Padhra

The Padhra was the founder and deity of the Padhran religion practiced in the Hordelands. In life, the Padhra was known as Surtava, an ancient Ulgarian prince who abandoned his privileged existence to become a beggar and seek enlightenment. He found it and dedicated the remainder of his life to teaching others his observations. He was sometimes called the Great Teacher.

History
As written in the religious books of the Padhran faith, around −1700 DR, Surtava, an Ulgarian prince, abandoned his crown, his power, and his wealth to become a beggar and leave his kingdom to seek enlightenment and wisdom.

Prince Surtava was accompanied by a pet leopard named Gaumahavi, and she served as his sole companion, friend, and protector. Thanks to her close contact with Surtava and participation in his quest, Gaumahavi developed an animal soul. The leopard became a supernatural and intelligent beast, capable of speech and writing, and even of a search for enlightenment herself.

At one point, Gaumahavi gave birth, producing a litter of leopard cubs. Most were ordinary animals, but one, Sandiraksiva, was supernatural and bore an animal soul like his mother. Sandiraksiva also joined Surtava's quest.

Legend told that the Great Teacher came to Ra-Khati and the junction of the Dharbang River and the Gogrus River, a point called the Bed of Two Lovers. There he meditated for five weeks without eating or sleeping. In the process, he obtained "the fifth key to enlightenment", coming closer to achieving ultimate harmony. When he stopped meditating, he broke his fast by eating a peach, and tossed the pit in the water. Thereafter, the water was blessed with healing powers and it was a sacred site for Padhran pilgrims.

After years of journeying and mediation, Surtava finally achieved enlightenment.

Afterward, Surtava set the leopards Gaumahavi and Sandiraksiva go free. Mother and cub returned to the jungles, and there followed their own paths toward an animalistic form of enlightenment. When they died, their souls passed on and were reincarnated as higher and higher forms of animal life.

Surtava spent the remainder of this life preaching on what he had learned. He gave two main lectures: the Four Baskets of Wisdom, which outlined his views on life and reincarnation, and the Sixfold Path, a code of behavior necessary to ultimately attain "Eaum", in which a being's soul became one with the Great Soul of the Universe. Surtava founded the Padhran religion, with the aid of other founders, such as Monkey.

When Surtava died, he ascended to the heavens and was transformed into the Padhra. In time, his soul was joined by the souls of thousands of other beings who also attained Eaum. They became incarnations of the Padhra, called padhrasattvas.

Background
The Padhra is obviously based on the Buddha, also said to be a prince who gave up his position to become an ascetic and seek enlightenment, and preached similar views.