Lord Simandhar Swami

Who is Simandhar Swami?

Shree Simandhar Swami is a living Tirthankar, who is present in another world known as Mahavideh Kshetra. By recognizing Lord Simandhar Swami, worshipping Him and accepting His shelter, one attains ultimate liberation.

Lord Simandhar Swami was born between the reign of the seventeenth Tirthankar Shree Kunthunath and the eighteenth Tirthankar Shree Arahanath. Lord Simandhar Swami's father, Shree Shreyans was the King of Pundarikgiri. His mother's name was Satyaki.

In due time, Queen Satyaki gave birth to a son of unique beauty, all-round beauty, golden radiance, and the laanchan (symbol) of a bull, at midnight on the 10^th day of the waning moon during the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra. He came with three types of knowledge (gnan): mati, shruta and avadhi gnan. His physical body stands around 1500 feet (500 bows) tall. Princess Rukamani was the fortunate woman to marry the Lord.

Lord Simandhar Swami took diksha (renunciation from worldly life) on the 3rd day of the waxing moon during the Hindu calendar month of Falgun, when Lord Rama's father King Dasratha was the reigning King in our world. This was also the time between the existence of the twentieth Tirthankar Munishivrat Swami and Shree Neminath Bhagwan. At the moment of His diksha, He attained the fourth gnan called manaparyav gnan. After a thousand years as a sadhu (ascetic), during which all His Gnan obscuring karmas exhausted, on the 13th day of the waxing moon during the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra, the Lord became fully Omniscient and attained Keval Gnan, full Enlightenment.

Simandhar Swami is now one hundred and fifty thousand years old and will live for another one hundred and twenty-five thousand years. Lord Simandhar Swami and nineteen other Tirthankaras in Mahavideh Kshetra will attain final liberation after completing their life span of eight million four hundred thousand years, on the 3rd day of the waxing moon during the Hindu calendar month of Shravan.

Eighty-four Ganadhars, 10 lakh Kevalis (fully Enlightened), 100 crore Sadhus, 100 crore Sadhvis, 900 crore Shravakas and 900 crore Shravikas are surrendered at the feet of the Lord for the universal work of salvation. The Lord's protecting celestial deities are Shree Chandrayan Yaksha Dev and Shree Panchanguli Yakshini Devi.

Simandhar Swami has an account with India (Hindustan). Of the twenty current living Tirthankaras, Simandhar Swami has to be particularly revered because He is the closest to our Bharat Kshetra (the zone in the universe where planet Earth exists) and He has an obligation towards it, due to a subtle bond from interactions of past karmic deeds.

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan always used to say that when Simandhar Swami's images take residence in every home, and when these images are worshipped with deep reverence, when His aartis are sung in every home, when His temples are constructed all over, there will be heaven on Earth.

What is the importance of the Living Tirthankar Shree Simandhar Swami?

There are three types of Tirthankaras:

• Tirthankaras of the past,
• Tirthankaras of the present
• Tirthankaras of the future.

The Tirthankaras of the past are gone. Worshipping of these Tirthankaras binds merit karma.

However, it is entirely a different matter when you invoke the current living Tirthankar. Adherence to His instructions will give rise to worldly religion (dharma). This is beneficial in guiding people towards moksha.

People continue to pay obeisance to the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the past, do they not? The enlightened Ones have said that the twenty-four Tirthankaras are Tirthankaras of the past. They were Tirthankaras in the past and are no longer here. Therefore, one should look for a living Tirthankar. One makes progress in the worldly life by worshipping the Tirthankaras of the past. Liberation is only attained through the Ones who are living and present.

Shree Simandhar Swami is the current living Tirthankar and there is tremendous benefit for us from the presence of a current Tirthankar because the vibrations of His absolute, pure Self and atoms of His physical body are floating around in the atmosphere. Recognizing the living Tirthankar (Living God), awakening one's devotion for Him, establishing a connection with Him through His worship day and night, and finally attaining His live, direct darshan and acquiring Keval Gnan (absolute enlightenment), is the only step on the narrow path of liberation.

