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Dharmanath is our fifteenth Tirthanakar of our present age (Avasarpini). In his previous life he was King Dridhrath of Baddilpur town in Mahavideha region. He was a very pious and religious King who use to keep himself engaged in the religious practices. Due to severe penances of a number of births he had achieved a very high state of spiritual enlightenment due to which he was reborn as a tirthankar in his next life. He reincarnated as God in the Vijyanta dimension after which his soul descended into the womb of Suvrata Devi who was the wife of King Bhanuraja of Ratnapuri kingdom. The queen had witnessed fourteen auspicious dreams which every Tirthanakar's mother used to see.
The King was aware about the dreams of King Rishabdeva’s mother so he realised that the child in the Queen’s womb was going to be the next Tirthankar. Both of them were happy at their good fortune. On the third day of the bright half of the month of Magh(according to the Jain calendar) gave birth to a son. During the pregnancy the King and queen including the subjects devoted all their time to religious activities like charity, penances and other noble activities which created peace and harmony around the kingdom. Realising that it was due to the influence of the purity and Godliness of the unborn child, the new born was named Dharmanath. Years passed and the prince grew up to be a kind and obedient boy and soon they got him married. The King then decided to hand over the kingdom to Dharmanath and get retired from his duties and leave for the forest to pursue spiritual enlightment.
Dharmanath was a wise king who ruled his kingdom wisely for a number of years. He took great care of his subjects and the affairs of the state and did all the justice to his kingdom. He would also always be immersed in prayer and meditation. Years passed and one day in his prayers he glimpsed all his past life and then he realised the goal of his life and the purpose of his birth. A deep sense of detachment came over him. Embracing ascetism he left the kingdom and roamed from place to place and began deeply pursuing his spiritual practices. He reached Ratanpur and sitting under a Dadhiparan tree he achieved Omniscience.
After achiving Omniscience, he began preaching to his followers the ill effects of passions and the worldly bondage that leads mankind to the eternal cycles of birth and death which will contiue again and again.He encouraged them to practice Right Living, Right Action and Right Knowledge. He asked them to practice the principles of non violence and compassion. And then at the auspecious land of Sammed Shikhar he attained Nirvana. He is associated with Vajra symbol.
