Padmaprabha, also known as Padmaprabhu, was the sixth Jain

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...

of the present age ('' Avsarpini''). According to Jain beliefs, he became a

siddha ''Siddha'' (Sanskrit: '; "perfected one") is a term that is used widely in Indian religions and culture. It means "one who is accomplished." It refers to perfected masters who have achieved a high degree of perfection of the intellect as we ...

– a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its

karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...

. In the Jain tradition, it is believed that Padmaprabha was born to King Shridhar and Queen Susimadevi in the

Ikshvaku dynasty The Solar dynasty or (; ), also called the Ikshvaku dynasty, is a legendary Indian dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom, with its capital at Ayodhya, and later at Shravasti. They ...

at Kausambi which is in today's

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

, India. Padmaprabha means 'bright as a red lotus' in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

. It is said in Śvetāmbara sources that his mother had a fancy for a couch of red lotuses – padma – while he was in her womb. His birth date was the twelfth day of the Kartik krishna month of the Indian calendar. On the eleventh day of the dark half of the month of '' Margashirsh'', Bhagwan Padmaprabha, along with other 308 saints was liberated and attained

moksha ''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatologic ...

on Sammet Shikhar (mountain).

Previous Births

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

Aparajit ruled over Susima town located in Dhatki realm in Purvavideh region in Vatsa country. He was a simple and religious person. He got detached after listening to the discourse of an Arihant and took ''

diksha Diksha (Sanskrit: दीक्षा, IAST: dīkṣā) also spelled diksa, deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru (in Guru–s ...

'' from ''

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a religious teacher in Hinduism and Buddhism and a spiritual guide to Hindus and Buddhists. The designation has different meanings i ...

'' Pihitashrava. As a result of long spiritual practices, he earned '' Tirthankar-nama-gotra-karma''. Completing his age, he reincarnated as a god in the Graiveyak realm.

Biography as per Jain traditions

From the realm of gods, the being that was Aparajit descended into the womb of queen Susima, wife of the king of Kaushambi. One day, queen Susima had a desire to sleep on a bed made up of lotus flowers. As this was a desire of a pregnant mother, the gods made arrangements for its fulfillment. On ''

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

'' ''

Dwadashi Dvadashi (), also rendered Dwadashi, is the twelfth lunar day ( tithi) of the ''shukla'' (bright) or ''krishna'' (dark) fortnight, or Paksha, of every lunar month in the Hindu calendar. Dwadashi is regarded to be suitable for the veneration of t ...

'' (twelfth day of the waning fortnight) of the month of '' Kartik'', the queen gave birth to a son. The new born had a soft pink glow like lotus flowers. The king named him as "''Padmaprabha''" (meaning one with lotus-like glow). In due course, the prince became young and was married. When his father left for spiritual practices, Padmaprabh ascended the throne. After a long and successful reign, when through his threefold knowledge he knew that the right moment has come, he became an ascetic. After six months of spiritual practices, on the full moon day of the month of Chaitra he attained omniscience under a banyan tree. Propagating right religion for a long time, Bhagavan Padmaprabh wandered around and at last arrived at Sammetshikhar. He attained Nirvana on the eleventh day of the dark half of the month of Margshirsh.

Association

Padmaprabha is associated with Red Lotus emblem, Chatrabha tree, Manovega (Dig.) & Mangupta (Svet.)

Yaksha The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of nature spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Bud ...

and Syama Achyuta (Svet.)

Yakshi Yakshinis or Yakshis (, , Prakrit: ) are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies that are different from Devas and Asuras and Gandharvas or Apsaras. Yakshinis and their male counterparts, the Yaks ...

Famous Temple

* Padampura Jain Temple,

Jaipur Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...

, Rajasthan *

Mahudi Jain Temple Mahudi Jain Temple (aka Derasar) is situated in Mahudi town in Mansa taluka of Gandhinagar district, Gujarat. It is a pilgrimage centre for Śvetāmbara Jainism, Jains and other communities who visit the temple of Jain deity, Ghantakarna Mahavir a ...

Gandhinagar Gandhinagar () is the capital of the state of Gujarat in India. Gandhinagar is located approximately 23 km north of Ahmedabad, on the west central point of the industrial corridor between the megacities of Delhi and Mumbai. Gandhinagar ...

, Gujarat

Gallery

File:Padmaprabhu Tonk, Shikharji.jpg, Padmaprabhu Tonk,

Shikharji Shikharji (), also known as Sammet or Sammed Shikharji, is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Jains, in Giridih district, Jharkhand. It is located on Parasnath hill, the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand. It is the most important ...

File:Footprint at Padmaprabhu Tonk, Shikharji.jpg, Footprint at Padmaprabhu Tonk,

File:Padmaprabha Temple, Madhuban.jpg, Padmaprabha Temple,

Madhuban Madhuban is a small area of Jorhat City and is under Jorhat municipality Board, Assam, India. The only road that passes through Madhubon is the Madhuban Path. It connects two important roads of Jorhat; Malow Ali and Choladhara road. Madhuban is ...

File:Mahudi Temple.jpg, Padmaprabhu Jain Temple at Mahudi File:Padmaprabh Swami Bhagwan.jpg, idol at Padmaprabhu Jain Temple at Mahudi File:Padmaprabha Tirthankar.jpg, Padmaprabha Tirthankar at Chennai Museum Padmaprabha Swami

Notes

References

* * * * {{Authority control Tirthankaras Solar dynasty