How our Fourth Thirthankar Abhinandan Swami became Tirthankar

Abhinandannath in his previous life was King Mahabal of Manglavati in Purva Mahavideha. He was a very humble King who always wondered why he was praised by his subjects when he didn't had any virtues and was happy when  was criticised by others as he felt that  pointing out his faults it was being helping him in his spiritual progress. He was much influenced by the teachings of Acharya Vimal Suri, as he taught about the goal of human life and liberation as the final goal of human existence and a feeling of detachment grew as he embraced ascetism and took Diksha from his Acharya (Vimal Suri). Than in his next life he became our fourth Tirthankar.

He was born on sencond month of Magh Shukla month according to Jain Calender. To Queen Siddhartha and King Samvar of Ayodhya in Ishvaku. When he was in the womb, he had an indelible effect on the external surrounding. Queen Siddhartha had 14 auspecious dreams and there was love and fraternity everywhere and his aura of goodness spread in the entire kingdom creating peace and prosperity sll around. Everyone in the kingdom greeted one another with kindness and love filled with brotherhood and unity. Therefore he was named as Abhinandan(greeting).As all wondered what was happening in the kingdom, the royal prince exclaimed that it was due to the soul in the womb of the Queen Siddhartha. As soon as he was born, the enviornment became more good. He grew up and when was at the age of marriage he got married. He treated each and everyone nicely, through he was Prince. And as time passed King Samvar declare Abhinandhan as King, and he went in dense forest for meditation.

 King Abhinandan ruled the kingdom wisely and there was complete peace in his kingdom for many years but as soon as his sense of detachment grew, one day he handed over his kingdom and left for the jungles to practice meditation. And on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Paush he achieved Omniscience.

He then started teaching the principles of Jainism to people and spread Jainism and explained them to give up leading a mundane life and seek the real goal of all existence. After many years of teaching, he attained Nirvana on the auspecious place of Sammed Shikhar on the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakha.

Bhagavan Abhinandannath was born to spread the knowledge of Jainism and to show people the true meaning of life.