BHAGWAN VIMALNATH

Shri Vimal Nath , son of King Sukrata Varma and Queen Jayasharma, was a scion* of the Ikshusko Kshtriya clan of Panchala, who had Varaha or Sukara i.e. a boar as their royal emblem. When the Brahmanas composed the Puranas in the earlier Christian era they developed the theory of Avatar-Vada or incarnation by God, and included some famous Tirthankaras, Rsabha, Vimala, Munisuvrata, and others among their Avtars . Lord Vimalnath was thus taken as Varaha or Sukara Avtar of Lord Vishnu, who became known s as Lord Varaha, the emblem of Whose is a boar. According to Mahabharata the meaning of the world Varaha is Sreshta or the best and not the beast a boar or a pig.

The story of Varaha –Avtar, which gives the account of the incarnation, allegorically narrates how the earth was drowned in a big flood in the ocean and how it was thought out by Lord Vishnu in the form of Varaha. In fact it refers to the great task of renovation of Dharma done by Tirthankara Vimalnath at a time,when that country was plunged in the diskness of sins.

The Hindus observe the festival of Kalastmi, the deformed form of Rampalaya ( Sukara-Ksetra of Jains), where Lord Vimala according to the Jain traditions delivered His first sermon of Dharma. Cunninghan indentified the great city of Kampilya with the modern small town of Kampil, which can be reached easily from te railway Kaimgunj (N.E.Rly) in the U.P. from where it is only at a distance of five miles.*

Lord Vimal Natha is the thirteenth Trithankara. Shrine No:21 of the Paras Nath Hill called Shankula Kirta, marks the spot from where He attained Nirvana.**

It is not possible to fix any dates of birth and salvation of the Lord. Let us all bow before Him.