Lord Naminath, the 21st Tirthankara

Naminath is the 21st tirthankara of the present avasarpini time cycle according to Jain cosmology. His complexion is golden and symbol is blue water lily. The chaitya tree under which he got omniscience is bakula. 

He was born to king Vijaya and queen Vipra of the Ikshvaku dynasty. King Vijaya was the ruler of Mithila. When Naminath was in his mother’s womb, Mithila was attacked by a group of powerful kings. Queen Vipra soon ascended to the roof of the palace. After seeing the queen, the enemies surrendered before king Vijaya. This incident happened when the queen was carrying Naminath in her embryo. It is said that the aura of Naminath forced the kings to surrender. On the eighth day of the dark half of moon in Aswini constellation Naminath was born. When Naminath became young, he got married and had a son named, Suprabha. Thereafter he took charge of the kingdom from his father and ruled for many years. When his son grew up, Naminath handed over his kingdom to his son Suprabha and himself accepted mendicancy.

Naminath wandered for nine months gathering knowledge from the surroundings. He practiced extreme penance and followed all the strict rules mentioned in the religion. Lord Naminath’s brilliant omniscience happened on the eleventh day of the bright half of moon in Aswini constellation under bakula tree after destruction of the ghati karmas. In his samavasarana, he delivered sermon on the religion to be practiced by sravaka or sravika or in one word, layman’s dharma.

Knowing that the time for his emancipation is near, Lord Naminath went to Mt. Sammet with a thousand monks. After complete fasting for one month, he attained nirvana together with other monks. The Indras and the gods came and held the emancipation festival accompanied by the funeral rites of Lord Naminath and his retinue.

YaksaBhruti and Gandhari are the male and female messenger deities who originated as Sasandevatas in the congregation after omniscience of Lord Naminath.

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