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— 4. bhagawan
parshwanathed
bout 3000 years ago, King Ashvasen I was ruling over the Kingdom of Varanasi also known as Banaras, in India. The city is situated on the banks of the holy River Ganga. He was a benevolent and a popular ruler and lived peacefully with his Queen, Vamadevi. On the 10th day of the dark half of the month of Margashirsh (which usually falls in December) Queen Vamadevi gave birth to a son. Once, during her pregnancy, she had observed a snake passing by. The passing of that snake made quite an impression on her. In memory of that incident, her newborn son was named Parshwakumar, because in the Sanskrit language *Parshwa' means 'near by or in the vicinity'.
At that time, there was a mendicant named Kamath. During his childhood he had lost his parents and was raised as an orphan. Disgusted with his miserable life he had become a mendicant. As a mendicant, he had no material possessions and lived on the charity of others.
He practiced severe penance and performed rituals called Panchagni (five fires). He came to Varanasi to perform the Panchagni (five fires) ritual. Many people were impressed by his ritual and penance and therefore worshiped him.
Parshwa grew up in the midst of wealth and happiness and became a very attractive young man known for his courtesy, bravery, and valor. His reputation was well-known in all the kingdoms and many kings were eager to have their daughters marry him. Prince Parshwa-kumar was married to Prabhavati, a princess from a neighboring kingdom. The wedding ceremony was performed with much splendor and parshwa-kumar enjoyed a blissful married life with Prabhavati. 92
When Parshwa-kumar heard about Kamath's ritual, he realized the violence towards living beings involved in a fire. He came to Kamath and tried to dissuade him from lighting the sacrificial fire. Kamath
LIFE SKETCH OF TIRTHANKARAS