Where is Mahavideh Kshetra?

It is completely separate from this world (Bharat Kshetra). It is in the northeast direction. All the kshetras are separate. It is not possible to go there.

Tirthankaras continue to be born in Mahavideh Kshetra, whereas here, in our Bharat Kshetra, Tirthankaras are born only during a certain period of the time cycle. During certain time periods, there are no Tirthankaras here. But at the moment, Simandhar Swami is present in Mahavideh Kshetra. He is going to live for a very long time.

The specialty of Mahavideh Kshetra is that the fourth ara (Satyug) is always prevalent there. The presence of the Tirthankar Lord is always there and there is unity of mind-speech and body. Therefore, the path of salvation from that Kshetra always continues. Whereas here in Bharat Kshetra, the fifth ara (Kaliyug) is currently going on. There is no unity of mind-speech and body, therefore, the path of salvation is not open from this Kshetra at present, but one can definitely go via Mahavideh Kshetra.

What does Lord Simandhar Swami do in Mahavideh Kshetra?

He is the Lord. People do His darshan (to look upon or see with reverence, to experience what He is experiencing spiritually) there. When He speaks, His speech is without any attachment and therefore is liberating for the listener. This speech is called 'deshna'.

He does not have to 'do' anything. His actions are dependent upon the unfolding of His karmas. His ego is completely gone and He remains in Gnan (absolute awareness) all day long. He has a lot of followers and devotees around Him.

Is life and the interactions of the people in Mahavideh Kshetra similar to ours?

People in Mahavideh Kshetra are just like the humans on Earth, with similar physical bodies and emotions. They have a very long life span, but other than that, they are just like us. Their day-to-day conduct is just like ours was during the fourth time cycle. People of this fifth time cycle have learnt to steal from others and gossip amongst their relatives. Such interactions are not to be found there.

People bind karmas there too. They also have the awareness of, 'I am the doer'. They also have ego, anger, pride, attachment and greed. There is a presence of Tirthankaras there right now because of the fourth time cycle; otherwise, everything there is just like it is here.

The only difference between the fourth and fifth time cycles is that in the former, there is unity of the mind, speech and body, whereas in the fifth time cycle, this unity is broken. People in the fifth time cycle do not say what they think and they do not do what they say. In the fourth time cycle, people say and do exactly what is on their mind. If a person living in the fourth time cycle says he feels like burning down the whole village, you can rest assured that he will do so. Today, there is no substance in what people say or think.

How can we go to Mahavideh Kshetra?

The One for whom the established awareness of the Soul has set in over here, such a person would no longer be able to remain here in Bharat Kshetra. It is a natural law that the One for whom the established awareness of the Self has set in, such a person certainly reaches Mahavideh Kshetra. Such a person would not be able to remain here, in this Dushamkaal (current era of the time cycle). Once the established awareness of the pure Soul has set in, one spends one or two more lives, goes to Mahavideh Kshetra, does darshan of the Tirthankar, and goes off to moksha.

How to worship Simandhar Swami?

Tirthankar Lord Shri Simandhar Swami is present, He is currently an Arihant, He is the nimit (instrument) for the salvation of the beings of Bharat Kshetra. Although He is not here on our planet but He is in another location in this universe and despite being extremely beneficial to our Bharat Kshetra, people are unaware of Him. The first line of the Navkar Mahamantra ‘Namo Arihantanam’, is for current living Arihant Lord Simandhar Swami. Simandhar Swami is present in the universe. If one recites with the understanding that ‘I am bowing down to the Arihant, wherever He may be in this entire universe, then this yields wonderful results.

At what time should we worship Lord Simandhar Swami?

The time between 4:30 to 6:30 in the morning is the most auspicious time for prayers. When you remember or invoke a Tirthankar, the Gnani Purush, or the Gods and Goddesses who protect the path of liberation, during this time, your prayers will be among the first to be accepted. This is because later on it gets very crowded! It starts to get crowded from 7 o'clock onwards. Then at noon it is extremely crowded. So the first person that goes there would be able to do His darshan right away. There is no crowd at the time. Therefore, the time between 4:30 am and 6:30 am is the most auspicious. Those who are young should not let this opportunity go.

