Ajitnath
Encyclopedia
Ajitnatha was the second Jain Tirthankar
of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha
, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. The soul that became Bhagavan Ajitnath, in its earlier incarnation, was the great king Vimalvahan of Susima city in Mahavideh area. He led a pious life in spite of the available princely grandeur. At an appropriate time, he became an ascetic under Arindam Suri.
Ajitnatha was born to King Jitashatru Raja and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku
clan.
Sumitra, also saw the same fourteen dreams. This was a queer coincidence. When the augurs were consulted they advised that Vijaya Devi would give birth to a Tirthankar and Vaijayanti to a Chakravarti (Emperor).
During the queen’s pregnancy, the influence of king Jitshatru was enhanced to such an extant that even the enemy kingdoms sought and negotiated friendly treaties with him. It became a common practice to say, "King Jitshatru is invincible (Ajit)."
The queen gave birth to a son on the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Magh
. Inspired by the popular lore, the king named the new born as the Ajit. The same night Vaijayanti also gave birth to a son who was named Sagar
. Then both the princes came of age they were married. Time passed with the fusion of happiness.
When king Jitshatru became old and wanted to devote the last part his life to spiritual pursuits, he called his younger brother and asked him to take over the throne. Sumitra had no desire for the kingdom; he, too, wanted to become an ascetic. Both the princes were called and offered the kingdom. Ajit Kumar was a naturally detached person since childhood, and so he too declined. At last prince Sagar ascended the throne.
Ajit Kumar became an ascetic in his youth and went into remote and dense forests for his meditation and penance. His personality and the intensity of his lofty practices cast a pacifying influence all around. Natural enemies in the animal kingdom, like the lion and cow, wolf and deer, snake and mongoose used to come and sit around him peacefully.
After a twelve-year period of deep meditation and other spiritual practices Ajit Kumar attained omniscience on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Paush. The gods created the divine pavilion and Bhagawan Ajitnath gave his eloquent and magnetic discourses. Thousands of people accepted the path of renunciation.
King Sagar, during this period, conquered the six continents and became Chakravartin
. King Meghvahan and Vidyadhar Bhim, the ruler of the island of Rakshasas (demons), were the illustrious contemporaries of Emperor Sagar. Once they went to a discourse of Bhagavan Ajitnath. There, Vidyadhar Bhim was drawn towards spiritual life. He became so detached that he gave his kingdom including the famous cities of Lanka and Patal Lanka to king Meghvahan. He also gave all his knowledge and miraculous powers to Meghvahan. He also gave a divine necklace of nine large and shining beads. Meghvahan was the first king of the Rakshas clan in which the famous king Ravana was born.
This sudden death of all his sons was a traumatic experience for Emperor Sagar. He handed over the empire to his eldest grandson, Bhagirath, and took Diksha from Bhagavan Ajitnath.
When his last moments were approaching, Bhagavan Ajitnath went Sammetshikhar. With one thousand other ascetics, he commenced his final meditation. He attained Nirvana
on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra
.
Ajitanatha,was born in Ayodhya. The Yajurveda
mentions the name of Ajitanatha, but the meaning is not clear. His younger brother, according to Jain traditions, was Sagara who became the second Chakravarti. He is known from the traditions of both Hinduism
and Jainism
as found in their respective Hindu scriptures Puranas.
Tirthankar
In Jainism, a ' |ford]]-Maker", ) is a human being who achieves moksa through asceticism and who then becomes a role-model and teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance....
of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha
Siddha
A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. The soul that became Bhagavan Ajitnath, in its earlier incarnation, was the great king Vimalvahan of Susima city in Mahavideh area. He led a pious life in spite of the available princely grandeur. At an appropriate time, he became an ascetic under Arindam Suri.
Ajitnatha was born to King Jitashatru Raja and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku
Ikshvaku
Ikshvaku pāli: Okkāka) was the first king of the Ikshvaku dynasty and founder of the Solar Dynasty of Kshatriyas in Vedic civilization in ancient India.-In Hinduism:He is remembered in Hindu scriptures as a righteous and glorious king...
clan.
Birth of Bhagvan Ajitnath
Queen Vijaya Devi saw fourteen auspicious dreams. Vaijayanti, the wife of king Jitshatru’s younger brother,Sumitra, also saw the same fourteen dreams. This was a queer coincidence. When the augurs were consulted they advised that Vijaya Devi would give birth to a Tirthankar and Vaijayanti to a Chakravarti (Emperor).
During the queen’s pregnancy, the influence of king Jitshatru was enhanced to such an extant that even the enemy kingdoms sought and negotiated friendly treaties with him. It became a common practice to say, "King Jitshatru is invincible (Ajit)."
The queen gave birth to a son on the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Magh
Magh (Sikh calendar)
Magh is the eleventh month of the Nanakshahi calendar, which governs the activities within Sikhism. This month coincides with January and February in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 30 days long.-January:...
