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Jaina Tirthamkaras and antiquity of Jainism
queen of Ayodhya.92 According to the Jaina tradition, Rsabha was the originator of agriculture, the ceremony of cremating the dead, building of the mounds, and the festivals in honour of Indra and the nāgas. 93 He is also said to have taught the arts of cooking, writing, pottery, painting and sculpture for the first time.94
According to the Jaina tradition, Rşabha descended for incarnation from the heaven Sarvārthasiddha95 and ruled for a very long time. His height was 500 poles and he lived for 8,400,000 pūrva years. 9 His complexion has been mentioned as golden.97 Rsabha became a kevalin (attained omniscience) at Purimtāla under a banyan tree.99 He devoted a considerable part of his life to asceticism and sermonising. His first ganadhara (leading disciple) and āryā (leader of female converts) were Pundarīka and Brāhmi respectively. 100 Rsabha attained moksa in the padmāsana posture11 on Aştāpada 102 which is supposed to be Šatruñjaya hill in Gujarat. 103
Ajitanātha — the second tirthamkara
Ajitanātha, the second tirthařkara,104 also called Ajitanātha Satparna, 105
92. JPV, p. 85; LDJC, p. 371. 93. LDJC, p. 19. 94. Ibid. 95. OISJ, p. 66. 96. Ibid. 97. OISJ, p. 66; ERE, VII, p. 466; JAA, I, p. 14. 98. Ibid., pp. 66-7; JPV, p. 86. 99. Ibid. 100. Ibid. 101. Ibid., p. 66. 102. Ibid.; JPV, p. 86. 103. Ibid., p. 66. 104. Ibid., p. 67; JAA, I, p. 14. 105. JI, p. 52.
