Lord Vasupujya, the 12th Tirthankar

 Vasupujya is the twelfth Jain tirthankara of the present avasarpini time cycle. His complexion is red and symbol is buffalo. The chaitya tree under which he got omniscience is patala tree.

In his previous incarnation, he was king Padmottara of Mangalavati, kingdom of East Videha. He always had in his mind the pure teaching of Jinas. During his ruling, his wealth and fame increased enormously. Later in his life, he realized that fortune, beauty, merit etc. are all transitory. So one day he decided to take initiation from guru Vajranabha under whose guidance, he practiced penance which helped him to transform his soul free from karma bound body. After his death, he became a powerful god in the heaven and spent many years.

The soul of Padmottara descended into the womb of queen Jaya Devi, wife of king Vasupujya of Champa town (Bhagalpur, Bihar). When the baby was in the mother’s womb, Lord Indra came to pay his salutation to the future tirthankar. The baby was named Vasupujya. As the prince grew up, he became kind, loving and highly religious minded. He declined to marry and refused to rule the kingdom. He renounced worldly life and became an ascetic. After intense spiritual practices, on the second day of full moon period, in the month of Magh, he achieved omniscience under the patal tree. Vasupujya gave sermon on tenfold dharma. They are: self-control, truthfulness, purity, chastity, poverty, austerities, forbearance, humility, sincerity and freedom from greed. It is dharma which protects the world from falling into the boundless ocean of calamities.

Vasupujya travelled from place to place delivering speeches on Jain religion and reached Dwarka where Dwiprishtha was the king. In his previous birth, Dwipristha was the brother of Vasupujya. Dwipristha could remember this relationship and immediately he fell at Vasupujya’s feet. Later on, he took initiation from him and became his disciple.

Knowing that his time of emancipation was near, Lord Vasupujya went to Champa where he commenced fast till death with six hundred munis and attained nirvana.

Originating in the congregation after omniscience, emerged a Yaksa, named Kumara who became the male messenger deity. Likewise appeared Chandra who became the female messenger deity.