. Inspired by the popular lore, the king named the new born as the Ajit. The same night Vaijayanti also gave birth to a son who was named Sagar
Sagara (Vedic king)
King Sagara is one of the greatest kings of the Suryavansha in the Satya Yuga, also known as the Ikshvaku dynasty, he has two wives, one a princess of the Vidarbha, and the other from royal lineage of Sivi He was an ancestor to King Dasharatha and Lord Rama .-Birth of Ganga:King Sagara performed a...
. Then both the princes came of age they were married. Time passed with the fusion of happiness.
When king Jitshatru became old and wanted to devote the last part his life to spiritual pursuits, he called his younger brother and asked him to take over the throne. Sumitra had no desire for the kingdom; he, too, wanted to become an ascetic. Both the princes were called and offered the kingdom. Ajit Kumar was a naturally detached person since childhood, and so he too declined. At last prince Sagar ascended the throne.
Ajit Kumar became an ascetic in his youth and went into remote and dense forests for his meditation and penance. His personality and the intensity of his lofty practices cast a pacifying influence all around. Natural enemies in the animal kingdom, like the lion and cow, wolf and deer, snake and mongoose used to come and sit around him peacefully.
After a twelve-year period of deep meditation and other spiritual practices Ajit Kumar attained omniscience on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Paush. The gods created the divine pavilion and Bhagawan Ajitnath gave his eloquent and magnetic discourses. Thousands of people accepted the path of renunciation.
King Sagar, during this period, conquered the six continents and became Chakravartin
Chakravartin
Chakravartin , is a term used in Indian religions for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler's reign is called sarvabhauma. It is a bahuvrīhi, literally meaning "whose wheels are moving", in the sense of "whose chariot is rolling...
. King Meghvahan and Vidyadhar Bhim, the ruler of the island of Rakshasas (demons), were the illustrious contemporaries of Emperor Sagar. Once they went to a discourse of Bhagavan Ajitnath. There, Vidyadhar Bhim was drawn towards spiritual life. He became so detached that he gave his kingdom including the famous cities of Lanka and Patal Lanka to king Meghvahan. He also gave all his knowledge and miraculous powers to Meghvahan. He also gave a divine necklace of nine large and shining beads. Meghvahan was the first king of the Rakshas clan in which the famous king Ravana was born.
Death of Sagar’s Sixty Thousand Sons
Emperor Sagar had thousands of queens and sixty thousand sons. Eldest among them was Janhu Kumar. Once all the princes went for an outing. When they arrived at the base of Astapad hills, they dug up large ditches and canals. In their youthful abandon they flooded these canals with the water of river Ganges. This flash flood inundated the houses and villages of the lower gods known as Nag Kumars. The king of these gods, Jwalanprbh came and tried to stop them in vain. The unruly princes were intoxicated with the regal power. At last Jwalanprabh lost his temper and turned all the sixty thousand princes to ashes.This sudden death of all his sons was a traumatic experience for Emperor Sagar. He handed over the empire to his eldest grandson, Bhagirath, and took Diksha from Bhagavan Ajitnath.
When his last moments were approaching, Bhagavan Ajitnath went Sammetshikhar. With one thousand other ascetics, he commenced his final meditation. He attained Nirvana
Nirvana (Jainism)
' in Jainism means final release from the karmic bondage. When an enlightened human, such as an Arihant or a Tirthankara extinguishes his remaining aghatiya karmas and thus ends his worldly existence, it is called . Technically, the death of an Arihant is called of the arihant, as he has ended...
on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra
Chaitra
Chaitra is a month of the Hindu calendar....
.
Ajitnath as a Historical Figure
The 2nd Jain TirthankarTirthankar
In Jainism, a ' |ford]]-Maker", ) is a human being who achieves moksa through asceticism and who then becomes a role-model and teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance....
Ajitanatha,was born in Ayodhya. The Yajurveda
Yajurveda
The Yajurveda, a tatpurusha compound of "sacrificial formula', + ) is the third of the four canonical texts of Hinduism, the Vedas. By some, it is estimated to have been composed between 1400 and 1000 BC, the Yajurveda 'Samhita', or 'compilation', contains the liturgy needed to perform the...
mentions the name of Ajitanatha, but the meaning is not clear. His younger brother, according to Jain traditions, was Sagara who became the second Chakravarti. He is known from the traditions of both Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
as found in their respective Hindu scriptures Puranas.
- From the HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
source, he is known to have many sons. One of them was BhagirathaBhagirathaBhageeratha was a great king in Hindu mythology who brought the River Ganges to Earth.-Early life:Bhageeratha was the king of Kosala, a kingdom in ancient India. He was a descendent of the great king Sagara of the Suryavamsa, or Sun Dynasty...
who brought the river Gangess. - From the Jain account, it is clear that Sagara in his last days adopted the life of asceticism from Ajitanath and retired from the worldly life. Ajitanatha seems to be as real a person as Sagara.