Current Living Tirthankara Shri Simandhar Swami Preface The way to liberation in the current times Who doesn’t have a desire to be liberated? Who does not have the wish to attain ultimate aim of human life, liberation moksha? How many of us understand the true nature of moksha and proceed on the way to attain it? Moreover, isn’t there a need for a guide who can show us the right path and help us proceed on it? It is described in the scriptures that in Kaliyug - this fifth period of the descending half of the time-cycle, there is no possibility for final liberation from Bharat Khshetra (planet Earth). This is because there is no Tirthanakara now on the Earth. Just because there is no living Tirthankara* (*Tirthankara – A living fully enlightened being whose presence turns every place He goes to into a place of pilgrimage and whose darshan grants final liberation to the one who has attained Self-realization), is there no way possible for anyone on earth to attain salvation? In the past, there were Tirthankaras and Gnanis (*Gnani – Enlightened beings free from all worldly attachment and who have the siddhi spiritual energy to grace people with Self-realization) who were instrumental in securing salvation of multitudes of people. But now, they are all in the Siddha-Kheshtra* (*Siddha Kshetra - the final location of all liberated souls), so where is the link for salvation at the present time, for us? For those intensely desirous of moksha and whose merit karma come into effect, a Gnani Purush arises and through Him the path of moksha opens up, even in the current time of Kaliyug. In the present day, as a result of the fruition of the highest merit karma of souls destined for moksha in a few life times, a short-cut path has opened up through the Gnani Purush Shri Ambalal Muljibhai Patel. This path is now known as Akram Marg (The path without steps). Shri Ambalal Muljibhai Patel is the originator of the Akram Path; in Him manifested the fully enlightened Lord known as Dada Bhagwan. Through Dada Bhagwan, Self-realization is attained within only two hours. Self- Realization is enlightenment, experience of the Self. Dada Bhagwan has placed contless people on the path of liberation and these people are living in moksha. Even now, this process is continuing. The Gnani Purush, who constantly is in the state of the Self, is constantly in the bliss of the Self. He has attained the solutions to all the secrets of the universe, and points out to those desirous of liberation; that the only path to attain final enlightenment and moksha is to recognize the currently living Tirthankara Lord and establish an unbroken connection with Him. This can be done through unparalleled devotion for Him, and surrender to Him. This will lead eventually to his darshan, and final liberation. This is the only solution. However, if final Liberation is not available from this location and if a livingTirthankara is not present here, what is the way to achieve this goal? The one and the only way available for us all on Earth, is to attain a connection with the currently living Tirthankar Shri Simandhar Swami, and this is available. Who is benevolent then? Currently, Tirthankara Lord Shri Simandhar Swami is present. He is not present in this planet but He is present in another world Mahavideha Kshetra and yet, He is extremely benevolent for our planet Earth (Bharat Khshetra). It is heart wrenching to see that so many people are not acquainted with Him. Yes, some people in the Jain religion know of Shri Simandhar Swami, but their knowledge is limited to only a reference to Him in the ritual of samayik that they do. Shri Simandhar Swami is the present Arihant* (Arihant – a living fully enlightened being who has destroyed all the inner enemies of pride, anger, deceit and greed). He is benevolent and instrumental for the liberation of all beings on Earth. Since complete familiarity with Him is not there, there is no unparalleled devotion towards Him either. It is possible to attain liberation through Simandhar Swami even in this present time of Kaliyug, but sadly that opportunity and benefit is not being taken. The Jains greatly revere and recite the Navkar Mantra* (Navkar mantra - mantra paying obeisance to all beings of the universe in various stages of Self-realization), but they do not get the full benefit of this mantra. Is it because there is a fault inherent in the mantra or in the one who recites it? If one were to recite it with the proper understanding, will it not give better results? Dadashri, the Gnani Purush clarified this by stating that the Navkar Mantra is not being done with the proper understanding of its correct meaning. Surely a letter addressed incorrectly is bound to end up in the dead-letter box! So what mistake is being made here? The Gnani Purush explains that the