Abhinandannath

Lord Abhinandannath -Presented By - Jinesh Sanjay Jain Papdiwal

[[File:Abhinandannath.jpg|thumbnail|right| Abhinandannath'''

Fourth Tirthankara

PLACES

Birth : Ayodhya

Nirvana : Sammed Shikharji''' ]]

Introduction
Abhinandannatha or Abhinandan Swami was the fourth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). He became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its Karma. His symbol is a monkey. He too like most Tirthankaras belong to the Ikshvaku Dynasty. He was of golden color and was fourteen Hundred Hands in height. He lived a long life of 50 Lacs Purva Years spreading Jainism before attaining salvation.

Previous Life
In the eastern 'Videh' of Jambudweep flows the mighty river 'Sita'. On the southern banks of this river lies the country Mangalavati. Once upon a time a noble King Mahabal ruled the town of Ratnasanchay. One day he became world-weary and renounced the world by taking diksha. He read the eleven units of jainism and became engrossed in thoughts of the 'solahkaran bhavna'. Due to his extensive meditation the king was destined to a tirthankara in the lives to come.

Life Of Lord Abhinandannath
King Swayamvar and Queen Sidhartha ruled Ayodhya, a kingdom located in Bharata Shetra. On 'Vaishakh Shukla Pashthi' mother Sidhartha embodied the Ahamindra in her womb. This day is celebrated as the Garbha-kalyanak of Abhinandan Swami. Nine months later on 'Magh Shukla Dwadashi' she gave a birth to a handsome child whom Saudharm Indra along with the other Indra's named Abhinandannatha.

Abhinandannatha became a elegant prince and succeeded his father to become the king of Ayodhya. Once as he was watching the sky he witnessed the destruction of a palace of clouds and felt a sudden sense of detachment. He undertook the Jaineshwari diksha(Tapa-kalyanak) on 'Magh Shukla Dwadashi' along with thousand other kings. His first alms as a sadhu was Kheer given by King Indradatta of Saketnagari.

Lord Abhinandan attained Omniscience on 'Paush Shukla Chaturdashi', while he was meditating in Sahetuk Forest under an Asan Tree. One hundred and three gandhara including Shri Vajranabhi were present at the Lord's Samavsharan. Along with them were 3 lakh munis, three lakh thirty thousand six hundred aryikas, three lakh shravaks and five lakh shravikas. Even the Demi God and Goddess - Yaksheshvar Dev, Vajrashrinkhala Devi came to listen to the divine teachings of Lord Abhinandannath.

Finally, Lord Abhinandannath attained liberation on 'Vaisakh Shukla Pashthi' from Sammed Shikharji along with many munis.