Shree Shantinath Bhagwan: Birth to Nirvana of the Sixteenth Tirthankara

We have read about the past lives of Shree Shantinath Bhagwan. In His tenth birth as King Meghrath, it was as if the seed of a future Tirthankara had already begun to take root through the profound incident of compassion. Now, moving forward, we will explore the life story of Shantinath Bhagwan - from His birth to Nirvana.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – Birth

After completing his lifespan in heaven, Lord Shantinath’s birth took place in the Bharat Kshetra’s Hastinapur Nagri at King Vishwasen and Queen Achira’s place. King Vishwasen and Queen Achira were ruling the kingdom very nicely; they were of an extremely pious and loving nature.

As soon as Tirthankar Bhagwan descended into the womb of Queen Achira, joy and happiness spread amidst the celestial beings. An atmosphere of enjoyment spread around the world.

Prior to the Lord coming into the womb, a terrific epidemic of plague and other diseases broke out in the kingdom of King Vishwasen. The epidemic could not be controlled by anyone. When a Tirthankar is conceived, the atmosphere of the entire world changes; then, even terrific epidemics end on their own. In case of Lord Shantinath also, something similar happened. The moment Shantinath Bhagwan entered into the womb of Queen Achira, the epidemic that had spread in the entire kingdom suddenly vanished on its own and there was peace everywhere. Hence, King Vishwasen named his son as 'Shantinath’.

Childhood, Marriage and Diksha

The upbringing of Lord Shantinath happened with lot of love and care. He possessed all types of skills and good values too. As He grew young, His parents insisted Him to get married. Prince Shantinath was wedded to Princess Yashomati.

Princess Yashomati gave birth to their son and he was named Chakrayudh, who was the Soul of Queen Abhinandita and the wife of King Shrishen (Lord Shantinath’s first of the eleven previous births). In his previous birth, Chakrayudh was Prince Dradhrath, the son of King Meghrath. These two Souls had been together since 12 consecutive births, and in the final birth, that Soul was born as Lord Shantinath’s son, Chakrayudh. This is how our close relations also have come into our life as a result of our karmic account bondage only.

Later, King Vishwasen handed over the throne to Prince Shantinath. Then, King Shantinath won over the entire world and attained fourteen ratnas to become the fifth Chakravarti. Thus, He became a Chakravarti as well as a Tirthankar in the same birth!

After ruling the kingdom as a Chakravarti for many years, upon the request of the Lokantik Devas, Lord Shantinath decided to take Diksha and made massive donations for a year (varsidaan). One year after Diksha, Lord Shantinath attained Keval Gnan!

Deshna – Victory over Human Senses

After He attained Keval Gnan, the celestial beings created Samovasaran, and being seated there, He gave Deshna to people. In the Deshna, Lord Shantinath talked on the subject of winning over our indriyas (five senses). Lord explained in the Deshna how we can win over all our senses and become Jitendriya Jin, meaning the one who has conquered the pleasures derived through the five-sense organs.

In the state of ignorance, it’s the indriyas that win over us; therefore, we all became jitendriya jeev instead of Jitendriya Jin. Jin means Aatma Gnani. There are many who struggle a lot to win over the indriyas but to win over the five senses is not that easy. We mainly have to win over the five gnan indriyas; winning over the karma indriyas is not essential. Once five gnan indriyas are won, meaning everything is won.

The Sense of Taste

While eating, we should try to remain aware of the taste of each and everything that’s served in our plate. A detailed analysis of each item in our plate helps win over the taste buds.

We must live in the present and enjoy what we have; why worry about that which we’ve not got? Nowadays most of the people are not able to enjoy what they have and are suffering terribly for what they’ve not got. In contrast, Gnanis always remain in the present. They eat while eating; and work at the time of working.

The rule is such that whatever comes into our plate comes as per the eater's karmic account; those making the dish are making it with good feelings and love only. Where we get engrossed in the sense of taste, there we need to remain aware.

The Sense of Touch

By touching, human beings feel happiness. Cold-hot—this is applicable to the sense of touch. It does not concern the 'mind’ or the 'taste’ at all. To feel cold or hot merely produces a mental effect through touch. The nature of the five senses is such that the more we pamper them, the more they go out of control.

In fact, we’ve left the happiness of the Soul and have got stuck in the happiness of the matter. By dwelling in the bliss of the Self, sensual pleasures automatically shed off on their own.

The senses cannot be controlled by the ego; because as soon as the ego breaks, all the senses once again come in dominance. The happiness taken from the matter is the happiness of the non-Self (anaatma) division. If we go to take pleasure from any of the five senses, then if not today, then tomorrow, we will have to repay this happiness taken from the matter.

The most dangerous of all is the sexual pleasure that touches the sense of touch; no other sense is interested in sexual pleasure. The eyes do not like to see sex; the ears do not like to hear about it; the nose does not like to smell it and there is no taste in it. Only because of the pleasure in touch, through sex, a lot of violence happens.

The rule is such that until one feels happiness in the matter (body), one cannot move towards the happiness of the Soul. One who really wants to attain the happiness of the Soul or one who has attained the happiness of the Soul, those are not interested in the happiness from the matter. In today’s times, people have believed only sexual pleasure to be everything. Sexual pleasure also is based on false belief; factually, in it, there is no happiness at all.

