Introduction to Jainism and its Culture

SR No.: 001605
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 334
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 21 MB

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spiritual message. In the end he attained nirvana at Sammeda śikhara. The story of Jaya Sena Cakravarti is connected with the period of Bhagavāna Nami Nātha. His attending deities were Gomeda Yakşa and Bahūrapaņi Yakșiņi.
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BHAGAVĀNA NEMINĀTHA
Jain tradition believes in twenty-four Tīrthankaras during the current half cycle of time. These individuals are the best among men of their time in beauty, virtues, knowledge, power and other qualities. Due to their spiritual accomplishments they become universally venerated. After attaining omniscience they preach the path of beatitude of the self, leading to liberation. They do not establish some new religion but re-establish and propagate the religious ford that had lost its hold over human mind. That is the reason they are called Tīrthankaras. All the Tirthankaras are equally venerable but incidents from the lives of Rşabhadeva, Neminātha, Parávanātha, and Mahāvīra are unique. Their divinely compelling personalities performed decisive roles in bringing about revolutionary changes in and giving radically new direction to the ethos of their respective times and. The biography of Rşabhadeva has already been given. Brief biographies of the latter three follow.
BIRTH
Bhagavāna Neminātha was born in the Yaduvamsa branch of the Harivaṁsa clan. In the Harivaṁsa clan there was a glorious king named Yadu who started the Yaduvamsa branch. King Yadu had one son named Narapati who had two sons Sūra and Suvīra. Suvīra got the kingdom of Mathura and Sūra founded the city of Sauryapura in the Kušadya country and became the king. Śūra and Suvīra had a son each named Andhakavşşņi and Bhojakavşşņi respectively. Andhakavrsni had ten sons and two daughters, Kuntī and Mādrī. Among the ten sons Samudravijaya and Vasudeva were the eldest and the youngest respectively. The names of the three sons of Bhojakavşşņi were Ugrasena, Mahasena and Devasena.
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