Who is THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM - The many dimensions of THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

NAMINATHA

Naminatha was the twenty-first Jain Tirthankara (Enlightened Jain Master) of the present Cosmic Time cycle, Avsarpini. He was born to the King Vijaya and Queen Vipra of the Ikshvaku dynasty. King Vijaya was the ruler of Mithila at that time. When Naminatha was in his mother's womb, Mihila was attacked by a group of powerful kings. The aura of Naminatha forced all the kings to surrender to King Vijaya.

Naminatha was born on the 8th day of Shravan Krishna of the lunisolar Jain calendar. He attained Kevala Jnana under a Bakula tree. He had 17 Ganadhara (disciples), Suprabha being the leader. According to Jain tradition, he liberated his soul by destroying all of his karma (unfulfilled thoughts, words and actions and their consequences) and attained Moksha (liberation) from Sammed Shikhar nearly 50,000 years before Neminatha.

PARSHVANATHA

Parshvanatha (Pārśvanātha), also known as Parshva (Pārśva) and Paras, was the 23rd of 24 Jain Tirthankaras (Enlightened Jain Masters) of Jainism. He is one of the earliest Tirthankaras who are acknowledged as historical figures.

Parshvanatha was born 350 years before Mahavira. He was the spiritual successor of the 22nd Tirthankara Neminath. He is popularly seen as a propagator and reviver of Jainism.

According to Jain texts, Parshvanatha was born in Benares (Varanasi), Bharat. Renouncing worldly life, he founded an ascetic community.

MAHAVIRA

Mahavira, also known as Vardhamana, was the twenty-fourth Jain Tirthankara (Enlightened Jain Master) who revived and reorganized Jainism. He expounded the spiritual, philosophical and ethical teachings of the previous Tirthankaras from the remote pre-Vedic era. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha.

He abandoned all worldly possessions at the age of 30 and left home in pursuit of spiritual awakening, becoming an ascetic. Mahavira practiced intense meditation and severe austerities for 12 years, after which he is believed to have attained Kevala Jnana (Omniscience).

After attaining Kevala Jnana, Mahavira taught that observance of the vows of ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (non-attachment) is necessary for spiritual liberation. He taught the principles of Anekantavada (many-sided reality): syadvada and nayavada. Mahavira's teachings were compiled by Indrabhuti Gautama (his chief disciple) as the Jain Agamas.