Through sexual pleasure, wanderings in the cosmos keep increasing. By falling into sexual pleasure once, anger-pride-deceit-greed—all the passions dominate us. The tendency to go towards the bliss of the Self does not occur at all. If one wants to taste the bliss of the Self, then one will have to come out of sexual pleasure and come towards the Soul. Gnanis are always in the bliss of the Self. Whether there is material happiness or not, Gnanis are always constantly in the bliss of the Self. Although outside, there may be unhappiness and restlessness, but inside, there is always peace only. Gnanis experience a constant Samadhi, a state free from the effects of mental, physical, and externally-induced problems, within even amidst mental suffering (aadhi), physical suffering (vyadhi) and an externally induced problem (upadhi). This Samadhi is due to the bliss of the Self.

The Sense of Sight

When eyes see something beautiful, they immediately get attracted. As much as we’ve abused our eyes, that much disease (vikaar) arises inside. Instead of seeing the Soul in the other person, we see their form, their body due to which the vikaar arises.

The rule is such that the sense that is misused, that sense shall betray you. Going ahead, the defect of that sense shall arise; its illness shall arise. For example, watching too much of TV, mobile or Internet causes increase in the number of person's eye-glasses; even cataracts can occur in the eyes during old age. It’s the fruit of our past demerit karma.

The rule is such that whom we have seen with sexual tendencies, we have to spend one life with him/her; that person shall not leave us. Therefore, wherever such misuse of eyesight has been done, then we have to sit for an hour, and remembering each one whom we saw with a sexual tendency from childhood to date, we must do repentance-pratikraman for it. Doing so, an account with those people for future birth shall not be bound.

That is why it has been said, "When the illusion that deludes ends, all sufferings end. If one forgets the appearance, all suffering shall disappear." So as soon as we happen to see and if we become alert, then that fault will not happen. However, if our eyes get glued onto someone, then that person shall not leave us. By doing pratikaman, the vision becomes pure. Forfend avert

The Sense of Smell

The sense of nose which is called 'the sense of smell’ can be experienced by fragrance. We always like good smell, not bad smell. If we are able to remain detached from fragrance, then it is possible to remain detached in stench as well.

Nowadays, people resort to fragrant perfumes and other beauty remedies. All of this we do for the external body only. Actually, fragrance should be that of internal. The fragrance of the real aristocrat comes even from 25 miles away. When no effect of fragrance or stench arises at all within, that’s when we are said to have attained control over the sense of smell.

The Sense of Hearing

The faculty of hearing is used in many ways. Actually, we must listen to only that much which is useful for our worldly life and to the recitation of the holy scriptures where life stories of Gnanis, Tirthankars and great people are being narrated. It’s worthy to use our ears to listen to all of that. If we utilize our sense of hearing very nicely, then merit karma meaning good karma is bound. If we misuse this sense of hearing, then one could become deaf.

When we do not listen to someone's true talk; we reject it, then as a result of that karma, deafness comes. Whichever sense we misuse, that sense’s fruit of karma cannot be avoided. Another type of misuse happens when someone talks about us or when someone talks nice about us; we feel happy. If someone speaks ill, then we feel insulted. Sometimes, we try hard to listen to others’ talks even when we are unable to hear; there remains curiosity inside that what would these people be talking about me! Doubting in this manner leads to a terrible bondage of karma. We should have confidence in ourselves, "Whatever people want to say, they may say; I know I'm pure." Many a times, we suspect that those people are talking about us, but by doing so, we wander away from the path of salvation.

Many great men also had opponents such as Goshala against Lord Mahavir and Shishupal against Lord Krishna. However, they remained in the Real form of the Self; nothing bothered them. A pure person never has any suffering.

If the opponent speaks negative about us, then understand that s/he is saying to the body; the mind-speech-body is not the true form at all. "I want to go to Moksha only!"—This is the only desire we should have.

How Do We Conquer the Five Senses?

The senses cannot be conquered by controlling them; they should, with right understanding, shed off on their own. The nature of the five senses is such that if we try to control any one particular sense, then the other sense shall overpower us. For example, if we win over lust, then pride shall overpower; if we win over greed, then the sense of taste shall dominate.

To be free from all this, Gnani is required. By attaining Self-realization, we can go beyond the senses. As we keep remaining separate from the body, the senses shall come in order automatically.

When Self-Realization happens, one becomes Jitendriya Jin. After attaining Self-Realization, as illusory attachment (moha) starts shedding off, one starts being free from all karmas. Then, as progress keeps happening, one attains the state of Jitmoh Jin, meaning the one who is starting to win over illusory attachment. When moha completely sheds, and one becomes only the Real form of Self, one is said to have attained the state of Kshinmoh Jin; there Keval Gnan happens!

In the state of ignorance, the senses dominate over us, and after Self-Realization, we gain victory over them. As long as we are in the state of doership, till then, all the senses are riding on us. In reality, by knowing who is the doer and who is driving the circumstances, the senses can be conquered.

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan – Nirvana

Shree Shantinath Bhagwan’s son, Chakrayudh, was His first Ganadhar (the chief disciple of a Tirthankar). In total, Lord had 36 Ganadhars. Lord Shantinath, along with thousands of Sadhus and Sadhvis, went to Moksha from the Shikharji Mountain.