first line of obeisance in the Navkar Mantra, ‘Namo Arihantanam - I bow to the Arihant Lord’, is not directed to the past Chovisi* (Chovisi – a unit of twenty-four Tirthankaras who live in a certain period of one half time-cycle on Earth); it does not refer to the past twenty-four Tirthankaras. An Arihant is a living Tirthankara and so this obeisance is directed to the current living Tirthankara Lord Shri Simandhar Swami. The Tirthankaras of the past Chovisi are addressed in the second obeisance, ‘Namo Siddhanam – I bow to the Siddha Lords’, because they are presently residing in the Siddha Khshetra where all liberated Souls reside for eternity. Thus, by saying ‘Namo Arihantanam’, the living Shri Simandhar Swami is to be worshipped. Currently, there are twenty Tirthankaras residing in Mahavideh Khshetra, so why should one worship only Shri Simandhar Swami? Dadashri clarified this by explaining that Lord Simandhar has a special connection with this planet of ours. At some time in the past, his birth may have occurred on this planet, therefore even now, He will not forget this planet! Who but the experienced Gnani can give such a thorough explanation? Extremely benevolent Shri Simandhar Swami has been a Tirthankara since the presence of the eighteenth Tirthankara Lord Arahanath on Bharat-Kshetra - this planet of ours! All the Tirthankaras accept Him. So if we accept Him, we too can achieve the fruit that is otherwise unattainable! Introduction to Lord Simandhar Swami As if he is seeing before his very eyes, Gnani Purush Dadashri, disclosing the minutest detail, gives the description that Simandhar Swami is currently one hundred seventy five thousand years old and shall remain alive for one hundred twenty five thousand years more. His body size is very very large. His eating and drinking is different from ours. His speech is in the form of deshna* (deshna - ego-less speech that liberates the listener). He is totally and completely free of ego. His speech is without ownership, His speech is without attachment and every living being understands it in his language. He always has compassion for all living beings and has a constant desire for the benefit of all living beings. He is instrumental for our salvation as He remains the Self in absolute knowledge kevalgnan. He establishes a tirtha place of pilgrimage every place He walks. His body’s paramanus (parmanu - infinitesimal sub-atomic particles of matter) are completely pure. He has thirty four such atishayas extraordinary spiritual energies evident to all. He is endowed with so much merit karma that is not excelled by any other living being. His body is the last one before final liberation charam sharira and endowed with perfect beauty. Upon seeing Him, one gets filled with feelings of unparalleled devotion. For those who have attained Self-realization, Keval Gnan (absolute knowledge) is attained by just His darshan. When the Lord’s sight is cast upon you, the ‘seal of liberation’ gets stamped on you. He is Enlightened without a guru swayambuddha and is born with three types of knowledge, (mati, shruti and avadhi) and after accepting diksha renouncing the world, He attained the fourth knowledge called manahparyaya gnan which is knowledge of all the phases of the mind, and ultimately the state of kevalgnan absolute enlightenment. His remaining discharge karma are currently being exhausted like water flowing in the river; whereas He remains in the state of absolute knowledge. He has become the instrument for the final liberation of countless people. We heartily bow down million times over to such a perfect, benevolent, living, Arihant Lord and make our life worthwhile with the constant desire to see Him in person. Instrumental in the mission of liberation of millions by Shri Simandhar Swami, are sixty-four ganadhars (key associates of the Lord, who are Self-realized beings leading multitude of seekers on the path of liberation), one million great kings with absolute knowledge, one billion male ascetics, one billion female ascetics, nine billion male householder devotees and nine billion female householder devotees; as well as the protecting deities of His reign that include Shri Chandrayan Yakshadev and Shri Panchanguli Yakshinidevi. We can read the description of Shri Simandhar Swami in the scriptures, but where else can we see and hear the facts about the Lord as it resides in the heart of the Gnani? The description not found in scriptures, the facts about the secrets of what is in the Tirthankara’s heart is easily understood and experienced in the Gnani Purush’s words. Attaining Tirthankara state is not the result of just one lifetime’s purushartha highest inner effort but it is the result of an ardent benevolence for people’s salvation over many a lifetimes that the Tirthankara lineage is assured.