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LIFE OF SHRI KUNTHUNATHSWAMI
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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-nam-and-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. Immediately
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. |