Lord Sambhavanath was the third Jain Tirthankara of the present age, Avasarpini. As per Jain philosophy, he became a siddha, an enlightened soul which has destructed all of its karma. Sambhavnath was born to Emperor Jitari Raja and Queen Saina Rani at Sravasthi in the Ikshvaku dynasty. He was born in the fourteenth day of the Margshrsha shukla month of the Hindu calendar. After a long time of the Nirvana of Bhagwan Ajitnath, the city of Kshempuri in the Airavat area of Mahavideh was ruled by Emperor Vipulvahan. He was a considerate and kind-hearted ruler who loved and cared for his subjects.
Life of Lord Sambhavanath
Once a devastating drought affected the whole region, and the population was deprived even of a few drops of water. The Emperor opened his grain yards for the public, his kitchen for the monks and ascetics and his treasury for the import of food grains. He even instructed his caretaker of his individual kitchen that the doors of his kitchen should be open to all, and all the guests should be given priority over himself. He also said that if anything was left at the end that should be served to him. However, if nothing was left he would be contented with the pleasure of serving his guests. It also happened during the drought that the Emperor remained unfed and thirsty.
As a consequence of this sublime feeling of compassion, Vipulvahan acquired distinctive purity of soul and earned the Trithankr-nam-and-gotra-karma. After a certain time though everything became normal the effect of the drought and the torture of the nature on the living world had a deep impact on Vipulvahan`s psyche. One day while he was standing on the roof top he witnessed dense rain clouds being scattered by wind. A feeling of intense detachment grew in him. He handed over his kingdom to his son and took Diksha from Svayamprabh Suri. After completing his age he reincarnated in the Anat dimension of Gods.
Resurrection of Lord Sambhavanath
From the Anat dimension, Lord Vipulvahan descended into the womb of Queen Sena Devi, wife of Emperor Jitari of Shravasti. When he was in the womb of his mother there were sufficient rains and abundant crop. One day when the Emperor and queen were happily watching the lush green vegetation all around, from their roof top, the Emperor said, that this time even the waste-land is filled with grain crop. He felt that all that was impossible had been made possible, due to the propitious influence of the pious soul in his wife`s womb. He thus named his son Sambhav.
On the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Margshrish, the queen gave birth to a healthy son and he was ceremoniously named Sambhav Kumar. The little prince grew up in royal comfort. However, he hardly took any cursory interest in the luxurious and materialistic life style. At the appropriate age Sambhav Kumar was married and coronated. He reigned for a long time peacefully and successfully. After many years he left his kingdom and became an ascetic on the fifteenth day of the bright half of the month of Margshrish. He achieved nirvana after a fourteen year period of divine practices. Arhat Sambhavnath gave his first discourse on the ephemeral nature of the ordinary existence. For a long period he worked for the upliftment of the masses and propagation of religion. He got Nirvana on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra.
