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The life of Acharyashri Padliptasuriji is an extraordinary tale of miracles achieved through exceptional powers and imaginative writings. He was born in Ayodhya, a town on the banks of the Saryu and Ganga rivers. His father, Fullachandra, was a wealthy businessman, and his mother, Pratima, was a virtuous and devout woman.
Pratima's penance and worship granted her the blessing of a son, whom they named Nagendra because she dreamt of a serpent (nag) during his birth. Nagendra grew up in a religious family and received guidance from the esteemed guru, Naghasti.
At the age of eight, Nagendra underwent initiation under Acharya Naghasti, becoming known as Muni Nagendra. Once, while collecting alms, he composed a shloka describing how a beautiful woman had offered alms to him. However, his guru was displeased with the amorous tone of the verse and reprimanded him for being consumed by passion.
Quick-witted, Muni Nagendra asked his guru politely to add an extra 'अ' (a) sound to his name, making him "पादलिप्त" (padlipta) instead of "पलित" (palit). Impressed by his intelligence, the guru blessed him, granting him the name "पादलिप्त" and the power to fly by applying ointment to his feet. With this ability, he visited various sacred places daily before accepting food and water.
He also acquired four other supernatural powers known as siddha vidyas. Once, a siddha yogi named Nagarjun offered him a vessel that could turn stone or iron into gold. However, Muni Padliptasuri considered material wealth insignificant for a monk and declined the offer. In response, Nagarjun became angry, but Muni Padliptasuri turned things into gold merely by touching or urinating on them. Nagarjun's pride dissolved, and he became a disciple of Muni Padliptasuri, learning the knowledge of flying in the sky.
Nagarjun later founded a town named Padliptapur, now known as Palitana, in honor of his revered teacher. Muni Padliptasuri authored remarkable works, including the epic "Tarangvati," which holds a special place in world fiction. He also composed other books, such as "Nirvankalika," "Prashnaprakh," "Kalgyan," and provided commentary on "Jyotish Karandak" and "Taranglila-katha."
In his pursuit of spiritual growth, Muni Padliptasuri undertook a 32-day fast at Shri Shatrunjay Tirtha and ultimately attained a glorious death.
