Shree Vasupujya Swami 12th Jain Thithankar

Shree Vasupujya Swami
12th Jain Tirthankar

A Tirthankara is a person who has conquered a divine state by their rigorous spiritual penance and previous incarnation karmas. They are born as a human being and grow in a luxurious life. They will not get attached to the materials and will live a pious life. Due to their severe meditation, they get the power to know their past birth. They then embrace asceticism and attain Nirvana. They are called as arihantas. Arihant means to destroy. Tirthankaras kill the internal enemies such as greed, ego, etc. and cross the ocean of samsara. They also help people to attain salvation with their highly exalted state of spiritual practice.

Tirthankaras are born in the Jain religion. Jainism scriptures indicate that the time cycle is infinite. They get divided into two kaals. Utsarpini – the positive period with six Aras, and Avsarpini – the negative time with six Aras. Each Ara will exist for more than 21000 years, and they are not equal. But the completion of one Ara will follow another, and this never comes to an end. Every six Ara is called as the one-half cycle of the Kalachakra. During every half cycle, Tirthankaras descend through the womb of a Queen to provide Mukti to their followers.

Presently Avsarpini fifth Ara is going on. It is believed that for the last 19000 years this Ara is happening and will end when 21000 years get over. Then the next Ara will begin.

24 set if Tirthankaras birth is an infinite process and happens during every half cycle of the Kalachakra.

Birth and Childhood of Vasupujya

Vasupujya due to the result of his karma was born as King Padmottar in his previous birth. He ruled the country of Manglavati located in the Ardhapushkar Island. He lived a simple life. He devoted his life for the well-being of people. He spent his time praying to God. He obtained Diksha from Acharya Vajranabh and achieved the dignified state of divine enlightenment.

Due to the Tirthankara Nam Karma, he was born as a Tirthankara in his next incarnation. Vasupujya’s soul entered the womb of Queen Jaya Devi. She was the wife of King Vasupujya of Champapuri town in the Ikshvaku dynasty. The Queen with a lot of joy wanted to meet the King who was sitting in his palace. He was enjoying the bright sunshine and its reflection on the river Ganges during the early hours of the day. The Queen rushed to meet the King and asked him if she can talk to him. He agreed and then she explained him about her fourteen dreams. King understood that the birth of a Tirthankara is going to occur for them. He told the Queen about this, and she was thrilled to carry such a great soul in her womb.

Queen enjoyed all through her pregnancy. She delivered a boy baby on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the Phalgun month. Lord Indra himself came to see the baby and gave his reverence to the mother and the child. The King named the baby as Vasupujya to reciprocate their respect to the king of the Gods Lord Indra. Indra’s another name is Vasu.

Vasupujya grew as a prince. He always focused on the inner feeling of detachment. He refused to get married. He also did not accept the throne and left the kingdom to practice spiritual penance.

Vasupujya – Ascetic Life

He embraced asceticism on the on the fifteenth day of Krishna Paksham (days between the Full moon and New moon) of the Phalgun month. He had six hundred people following him in asceticism.

He became a saint and practiced only religious penance. After few months of severe penance he attained omniscience under the Patal tree. His Nirvana happened on the second day of the bright half of the month of Magh month. Due to his sincere devotion to God, all his four ghati karmas got destroyed, and he achieved Kevala Gyana.

During his ascetic life, he had once travelled to Dwaraka. Dwiprishtha was the king of Dwaraka during that time. He was King Vasupujya’s brother. Vasupujya briefed him about his past births. He was born as King Parvat, and he wanted to marry a beautiful girl living in his kingdom. Her name was Gunmanjari. But King Vindyashakti of the neighboring country wanted to marry her. He was potent and wicked. When he was not able to marry her, he decided to fight with King Dwiprishtha and conquered him. Feeling very sad about this incident King Dwiprishtha took Diksha in his birth. He was born again to win over King Vindtashakti in this birth. King Vindyashakti was born as King Tarak.

Hearing this King Dwiprishtha remembered how he killed King Tarak in a battle. He realized that his purpose of coming to the earth is accomplished. Hence he fell at the feet of Vasupujya and obtained Diksha to attain Mukti.

Nirvana

Vasupujya continuously preached much more during his lifetime and gave Diksha to many people. He was preaching Jain philosophy to people. He taught them peace, compassion, and Ahimsa. He travelled to many places and spread Jainism.

Finally, when he completed his real purpose of birth, he attained Nirvana. On the fourteenth day of the Shukla Paksham of Ashad month, he got liberated.

Conclusion

The Symbol for Vasupujya is represented as a buffalo. Bhagavan Vasupujya, a divine soul who helped humankind to attain liberation. He gave them salvation from the infinite cycles of birth and rebirth. He insisted people to follow the Jain code of conduct – Right Action, Right Manner, and Right Knowledge stands as the prime values of Jainism. He asked them to get detached from the material possession. This can happen only through self-realization. He taught them meditation to connect with God.

India is blessed to have such realized souls as Tirthankaras during every half cycle of Kalachakra. They come to the world to purify every soul with their love and compassion. Such holy souls have the power to preach the tenets of philosophy. Follow such souls even after their liberation to achieve peace and eternal bliss.

Family
Father:	Vasupujya
Mother:	Jaya (Vijaya)
Dynasty:	Ikshvaku
Places
Birth:	Champapuri
Nirvana:	Champapuri
Attributes
Colour:	Red
Symbol:	Buffalo
Height:	70 dhanusha (210 meters)
Age:	7,200,000 years
Attendant Gods
Yaksha:	Sukumar
Yaksini:	Pravara (Chandra)