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36
History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathurā
Śreyāṁsanātha - the eleventh tīrthařkara Śreyāmsanātha,230 the eleventh tirthamkara, also called Śreyasa, 21 was born at Simhapura,232 which is now called Sarnatha.233 At Sarnatha near Vārānasi there is a Jaina temple dedicated to him.234 Hira Lal Jain is of opinion that Sarnatha derived its name from Śreyāmsanātha.235 His father Vişnurāja was the king of Simhapura or Simhapurī236 and his mother's name was Vişnu Devī.237 According to the Jaina tradition, Śreyāmsanātha descended for incarnation from the heaven Acyutadevaloka.238 He ruled for long and abdicated his throne to pursue asceticism.239 He became a kevalin under a tinduka tree at Simhapurī after performing penance for two months. 240
According to the Jaina tradition, his height was 80 poles and he lived for 8,400,000 common years.241 His complexion has been mentioned as golden.242 His first ganadhara and āryā were Kaśyapa and Dhāraṇī respectively.243 He attained mokṣa in the kāyotsarga posture244 on Samet Sikhara.245
230. JAA, I, p. 15. 231. OISJ, p. 69. 232. TSPC, III, pp. 2-3. 233. CUHI, I, p. 220. 234. Ibid., I, p. 220. 235. Ibid. 236. TSPC, III, pp. 2-3; JPV, p. 105. 237. JPV, p. 105. 238. OISJ, pp. 66-9. 239. TSPC, III, pp. 7-60. 240. JPV, p. 105. 241. OISJ, pp. 66-9. 242. Ibid.; ERE, VII, p. 466. 243. Ibid., pp. 66-9. 244. Ibid., p. 66. 245. TSPC, III, p. 60.