The reason for doing it in the morning is that it is done as a priority before one gets involved in the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day work. If one does not have any work, one can do it later in the day.

Is there a difference between worshipping Simandhar Swami in my home and worshipping Him in a temple?

There is no presence of the formless (amurta) in an idol, but pratishtha (installation of spiritual life force within an idol) of the formless has been done within the idol in the temple. Life force has been instilled through a specific ceremony, and there is also the protection from the celestial deities. Therefore, there is a certain atmosphere and the effect is greater in the temple. Therefore, there is a difference between praying at home and praying in a temple.

What is the importance of a temple of Shree Simandhar Swami?

There is a great science of Hindustan behind the creation of temples and idols. Temples are not for making a name but for getting the work done by understanding. There are temples, so if people worship a little, then they will get some benefit and will stop going the wrong way. The idol worship in the temple is indirect, but since Simandhar Swami is currently present, the benefit one derives through is the same as standing in front of the Lord and worshipping to Him. There are temples of Simandhar Swami in some places, but they have not been able to remain free from the bondage of sects. He is present and people can benefi t by worshiping the One who is present. People can only be blessed if we build temples with His living idol.

Lord Simandhar Swami’s idol in the temple is a replica of the manifested God. Lord is present so His parmanus (particles of inanimate matter which are not in pure form) work a lot and the Lord’s protective celestial beings also help a lot and shower their blessings for the salvation of this world.

Prayer to the Current Tirthankar Shri Simandhar Swami

Oh Lord, You are free from all attachments and passions. Your eternal existence in pure Knowledge and Vision leads to bliss. You are natural, eternal bliss. You are full of infinite Knowledge and infinite Vision, You are the illuminator of the three worlds. With the live presence of Dada Bhagwan as my witness, I hereby offer to You, Lord Simandhar Swami, my obeisance filled with infinite devotion, and accept Your most exclusive protection. Oh Lord! Upon granting me a place at Your divine feet, grace me by ending the horrendous wanderings of infinite lives. Please grace me, grace me, grace me!

Oh universally revered, manifest form of the absolute Self! Your Real form is my Real form, but because of ignorance, I do not understand my form as the absolute Self. Grant me the energy, grant me the energy, grant me the energy, so that I continuously behold my Real form as the Self within Your Real form!

Oh bestower of absolute liberation, the Lord of all Lords! From the very beginning of this drama of worldly life, all the way until the last fraction of this moment, infinite mistakes have been committed by me towards the mind, speech, and body of living beings, knowingly or unknowingly. Grant me the energy to see each one of these mistakes and to do pratikraman. For all these mistakes, I ask for Your forgiveness. I am confessing them, repenting for all of them, and making the firm resolution to never make these mistakes again. Oh Lord! Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, and I am making the firm resolve to never make these mistakes again. For this purpose, grant me the awareness, grant me the absolute energy, grant me the energy, grant me the energy!

Each holy footstep of Yours establishes a place of pilgrimage, oh Tirthankar Lord Shri Simandhar Swami! May I not have any criticism or opposition of any kind towards any living being of this Lorld. And may complete devotion be established in my heart towards all Self-realized beings of this world. I offer my highest obeisance to all Gnanis of the past, present and future, in all locations. Oh Lord, please shower me with such grace that I encounter, here in this world, a living representative of Yours such as a Gnani Purush or a Self-realized person; and after attaining Self-realization from Him, may I become deserving of His grace and become worthy of reaching Your divine feet.

Oh celestial beings who protect the spiritual reign of Lord Simandhar Swami! Oh Panchaguli Yakshini Devi, Oh Chandrayan Yaksha Dev, Oh Padmavati Devi! Please grace us with Your exclusive protection to ensure that no obstacles arise in our path towards reaching the divine feet of Lord Simandhar Swami. Grant us the absolute energy to remain in the form of absolute Knowledge!