Agam 23 Upang 12 Vrashnidasha Sutra Vanhidasao Terapanth

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya, Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 62

has been categorised as Kālika āgama. Subject matter
Its main theme is Jambūdvipa. The list of peripheral and incidental topics is very long. Lord Rşabha, Kulakara, Bharata Cakravarti, Kālacakra, Sauramandala, and many others are the subjects dealt with in it. The description about Bharata Cakravarti's fourteen jewels and nine treasures has been described here in a lively manner.
Under the 'wheel of eternity' (kalacakra), thrilling account has been given about the sixth spoke of the present descending cycle. Of all the available forecasts about the universal annihilation, it invites our attention most effect ively. By going through it one is confronted with the horrors of the atomic warfare.
Both Lord Rşabha and Lord Mahavira have similarity in various respects. The former is called Adi Kāśyapa while the latter is called Antyakāśyapa. Both propounded the path of five Great Vows. Like Lord Mahavira, Lord Rşabha also put on garment for more than a year, followed by absolute nudity..
Bharata Cakravarti was seated in his palace of glass. While he was looking at his reflection in the mirror, he attained liberation. In later literature this incident is developed in a number of ways. At the loss of his finger-ring he felt the diminution of his beauty, which led him to deeper thought culminating into the attainment of a kevalihood.
The canon gives us a beautiful picture of the termination of the 'yaugalika' state, and the beginning of social life and political administration, It is a very important document to get a clear idea of the multifaceted personality of Lord Rşabha. A comparative study of the delineation of Rşabha in the present text with that in the Srimadbhagavata is bound to be very fruitful.
The canon is divided into seven chapters which are called 'vakkhäro' or ‘vakşaskāra'. Some of the topics are :-- 1. Jambůdvipa
2. Kālacakra & Rşabha-carita 3. Bharata-Carita
4. Jambūdvipa : detailed
description 1. Nandi, 78 2. Jambuddivapannatli, 2/130-137 3. Dhananjaya-namamala, 114, page 57 : vharsiyan vrşabho jyäyän punaradyah prajapatih /
aik svakuh kasyapo brahma gautamo nabhijo'grajah // Ibid, 115, p. 58: sarmalirmahatirviro mahaviro'ntyakaśyapah/
nathanvayo vardhamano yatirthamika sampratam // 4. Jambuddivapannatti, 2/66 5. Ibid, 3/221,222 6. Avasyakacūrni, p. 227