2900th Janm Kalyanak of Bhagwan Parshvanath

2900 years ago, in the historic city of Varanasi in Bharatvarsha, King Ashvasena ruled with compassion and justice. His queen, Vamadevi, carried within her a magnificent soul, heralded by 14/16 divine dreams. During her pregnancy, Queen Vamadevi had the vision of a snake by her side in the dead of the night. Acting swiftly, she informed the King, ultimately saving his life from imminent danger. When the time came, she gave birth to a son at midnight on the 10th/11th day of the dark fortnight of Pausha, under the Vishakha constellation. The boy was named Parshva Kumar. In celebration of his birth, King Ashvasena organized a grand tenday festival, distributing abundant donations of food, clothing, and wealth to the people.

From an early age, Parshva Kumar demonstrated fearlessness, intellectual brilliance, and a natural inclination towards religious life. His education was marked by diligence, enabling him to excel in knowledge as well as skills such as weaponry and horsemanship, all achieved through his sharp intellect. As Parshva Kumar reached adulthood, King Ashvasena arranged his marriage with Princess Prabhavati, daughter of King Prasenajit. However, the Digambar tradition holds that Parshva Kumar remained unmarried. Despite living a royal life, Parshva Kumar remained detached and absorbed in spiritual contemplation.

Recognizing the appropriate time for renunciation, Parshva Kumar began distributing his worldly possessions. On the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Pausha, he reached the Ashram Udyana in central Varanasi. There, beneath an Ashoka tree, he performed the ritual of plucking out his hair in five handfuls, removed his ornaments, and initiated himself into asceticism. As a monk, Muni Parshva devoted himself to meditation and spiritual practice. Traveling widely, he preached the principles of dharma, truth, and ahimsa (non-violence) to the masses. On one of his journeys, he returned to the Ashram Udyana in Varanasi, where he entered in deep meditation beneath a Ghataki tree. After an eight-day fast, he overcame all destructive karmas, attaining omniscience (Kevala Jnana) and omni perception. Following his enlightenment, Bhagwan Parshvanath delivered discourses for the spiritual upliftment of all living beings. His powerful and lucid teachings drew many followers, including King Ashvasena, Queen Vamadevi, Queen Prabhavati, and numerous scholars who were inspired to take Jain initiation.