Bhagwan Sheetalnathji - 10th Tirthankar

The being that was to be Bhagavan Sheetalnath, in his previous but one birth was the king of Susima town in the Pushkarvar island. His name was Padmottar. When his son reached adulthood the religious king gave his kingdom to the son and took Diksha from Tristadha Muni. Vigorous spiritual practices and worship of the pious states as mentioned in the scriptures resulted in his acquiring the Tirthankar-nam and gotra-karma. Completing his age he reincarnated as the king of the Pranat dimension of gods.

One day due to some strange ailment, king Dridhrath had high fever and acute burning sensation in his body. He did not get any relief even after applying a variety of ointments. Out of anxiety and to comfort the king, the queen put her palm on his body. This mere touch of the queen removed the burning sensation and a feeling of soothing relief swept his body. After this incident the king decided to name the new born as Sheetal (cool/calm).

Sheetalnath was born on the twelfth day of the dark half of the month Magh. When he grew older he married at the request of his parents. At proper time, king Dridhrath coronated him and took Diksha. After a long and successful reign Sheetalnath left his home and became an ascetic. He attained omniscience under a Peepal tree on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Paush. After wandering and preaching for a long time, he came to Sammetshikhar and attained Nirvana on the second day of the dark half of the month of Vaishakh.

Bhagwan Suvidhinathji - 9th Tirthankar

Bhagwan Suvidhinathji - 9th Tirthankar

In the tradition started by Bhagavan Rishabhdev the ninth Tirthankar re-established the four pronged religious ford by Bhagavan Suvidhinath. During his earlier incarnation as emperor Mahapadma of Pushkalvati Vijay, purified his soul to the extant of earning Tirthankar-nam and gotra-karma. He took birth in the Vijayant dimension of gods and from there he descended into the womb of queen Rama Devi, wife of king Sugriva of Kakandi town.

During the period of pregnancy queen Rama developed a strange capacity to develop processes for doing even the most difficult of tasks. Everyone got astonished at her skill. When the child was born the king accordingly named him as Suvidhi (correct procedure). During the teething period of the child the mother got a craving for playing with flowers. As such, he was also popularly known as Pushpadant (flower-tooth).

Suvidhinath had a normal princely life, but with detachment. He became an ascetic at an early age and attained omniscience only after four months rigorous spiritual practices. He got Nirvana at Sammetshikhar on the ninth day of the dark half of the month of Kartik.

Extinction of the Religious Ford

The tradition of the four pronged religious ford started by Bhagavan Rishabhdev gradually became extinct after the Nirvana of Bhagavan Suvidhinath. After his death, first the ascetic organization disintegrated and a time came when there was no ascetic left. The religious discourses were given by common citizens or Shravaks. Slowly the influence of wealth became overpowering and people started forgetting the principals of five vows including Ahimsa and truthfulness. The discipline of spiritual principles gave way to ritualistic exchanges of wealth and total indiscipline.

Bhagwan Suparshvanath - 7th Tirthankar

Bhagwan Suparshvanath - 7th Tirthankar

The being that was to be Suparshvanath had done harsh penance and deep spiritual practices in his earlier birth as king Nandisen of Kshetrapuri. He then reincarnated as a god in the sixth Graveyak dimension.

From the dimension of gods this soul descended into the womb of queen Prithvi Devi, wife of king Pratishthasen of Varanasi. During her pregnancy the queen did not lose her normal shapely figure, as generally happens. As her flanks still remained attractive, the child, when born, was named Suparshva.

When Suparshva became young he was married and later ascended the throne. He ably conducted the affairs of he state and looked after the well being of his people. One day while he was enjoying the nature sitting at the roof top, he observed the falling of leaves and wilting of flowers. Suddenly he became aware of the transient nature of life. This gave a rising to the feeling of detachment and desire for spiritual upliftment. He gave his kingdom to his son and became an ascetic. After nine months of disciplined practices he became an omniscient on the sixth day of the dark half of the month of Phalgun. For a long period he worked for the spread of right knowledge. He got liberated on the seventh day of the bright half of he month of Palgun at Sammetshikhar.