Simandhar Swami

In Jainism, Simandhar Swami is a living Tirthankar, an Arihant, who is said to be currently present on another world in the Jain mythological universe.^[1][2]

Where is Simandhar Swami?

Tirthankara Simandhar Swami resides on Mahavideh Kshetra, another continent within the Jain mythological universe (see Jain cosmology).^{[3][4] [5]}

The continent of Bharat Kshetra is currently in the 5th Ara (a degraded time-cycle in which Tirthankaras do not incarnate).^[6][7] The most recent Tirthankara present on Bharat Kshetra was Mahavira, whom historians estimate lived between 599-527 BCE, the last in a cycle of 24 Tirthankaras.^[8][9]

On Mahavideh Kshetra, the 4th Ara (a spiritually elevated time-cycle) exists continuously. There, living Tirthankaras perpetually incarnate.^{[10] [6]} At present, 20 Tirthankaras reside there, Simandhar Swami being one among them.^[4][11]

Details of Simandhar Swami’s Life

Simandhar Swami is currently 150,000 years old, and has a remaining life span of 125,000 years.

He lives in the city of Pundarikgiri, the capital of Pushpakalavati, one of 32 geographical divisions on Mahavideh Kshetra.^{[4] [5]} Pundarikgiri is ruled by King Shreyans, who is Simandhar Swami’s father. His mother is Queen Satyaki. While pregnant with Simandhar Swami, Queen Satyaki had a sequence of 14/16 (swetambar/digambar belief) dreams indicating that she would give birth to a Tirthankar.^[12]

Simandhar Swami was born with three complete aspects of Gnan, Self-knowledge:

• Mati Gnan (see Jain epistemology), knowledge of the 5-sense realm
• Shruta Gnan (see Jain epistemology), knowledge of all forms of communication
• Avadhi Gnan (see Jain epistemology), clairvoyant knowledge ^[13]

As a young adult, he married Rukamani Devi and then, later in life, took diksha, renunciation from worldly life.^[12]

At the time of diksha, he attained a fourth complete aspect of Gnan, Self-knowledge:

• Manahparyaya Gnan (see Jain epistemology), knowledge of, and ability to read, the mind’s phases

After spending 1,000 years as a sadhu, ascetic, his ghatiya karmas (see Types of Karma (Jainism)), Soul-restricting karmas were exhausted, and he attained Keval Gnan.

Simandhar Swami’s Keval Gnan Kalyanak, anniversary of attaining Keval Gnan, is the same as Mahavira’s Janma Kalyanak, birthday.

Present on the day of Simandhar Swami’s Keval Gnan were:

• 84 Ganadhar, prime disciples
• 1 million Keval Gnani Maharajas, rulers who have attained Keval Gnan
• 10 million Sadhu, male ascetics
• 10 million Sadhvi, female ascetics
• 10 million Mumukshu, spiritual seekers
• 200 million Shravak, male devotees
• 200 million Shravika, female devotees

Chandrayan Yakshadev is Simandhar Swami’s shashan dev, protector god, and Panchanguli Yakshinidevi is his shashan devi, protector goddess. Together they serve Simandhar Swami’s spiritual mission, assisting beings on the path to moksha.

Simandhar Swami’s height is 500 dhanushya, approximately 1,500 feet, which is considered an average height for the people of Mahavideh Kshetra.^[4]

Simandhar Swami and the other 19 Tirthankaras living on Mahavideh Kshetra will attain moksha, final liberation after completing their ayushya karma (see Types of Karma (Jainism)), life-span karma.

Simandhar Swami is identified and referenced in Jain scriptures.

Reported Contact with Simandhar Swami

The following spiritual teachers have reported personal contact with Simandhar Swami, and credit him with influencing their teaching:

• Kundakunda Acharya ^[14][15]
• Kanji Swami ^[16][17][18]
• Dada Bhagwan ^[19]

See also

• Tirthankara
• Kevala Jnana
• Jain Cosmology
• Kundakunda
• Kanji Swami
• Dada Bhagwan

Notes

References

• Shah, Pravin K. Jain Philosophy and Practice 1 (PDF). JAINA Education Committee. pp. 1–3. ISBN 8185568014. 

• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2004). The Jaina Path of Purification. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 30–32. ISBN 8120815785. 

• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2004). The Jaina Path of Purification. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 2–4. ISBN 8120815785. 

• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2004). The Jaina Path of Purification. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 42. ISBN 8120815785. 

• Shah, Natubhai (1998). Jainism: The World of Conquerors, Volume 1. Brighton BN: Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 1898723303. 

• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2004). The Jaina Path of Purification. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 1–41. ISBN 8120815785. 

• King and Brockington (2005). Intimate Other, The Love Divine in Indic Religions. Orient Blackswan. pp. 214–219. ISBN 978-81-250-2801-7. 

• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2004). The Jaina Path of Purification. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 3. ISBN 8120815785. 

• Shah, Natubhai (1998). Jainism: The World of Conquerors Vol. 1. UK: Sussex Academic Press; First Edition. p. 67. ISBN 1898723303. 

• Dundas, Paul (2002). The Jains. Routledge. ISBN 0415266068. 

• King and Brockington (2005). Intimate Other, The Love Divine in Indic Religions. Orient Blackswan. p. 219. ISBN 978-81-250-2801-7. 

• Bhagwan, Dada (2005). Shree Simandhar Swami. Ahmedabad: Mahavideh Foundation. pp. 16–17. 

• King and Brockington (2005). Intimate Other, The Love Divine in Indic Religions. Orient Blackswan. p. 239. ISBN 978-81-250-2801-7. 

• Humphrey and Laidlaw (1994). The archetypal actions of ritual: a theory of ritual illustrated by the Jain rite of worship. Indiana University: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0198279477. 

• Bhagwan, Dada (2005). Shree Simandhar Swami. Ahmedabad: Mahavideh Foundation. p. 3. 

• Bhagwan, Dada (2005). Shree Simandhar Swami. Ahmedabad: Mahavideh Foundation. 

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