Future 24 Tirthankar Naamgotra Bandh Analysis

Author(s): Darshan Bavisi
Publisher: Darshan Bavisi

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Introduction
Probably all Jain sects in the world believe that all next 24 Tirthankara Naam-gotra of Bharat Kshetra (where we live) has already been done by some 24 souls in their past lives and they are already either in devlok or narak. That means after coming out of devlok or narak they will immediately live the life of Tirthankara and that will be therefore their last life. In other words, it means they just have two lives to go before attaining moksha, i.e. the current life in devlok or narak, and then the last life of Tirthankara. We will see in this study if this understanding sounds entirely correct or partly questionable.
Understanding time calculation
The fourth era (choutho aaro) is of 'ek koda kodi saagaropam', meaning in today's calculations it is 1 crore multiplied by 1 crore saagaropam1 long, which means the total length of 4th Era is 100,000,000,000,000 (100 trillion) saagaropam long, whereas, the life in highest devlok is only 33 saagaropam. So how can the future 24th Tirthankara be in Sarwarthsiddha Vimaan Devlok now itself? If we divide 100 trillion saagaropam by 33 saagaropam, then 3 trillion souls will arrive, live and then leave, one after the other in sequential order, in the highest devlok, so naturally one single soul of next 24th Tirthankara can't be there right now itself.
Similarly, there's extremely long time remaining for the 23rd, 22nd, 21st, 20th, 19th, etc. next Tirthankaras. So based on that, the above understanding, which is generally believed until now that all 24 future Tirthankaras have already done the bandh of Tirthankara naam-gotra cannot be correct for all 24 future Tirthankaras.
For quick understanding,
4th Era of Avsarpini Kaal is same as 3rd Era of Utsarpini Kaal (1 kodadodi saagaropam)
Similarly, 4th Era of Utsarpini Kaal is same as 3rd Era of Avsarpini Kaal (2 kodadodi saagaropam)
Timelines, age, etc. details of 24th Tirthankara of Avsarpini Kaal is same for 1st Tirthankara of Utsarpini Kaal.
Similarly, timelines, age, etc. details of 1st Tirthankara of Avsarpini Kaal is same for 24th Tirthankara of Utsarpini Kaal, due to reversal of Kaal Chakra. Same reversed sequence applies for all other Tirthankaras from 2 to 23. The 24th Tirthankara of the next third aaro of Utsarpini Kaal (same like fourth aaro of Avsarpini Kaal), will be 'in existence' when third aaro is coming closer to end and fourth aaro of Utsarpini Kaal will be starting soon (same like third aaro of Avsarpini Kaal, but in opposite time cycle).
Innumerable lives yet to live
The jiv (soul) of the next 24th Tirthankara (Shri Bhadrakirat Ji) need to actually live for innumerable more lives for another 100 trillion saagaropam (in next third era) minus 33 saagaropam (in highest devlok) minus 84 lac purva2 (age of last life) before taking his last birth as Tirthankara. As the time passes the knowledge keeps getting diluted, so probably same thing happened with this knowledge and we are living with misinterpreted / incorrect information. The 24th Tirthankara of next chouvisi, meaning, has not yet done the bandh of Tirthankara Naam-gotra. Based on that, and as mentioned above, similar model will apply for many other Tirthankara jivs that will come before the last and 24th Tirthankara.
So essentially, many of the next chouvisi Tirthankara jivs will do the bandh of Tirthankara Naam-gotra in their some future life.
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