विमलनाथ भगवान का परिचय
पश्चिम धातकीखंड द्वीप में मेरू पर्वत से पश्चिम की ओर सीता नदी के दक्षिण तट पर रम्यकावती नाम का एक देश है। उसके महानगर में पद्मसेन राजा राज्य करता था। किसी एक दिन राजा पद्मसेन ने प्रीतिंकर वन में स्वर्गगुप्त केवली के समीप धर्म का स्वरूप जाना और यह भी जाना कि ‘मैं तीसरे भव में तीर्थंकर होऊँगा।' उस समय उसने ऐसा उत्सव मनाया कि मानों मैं तीर्थंकर ही हो गया हूँ। अनन्तर सोलहकारण भावनाओं द्वारा तीर्थंकर प्रकृति का बन्ध कर लिया। अन्त में सहस्रार स्वर्ग में सहस्रार इन्द्र हो गया।
गर्भ और जन्म
इसी भरत क्षेत्र के कांपिल्य नगर में भगवान ऋषभदेव का वंशज कृतवर्मा नाम का राजा राज्य करता था। जयश्यामा उसकी प्रसिद्ध महादेवी थी। उसने ज्येष्ठ कृष्ण दशमी के दिन उनका नाम ‘विमलनाथ' रखा।
तप
एक दिन भगवान ने हेमन्त ऋतु में बर्पâ की शोभा को तत्क्षण में विलीन होते हुए देखा, जिससे उन्हें पूर्व जन्म का स्मरण हो गया। तत्क्षण ही भगवान विरक्त हो गये। तदनन्तर देवों द्वारा लाई गई ‘देवदत्ता' पालकी पर बैठकर सहेतुक वन में गये और स्वयं दीक्षित हो गये, उस दिन माघ शुक्ला चतुर्थी थी।
केवलज्ञान और मोक्ष
जब तपश्चर्या करते हुए तीन वर्ष बीत गये, तब भगवान दीक्षावन में जामुन वृक्ष के नीचे ध्यानारूढ़ होकर घातिया कर्मों का नाशकर माघ शुक्ल षष्ठी के दिन केवली हो गये। अन्त में सम्मेदशिखर पर जाकर एक माह का योग निरोध कर आठ हजार छह सौ मुनियों के साथ आषाढ़ कृष्ण अष्टमी के दिन सिद्धपद को प्राप्त हो गये।
In his previous incarnation Lord Vimalnath's soul was King Padmasen. King Padmasen ruled over Mahapuri town in Datakikhand. He was always engaged in spiritual practices. Later he took diksha from Acharya Yarsvargupt. As a result of his deep meditational practices he purified his soul to an extent that he acquired the Tirthankar-nam-and-gotra-karma. Because of this he reincarnated in the Mahardhik dimension of gods.
King Kritavarman and queen Shyama Devi of Kampilpur were both spiritualists and devotees of the Jina. The queen one day saw fourteen (sixteen according to Digambar Jain Sect) auspicious dreams and the augurs announced that she will give birth to a Tirthankar. The being that was Padmasen descended into the queen's womb from the Mahardhik dimension of gods. On the third day of the Magh Sukla month of the Hindu calendar, queen Shyama Devi gave birth to a son.
During her pregnancy the queen radiated a soothing glow. Her temperature also became congenial, kind, and generous. When the child was born the whole atmosphere was also filled with a soothing glow. Inspired by this spread of purity, the king named his new born son as Vimal (pure/untarnished).
In due course, prince Vimal Kumar became young. He was a boy of discipline, high thoughts, great temperament, much more mature from his age. According to his parent's desire he married many times. One day king Kritavarman thought of moving ahead on the path of devotion so he coronated Vimal Kumar as king and left for jungles to practise asceticism. King Vimalnath was an able king and very popular among all.
Slowly King Vimalnath became least interested in the kingdom and all the work were taken care by other persons. One day while, while he was deep in his thoughts he saw himself as King Padmsen of Mahapuri town in Dhatikhand who was always engaged in spiritual practices. This made him realize the true purpose of his birth. For the entire year from that time, he distributed wealth among the people. One day, along with thousand other kings, he came out of the palace, removed his hair with his fist, uttered, “Namo Siddhanam” and became an ascetic.
Omniscience and Nirvana
After two years of spiritual practices he attained omniscience and established the religious ford. Merak Prativasudev, Svayambhu Vasudev, and Bhadra Baldev were his contemporaries.
Bhagavan Vimalnath got Nirvana at Sammed shikharji on the seventh day of the dark half of the month of Ashadh.