Shree Shantinath Bhagwan: Life Stories of the Sixteenth Tirthankara

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan was the sixteenth Tirthankar and the fifth Chakravarti of the current time cycle. Like Shree Kunthunath Bhagwan and Shree Arnath Bhagwan, He too attained two titles, that of a Tirthankar and a Chakravarti, in the same life. The Lord's body was golden in complexion and His height was 40 bows.

Lord Shantinath's symbol (laanchhan) is deer. Garud Yakshadev and Nirvani Yakshinidevi are His Shaasan Dev and Shaashan Devi, respectively. Come, now let’s read about the Lord's life story and His previous 11 births.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – The First Birth, the Second Birth and the Third Birth

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan's first birth (of the 11 previous births prior to becoming a Tirthankar) was as King Shrisen. He had two queens, Abhinandita and Shikhinandita. He also had two sons; they were quite valorous.

When the two sons grew young, King Shrisen arranged the marriage of both his sons with princesses. When the princesses arrived in his kingdom for the wedding, they were accompanied by a dancer who was extremely beautiful. Seeing the dancer, both the princes fell in love with her. Finally, leaving aside marrying the princess, both the brothers started fighting with each other for the dancer and a war broke out between them.

Even after much persuasion by King Shrisen, his two sons had become so blind in love that they did not understand. Seeing all this, King Shrisen was very sad. Finally, finding no other way, King Shrisen committed suicide. Seeing this, his queens, Abhinandita and Shikhinandita, also consumed poison and committed suicide. On the other hand, Satyabhama, the foster sister of King Shrisen, also committed suicide.

When suicide is committed, very rarely does a person get a good next life. However, King Shrisen, his wives and sister Satyabhama had lived a devoted and pious life. As a result, despite committing suicide, their next birth did not get spoilt.

The next birth of King Shrisen and Queen Abhinandita was as a Yuglik. After completing his lifespan, his third birth was in heaven, and there for a long time, he enjoyed the heavenly pleasures.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – The Fourth Birth and the Fifth Birth

Upon spending a long time in the celestial life-form, the fourth birth of Lord Shantinath happened as Vidyadhar Amittej. His sister’s name was Sutara (who was Satyabhama in the previous birth). Sutara was married to a prince named Shrivijay (who was Queen Abhinandita in the previous birth). Shrivijay was the son of Tripushta Vasudev (one of the previous incarnations of Lord Mahavir). This is how the two Tirthankars of the current time cycle got together in their previous incarnations.

Prince Shrivijay’s sister, Jyotiprabha (who was Queen Shikhinandita in her previous birth), was the wife of King Amittej (King Shrisen in the previous birth). Vidyadhar Ashnighosh (Satyabhama’s husband in the previous birth) kidnapped Vidyadhar Amittej's sister, Sutara. After the abduction of Sutara, a fierce battle took place between Ashnighosh and Shrivijay. In the war, being a Vidyadhar, Ashnighosh was fighting the battle using many tricks and deceptions. In such a situation, Vidyadhar Amittej came in. With his skilful knowledge, he almost killed Ashnighosh and became victorious. Escaping from the war, Vidyadhar Ashnighosh took the shelter of a Muni Maharaj and took Diksha. On the other hand, Vidyadhar Amittej also came to Muni Maharaj and embraced Shravak Dharma; he heartily repented and atoned (did Pratikraman) for his sins and began to rule his kingdom peacefully.

Then, one day, King Amittej went to Muni Maharaj and asked, "Now, how many years of life are left for me to live?" Then, Muni Maharaj said, "Now, only 26 days of life are left." On hearing this, King Amittej felt extreme dispassion and all his moha (illusory attachment) shed off. Realizing that his death was near, King Amittej took Diksha from the Muni and spent his time in great worship and devotion.

Seeing this, Shrivijay also felt like taking Diksha and doing devotional worship. King Shrivijay bound an extremely strong karma (niyanu) of attaining tremendous power, splendour and strength like that of his father Vasudev Tripushta and did tremendous penance. According to the niyanu, Shrivijay, in his next birth, attained the status of Vasudev.

