________________
18
19
tirthankaras, but they all will become Kevalis and attain total enlightenment. With this full enlightenment they will attain final liberation, moksha.
Questioner: But why would they not become tirthankaras?
Dadashri: The Tirthankara status is no ordinary status. It is a very tough status to attain. Cause for that status has to be established in the fourth or the third era of the time cycle when tirthankaras are actually and physically present in our world. This status of tirthankara can never be created as a cause in the fifth era of the time cycle. There is no advantage in becoming a tirthankara for you all mahatmas. For us all there is the direct path to liberation. Tirthankaras too have to attain moksha!
Dadashri: You can do so if you still want to have many lives that total a hundred thousand years. Then I can do it for you but you will have to go back to the seventh hell many times over. One has to go to hell many times before one can attain a tirthankara status.
Questioner: But what is wrong in going to hell in order to acquire such a worthy status?
Dadashri: Leave this alone! Let go of your foolishness and wise up! You will understand all this when you have to experience the heavy penance! The penance is so severe there, that people can die from just hearing about it! A person can just stop breathing from its' intensity! So do not even talk about it otherwise it will become a firm determination of yours, which will use up all your merit karmas.
Do Not Consider Simandhar Swami Indirect
There are many temples with idols of Simandhar Swami but they should be like the one in the temple of Mehsana (Northern Gujarat, Western India) so that the world would benefit.
Questioner: How many years does it take to cause this status to come to fruition? How can a current status be changed to that of a tirthankara?
Dadashri: If the time cycle is conducive and a tirthankara is present, one can create and cause a tirthankara status.
Questioner: But Dada after this cycle of Kaliyug, Satyug is definitely coming, so again the time will be good, will it not?
Dadashri: No, but it can only be done if there is a tirthankara present. Most of these mahatmas here will have already attained final liberation before another tirthankara comes along here in this world.
Questioner: How would this benefit the world?
Dadashri: Simandhar Swami is the current living tirthankara. The benefit comes from worship of His idol that is in front of you. For example if Lord Mahavir was around at present and was moving about in this world, and was not in front of you, even by worshipping his idol, would we not receive the same benefit?
Questioner: Yes.
Questioner: Very often I wonder why I cannot become a tirthankara so that I can be liberated directly. Then, later I learnt from you that one could only become a tirthankara if one has already established a status of tirthankara. So how can we establish that status now?
Dadashri: Likewise, there is a tremendous benefit for us from the presence of a current tirthankara because the vibrations