand aryikas, and around 8 lac shravak-shravikas. The chief disciple was Shri Amar. Also present at the sermon were the demi-god and godesses: Tumburu Dev and Purushdatta Devi.

Moksha

Finally, Lord Sumatinath travelled to Sammed Shikarji were after one month of fasting and meditation, he attained nirvana. Moksha-kalyanak: ‘Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi’ under the constellation Regulus.