Finally, Shrivijay and Amittej died and they were born in heaven, which was Lord Shantinath’s fifth reincarnation.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – The Sixth Birth and the Seventh Birth

In the sixth birth, the Soul of King Shrisen took birth as Aparajit Baldev and that of Queen Abhinandita took birth as a Vasudev named Anantvirya. For 12 births, the Souls of King Shrisen and Queen Abhinandita came together in different forms of relationships. Baldev Aparajit and Vasudev Anantvirya had great affection for each other.

When both Baldev Aparajita and Vasudev Anantvirya attained youth, one day, it so happened that they got quite lost in watching a dancer’s dance. Just then, Naaradmuni came to their court but both the brothers being engrossed in watching the dance, no one gave Naaradji a good welcome. Thus, Naaradji felt insulted and developed a tremendous grudge towards the two brothers. To avenge the insult, Naaradji provoked Prativasudev Damitari. Finally, a big battle took place between Vasudev Anantvirya and Prativasudev Damitari. As per the rule (of Nature), Prativasudev dies at the hands of Vasudev only. By defeating Prativasudev Damitari, Vasudev Anantvirya attained the status of Ardhachakravarti.

Upon doing great devotional worship, in the seventh birth, Baldev Aparajit was born in heaven.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – The Eighth Birth and the Ninth Birth

In the eighth birth, the Soul of Shantinath Bhagwan descended from the heaven and took birth as Vajrayudh Chakravarti. He became Chakravarti, meaning the ruler of the whole Earth. The Soul of Queen Abhinandita, who was the wife of King Shrisen in the first birth, came in this birth as Sahastrayudh, the son of Chakravarti Vajrayudh.

Upon completion of life as Chakravarti Vajrayudh, Lord Shantinath’s ninth birth took place in heaven.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – The Tenth Birth and the Eleventh Birth

After completing a long lifespan in heaven, in his tenth reincarnation, Lord Shantinath was born as King Meghrath. In King Meghrath’s life, an extremely beautiful event of compassion happened. His compassion was such that made the entire world adore him.

Once while King Meghrath was seated in his palace, suddenly a pigeon, gripped with fear, came flying from far as it was being followed by a big hawk. All of a sudden, that pigeon fell into King Meghrath’s lap. Immediately, as if talking in human language, in a fearful tone, the pigeon urged to King Meghrath, "Please protect me; this hawk wants to kill me." King Meghrath, by nature, was very compassionate; moreover, he was also a Kshatriya whose inherent virtue is to protect anyone who comes in his shelter, even if it means laying down one’s own life for the same.

King Meghrath gave Abhaydaan to the pigeon and also gave an assurance saying, "I shall save you at any cost." On the other hand, the hawk came to the scene and said to the King, "Why did you take away my prey? I am very hungry!" King Meghrath requested the hawk to eat something else and said that killing a living being binds karma that can take one right into hell. He also said, "This pigeon is very afraid of you. I will give you whatever you want to eat, but do not eat any living creature. This pigeon has come to my shelter."

The biggest non-violence lies in not eating any living being. One-sensed living being alone is allowed (to be eaten); other than that, from two-sensed onwards, no living being can be eaten because all these living beings are considered to be 'tras jeevas’. A tras jeev means the one, who seeing us, feels harassed and runs for life. King Meghrath tried hard explaining the hawk but it didn’t agree; rather, it insisted, "I consume only non-vegetarian food." Finally, King Meghrath proposed, "Okay, if you want to eat non-vegetarian food only, then I give you my flesh in exchange. Fill your stomach with it, but spare the pigeon." The hawk agreed to king’s suggestion!

The king called for a weighing balance. On one pan of it, he placed the pigeon, and on another, he started placing his own flesh, to measure the same weight, by cutting the various parts of his body. The king kept placing more and more of his flesh but the pan of the pigeon didn’t rise at all; so, the balance was not equalizing. Finally, King Meghrath himself sat in the pan. Seeing this, all his family members, his courtiers and ministers, and everyone in the kingdom were utterly shocked and they realized that this hawk bird should be some dubious being for sure. They pleaded before the king, "What are you doing? For this one dubious being, you are making us suffer. Your duty is to protect the kingdom. If you lay down your life for the sake of one pigeon, then who will take care of this kingdom?" However, the king remained steadfast in his decision. He sat in the pan and got ready to sacrifice his life so as to save the little pigeon’s life.

