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761
i The sixty four arts
eighth full moon day of Chaitra in the garden Siddhartha byname near Vanita, the capital city of his kingdom.
Rishabhadevaji was the first great man of this Avasarpini who accepted consecration. One thousand years after accepting the vow of consecration, when he had destroyed all the four kinds of the Ghanaghati-karmas, he attained Kevala-Jnana on the 11th full moon day of Phalguna in the garden near Purimatala city. From this day, he came to be known as 'Omniscient' or 'Arhan'. His two daughters too, became nuns that very day. This illustrious man was the first Tirthankara of the Jain-world; he is called 'Adinatha' for the same reason. He led thousands of men to self-realisation by means of his simple, true and pure instructions; and thus enabled them to break lose of the karmic bondage. At last, after exhausting all his karmas he attained salvation on the 13th Full Moon day of Magha, which was the sixth day of his waterless fasting, on the Ashtapada Mountain. At that time, the third Ara was almost over; only three years and eight and a half months were remaining for its completion.
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