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Lord r Aran tha
After Lord r Kumthun tha the 18th T rthamkara was Lord r Aran tha. In his past life Lord Aran tha, as king Dhanapati of Sus m city in Mah videha, had given valuable and inspiring instructions to his subjects to live with restraint and order. After sometime the king, disinclined towards worldly affairs, accepted initiation from Samvaramuni and began to wander observing discipline. He obtained the T rthamkara n makarma from discipline and devotion to gods, preceptor and religion. In the end, dying in meditative state, he became a powerful god in the Graiveyaka.
Descending from there, his soul came into the womb of Mah dev , queen of king Sudar ana of Hastin pura on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of F Iguna. The queen saw the 14 auspicious dreams and was very happy. Upon completion of her pregnancy she gave birth to a son on the 10th day of the bright half of Mrgar a under Revat constellation. During her pregnancy the mother had seen the spoke of an invaluable bejewelled wheel hence the child was named Aran tha.
When Aran tha became a young man king Sudar ana got him married to suitable girls. After 21000 years passed the prince was crowned king. After ruling as provincial chief for 21000 years, the jewelled cakra appeared in his armouryand he started on his expedition of conquest of six kha ds upon completion of which he became a cakravart emperor and for the next 21000 years caused the increase of knowledge, prosperity and peace in his empire through just rule.
After his worldly life when the impact of his active and rising karma declined, then renouncing the worldly splendours he desired the life of self-discipline. Upon request by the lok ntika gods having given charities for a year, the king placed the kingdom in the hands of his son prince Aravinda and along with 1000 kings in a due procession went for initiation into monkhood. Reaching Sahasr mravana, on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of Mrgar a under Revat constellation, observing fast, renouncing all bad deeds / activities, he accepted initiation formally. Soon thereafter he accrued telepathic knowledge (manah paryavaj na). On the second day he broke the fast with rice pudding at the home of king Apar jita of R japura city. Observing many restraints, totally giving up sleep, not lying down for three years, the Lord remained a mendicant,
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