Just then, a celestial being came out and bowing before King Meghrath, he paid his obeisance. The celestial being expressed great reverence towards King Meghrath. Bowing before King Meghrath, he said, "Please forgive me. I have made a grave mistake. I am a celestial being. Owing to some revenge of the past life, when the hawk was behind the pigeon, ready to take his life, I entered into the body of both these birds in a dubious form and came to you. When in heaven, your compassion and kindness would be praised, I used to get jealous of you. The celestial beings would say that on this Earth, no one’s compassion towards living beings is as much as yours. So, I decided to test you. Therefore, I came here and because of me, you had to suffer. You have excelled in this examination of mine." Both the birds then flew away and the celestial being too asked for forgiveness and taking the king’s permission, left from there. In our scriptures, King Meghrath’s compassion towards living beings is an extraordinary example.

The Tirthankaras, Gnanis and Acharyas have greatly emphasized the importance of kindness towards living beings. No living being should be hurt by us and should not get killed too. Not only gross violence, but subtle violence, meaning hurting someone through our thoughts, also should not happen. One who wishes to go to Moksha, no living being in this world should be caused slightest hurt by thoughts, words or actions. That’s when he is said to have become deserving of Moksha (ultimate liberation)!

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan also lived a life such that no living being is caused slightest hurt by him. He used to advise that every morning, we should pray to our inner God with a true heart, and say, May no living being be caused slightest hurt through my mind-speech-body." We should say this five times in a day, every day, with a true heart. Yet, if someone happens to get hurt by us, then through heart-felt repentance-pratikraman, it is possible to be free from that fault. Doing so, karma for future life does not get bound. "If someone kills me, how would I feel; so, if I kill somebody, how would the other person feel?"; thinking on those lines is called humanity.

Thereafter, King Meghrath took Diksha. Practicing great penance and kindness of a very high order, his eleventh birth happened in heaven.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – Birth

After completing his lifespan in heaven, Lord Shantinath’s birth took place in the Bharat Kshetra’s Hastinapur Nagri at King Vishwasen and Queen Achira’s place. King Vishwasen and Queen Achira were ruling the kingdom very nicely; they were of an extremely pious and loving nature.

As soon as Tirthankar Bhagwan descended into the womb of Queen Achira, joy and happiness spread amidst the celestial beings. An atmosphere of enjoyment spread around the world.

Prior to the Lord coming into the womb, a terrific epidemic of plague and other diseases broke out in the kingdom of King Vishwasen. The epidemic could not be controlled by anyone. When a Tirthankar is conceived, the atmosphere of the entire world changes; then, even terrific epidemics end on their own. In case of Lord Shantinath also, something similar happened. The moment Shantinath Bhagwan entered into the womb of Queen Achira, the epidemic that had spread in the entire kingdom suddenly vanished on its own and there was peace everywhere. Hence, King Vishwasen named his son as 'Shantinath’.

Childhood, Marriage and Diksha

The upbringing of Lord Shantinath happened with lot of love and care. He possessed all types of skills and good values too. As He grew young, His parents insisted Him to get married. Prince Shantinath was wedded to Princess Yashomati.

Princess Yashomati gave birth to their son and he was named Chakrayudh, who was the Soul of Queen Abhinandita and the wife of King Shrisen (Lord Shantinath’s first of the eleven previous births). In his previous birth, Chakrayudh was Prince Dradhrath, the son of King Meghrath. These two Souls had been together since 12 consecutive births, and in the final birth, that Soul was born as Lord Shantinath’s son, Chakrayudh. This is how our close relations also have come into our life as a result of our karmic account bondage only.

Later, King Vishwasen handed over the throne to Prince Shantinath. Then, King Shantinath won over the entire world and attained fourteen ratnas to become the fifth Chakravarti. Thus, He became a Chakravarti as well as a Tirthankar in the same birth!

