Parshwanath saw snakes being burned in a fire started by a tapas person showing magic tricks. He had the snakes removed and recited a mantra before they died. According to Jain philosophy, the snakes were reborn as gods in their next life. Later, as a monk, Parshwanath experienced disturbances from rains created by the tapas person, now a god, but was protected and undisturbed by gods who were the snakes in their previous life. The story illustrates the Jain philosophy of detachment and how Parshwanath remained unfazed by worldly incidents and focused on attaining salvation.

1. 5/16/2012
TURNING SNAKES INTO GODS THROUGH JAIN
JAIN PHILOSOPHY OF DETACHMENT - THE STORY OF 22ND
TIRTHANKARA LORD PARSHWANATH
Life of the great Jain Tirthankara Parshwanath | Dr. T.K. Jain,
jain.tk@gmail.com

2. TURNING SNAKES INTO GODS
THROUGH JAIN PHILOSOPHY
OF DETACHMENT - THE STORY
OF 22ND TIRTHANKARA LORD
PARSHWANATH
BY :
DR. T.K. JAIN
PARAKH NIWAS
SHIVAKAMU VETERINARY HOSPITAL
ROAD
BIKANER 334001
MOBILE : 9414430763

4. Human life is divine life. This is the life that gives us an opportunity for
upward movement. This life enables us to use our will power, decisions
and actions for our liberation. This is the life that can transform our
future. Through our determination, we can liberate ourselves from the
cycle of birth and death. It is said that even gods take birth as human
beings in order to liberate from the cycle of birth and death. Human life
has the biggest advantage in the form of the power of thinking and the
capability to withstand suffering through focus on soul and
detachment. Human life gives us choices and opportunities for right
knowledge, right conduct and right vision. It is the human being, who
can enable others also to liberate and to elevate.
There are many stories in Jain literature. These stories were known to
every Jain person earlier, but now these are getting limited to books
and libraries. These stories have a message hidden in them. The
message is about self control, self regulation and ultimate goal of life.
These stories also tell us about the rich tradition of Jain Saints, which
can certainly inspire the next generations to lead a life of principles and
commitments. One such story is presented here for the guidance of the
younger generations. It is the story of Lord Parshwanath, who enabled
a couple of snakes to rise to the level of gods (through re-birth).
When a being dies the soul (jiva) goes to its next body
instantly. This body may not be human or even animal.
The quality of its next life is determined by its
karma at that time. The mental state of the beingat
the moment of death is also im portant: a calm
and contented death, with the mind focussed on spiritual

5. matters, is the best. A beingachieves deliverance when it is
free from all karma. This is not the same thing as
enlightenment. An enlightened bei ng is free of all
harmful karma, but still subject to the non‐harmful
karma. Howe ver, a delivered beingcannot attract any
harmful karma, and they cannot do anyt hing bad. Such
a beingis called an arihant. Despite being still
human, an ar ihant has perfect knowledge, and
happiness.All the tirthankaras were arihants (but not vice
versa). A tirthankara is an arihant who founds a religious
community of monks and nuns . An enlightened
beingdoes not achieve deliverance until all the non‐harmful
karma has expired. During this time it continues to be
embodied and can live in the world. Presently, you will
not find a fully enlightened beingeven among the most holy
of Jain monks, as Jain teaching states that no‐one has
or will achieve enlightenment in the present time (in
Jain terms, no person can become Tirthankara or KewalGyani during
the 5t h and 6th spokes of the current time cycle).
This story is about the period when Parshwanath was a prince. From
the childhood, he had supernatural powers and perceptive ability. His
characteristics made him distinct and different from others. Once while
sitting in the window of his home, he saw that there was someone
doing some magic in the road and lots of people were gathered there.
He was filled with a curiosity. He immediately rushed to the spot with
his servants. He saw a Tapas person buring some wood and displaying
his magistic powers. Parshwanath was not impressed by him. The
supernatural powers of Parshwanath enabled him to see snakes getting

6. burnt in the wood. He asked the person to save the snakes. The person
(called Kamath Tapas or Tapas) didn’t agree and said that there was no
snake. Parshwanath immediately got the snakes removed from the
wood and tried to give them sermon and recited Navkar Mahamantra
before them. They couldn’t survive for long and died. But the healing of
Parshwanath worked in some sense. As per Jain philosophy, rebirth
takes place as per the wishes and ideas at the time of death and on the
basis of accumulated karmas. The snakes became Gods in their next
birth and their names are Dharmendra and Padmawati. The Tapas was
infuriated at the foresight of Parshwanath. He lost his image in the
public and ultimately he had to leave the city. He died after some time
and he also became a God.
Later the King Parshwanath became monk and started doing
meditation as per Jain systems (he used to do Kayotsarga in standing
posture for days). Once he was doing Kayotsarga, suddently the Tapas
(who was now a god called Meghmali) came there and started creating
all types of problems for the monk. Parshwanath remained calm and
engrossed in his meditation. Tapas created heavy rains and floods, and
at that time Dharmendra and Padmawati came to rescue Parshwanath.
They created a platform for Parshwanath and protected him from rains
and water. They also repelled Tapas. Parshwanath remained engrossed
in meditation. He had no hatred for Tapas and no attachment for
Dharmendra and Padmawati.
Jain stories tell us about 9 previous lives of Parshwanath and in each of
the life he had some incident of encounter with Tapas. Thus the life
Parshwanath was affected by Tapas in each and every life in the past
nine lives and in each case Parshwanath remained firm on principlies of
equanimity.

7. Parshwanath presents a life of calmness, determination and
commitment before us. He focused on his goals of attaining salvation
and therefore remained detached to the worldly incidents. He
harboured no feelings (neigher hatred nor attachment) was thus able
to liberate himself from the bondage of the world.
The story of Parshwanath tells us how we can attain supreme status by
practicing detachment, equanimity and concentration on the ultimate
goals of life. Parshwanath became the 23rd Tirthankara in Indian history.
He re-established the Jain systems. He established a Tirtha (Tirth
doesn’t mean a place of worship, but a group of people who become
liberated due to sermons and ultimate knowledge that is imparted.
Thousands of people became Kewalgyani under him and thus got
liberation).