After ruling the kingdom as a Chakravarti for many years, upon the request of the Lokantik Devas, Lord Shantinath decided to take Diksha and made massive donations for a year (varsidaan). One year after Diksha, Lord Shantinath attained Keval Gnan!

Deshna – Victory over Human Senses

After He attained Keval Gnan, the celestial beings created Samovasaran, and being seated there, He gave Deshna to people. In the Deshna, Lord Shantinath talked on the subject of winning over our indriyas (five senses). Lord explained in the Deshna how we can win over all our senses and become Jitendriya Jin, meaning the one who has conquered the pleasures derived through the five-sense organs.

In the state of ignorance, it’s the indriyas that win over us; therefore, we all became jitendriya jeev instead of Jitendriya Jin. Jin means Aatma Gnani. There are many who struggle a lot to win over the indriyas but to win over the five senses is not that easy. We mainly have to win over the five gnan indriyas; winning over the karma indriyas is not essential. Once five Gnan indriyas are won, meaning everything is won.

The Sense of Taste

While eating, we should try to remain aware of the taste of each and everything that’s served in our plate. A detailed analysis of each item in our plate helps win over the taste buds.

We must live in the present and enjoy what we have; why worry about that which we’ve not got? Nowadays most of the people are not able to enjoy what they have and are suffering terribly for what they’ve not got. In contrast, Gnanis always remain in the present. They eat while eating; and work at the time of working.

The rule is such that whatever comes into our plate comes as per the eater's karmic account; those making the dish are making it with good feelings and love only. Where we get engrossed in the sense of taste, there we need to remain aware.

The Sense of Touch

By touching, human beings feel happiness. Cold-hot—this is applicable to the sense of touch. It does not concern the 'mind’ or the 'taste’ at all. To feel cold or hot merely produces a mental effect through touch. The nature of the five senses is such that the more we pamper them, the more they go out of control.

In fact, we’ve left the happiness of the Soul and have got stuck in the happiness of the matter. By dwelling in the bliss of the Self, sensual pleasures automatically shed off on their own.

The senses cannot be controlled by the ego; because as soon as the ego breaks, all the senses once again come in dominance. The happiness taken from the matter is the happiness of the non-Self (anaatma) division. If we go to take pleasure from any of the five senses, then if not today, then tomorrow, we will have to repay this happiness taken from the matter.

The most dangerous of all is the sexual pleasure that touches the sense of touch; no other sense is interested in sexual pleasure. The eyes do not like to see sex; the ears do not like to hear about it; the nose does not like to smell it and there is no taste in it. Only because of the pleasure in touch, through sex, a lot of violence happens.

The rule is such that until one feels happiness in the matter (body), one cannot move towards the happiness of the Soul. One who really wants to attain the happiness of the Soul or one who has attained the happiness of the Soul, those are not interested in the happiness from the matter. In today’s times, people have believed only sexual pleasure to be everything. Sexual pleasure also is based on false belief; factually, in it, there is no happiness at all.

Through sexual pleasure, wanderings in the cosmos keep increasing. By falling into sexual pleasure once, anger-pride-deceit-greed—all the passions dominate us. The tendency to go towards the bliss of the Self does not occur at all. If one wants to taste the bliss of the Self, then one will have to come out of sexual pleasure and come towards the Soul. Gnanis are always in the bliss of the Self. Whether there is material happiness or not, Gnanis are always constantly in the bliss of the Self. Although outside, there may be unhappiness and restlessness, but inside, there is always peace only. Gnanis experience a constant Samadhi, a state free from the effects of mental, physical, and externally-induced problems, within even amidst mental suffering (aadhi), physical suffering (vyadhi) and an externally induced problem (upadhi). This Samadhi is due to the bliss of the Self.

The Sense of Sight

When eyes see something beautiful, they immediately get attracted. As much as we’ve abused our eyes, that much disease (vikaar) arises inside. Instead of seeing the Soul in the other person, we see their form, their body due to which the vikaar arises.

The rule is such that the sense that is misused, that sense shall betray you. Going ahead, the defect of that sense shall arise; its illness shall arise. For example, watching too much of TV, mobile or Internet causes increase in the number of person's eye-glasses; even cataracts can occur in the eyes during old age. It’s the fruit of our past demerit karma.

The rule is such that whom we have seen with sexual tendencies, we have to spend one life with him/her; that person shall not leave us. Therefore, wherever such misuse of eyesight has been done, then we have to sit for an hour, and remembering each one whom we saw with a sexual tendency from childhood to date, we must do repentance-pratikraman for it. Doing so, an account with those people for future birth shall not be bound.

That is why it has been said, "When the illusion that deludes ends, all sufferings end. If one forgets the appearance, all suffering shall disappear." So as soon as we happen to see and if we become alert, then that fault will not happen. However, if our eyes get glued onto someone, then that person shall not leave us. By doing pratikaman, the vision becomes pure. Forfend avert

The Sense of Smell

The sense of nose which is called 'the sense of smell’ can be experienced by fragrance. We always like good smell, not bad smell. If we are able to remain detached from fragrance, then it is possible to remain detached in stench as well.

Nowadays, people resort to fragrant perfumes and other beauty remedies. All of this we do for the external body only. Actually, fragrance should be that of internal. The fragrance of the real aristocrat comes even from 25 miles away. When no effect of fragrance or stench arises at all within, that’s when we are said to have attained control over the sense of smell.

The Sense of Hearing

The faculty of hearing is used in many ways. Actually, we must listen to only that much which is useful for our worldly life and to the recitation of the holy scriptures where life stories of Gnanis, Tirthankars and great people are being narrated. It’s worthy to use our ears to listen to all of that. If we utilize our sense of hearing very nicely, then merit karma meaning good karma is bound. If we misuse this sense of hearing, then one could become deaf.

When we do not listen to someone's true talk; we reject it, then as a result of that karma, deafness comes. Whichever sense we misuse, that sense’s fruit of karma cannot be avoided. Another type of misuse happens when someone talks about us or when someone talks nice about us; we feel happy. If someone speaks ill, then we feel insulted. Sometimes, we try hard to listen to others’ talks even when we are unable to hear; there remains curiosity inside that what would these people be talking about me! Doubting in this manner leads to a terrible bondage of karma. We should have confidence in ourselves, "Whatever people want to say, they may say; I know I'm pure." Many a times, we suspect that those people are talking about us, but by doing so, we wander away from the path of salvation.

Many great men also had opponents such as Goshala against Lord Mahavir and Shishupal against Lord Krishna. However, they remained in the Real form of the Self; nothing bothered them. A pure person never has any suffering.

If the opponent speaks negative about us, then understand that s/he is saying to the body; the mind-speech-body is not the true form at all. "I want to go to Moksha only!"—This is the only desire we should have.

How Do We Conquer the Five Senses?

The senses cannot be conquered by controlling them; they should, with right understanding, shed off on their own. The nature of the five senses is such that if we try to control any one particular sense, then the other sense shall overpower us. For example, if we win over lust, then pride shall overpower; if we win over greed, then the sense of taste shall dominate.

To be free from all this, Gnani is required. By attaining Self-realization, we can go beyond the senses. As we keep remaining separate from the body, the senses shall come in order automatically.

When Self-Realization happens, one becomes Jitendriya Jin. After attaining Self-Realization, as illusory attachment (moha) starts shedding off, one starts being free from all karmas. Then, as progress keeps happening, one attains the state of Jitmoh Jin, meaning the one who is starting to win over illusory attachment. When moha completely sheds, and one becomes only the Real form of Self, one is said to have attained the state of Kshinmoh Jin; there Keval Gnan happens!

In the state of ignorance, the senses dominate over us, and after Self-Realization, we gain victory over them. As long as we are in the state of doership, till then, all the senses are riding on us. In reality, by knowing who is the doer and who is driving the circumstances, the senses can be conquered.

Nirvana

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan’s son, Chakrayudh, was His first Ganadhar (the chief disciple of a Tirthankar). In total, Lord had 36 Ganadhars. Lord Shantinath, along with thousands of Sadhus and Sadhvis, went to Moksha from the Shikharji Mountain.