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Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jain Mythology
Now to be clearer on the point it is desirable to elucidate the matter in the light of information received from the Hindu sources Rsabhadeva, according to the Manvantara, and the Brahmanical Purānas, was an ideal king of the first Manvantara who rose to the status of Brahmarst by severe austerity and ultimately attained to Brahmaloka20 (abode of Brahman). And, in almost all the Brahmanas, which are decidedly older than the Jaina works and, which also contain more reliable genealogical records than the latter, Rşabhadeva has been represented as the son of Nabhi21, grandson of Svayambhuva Manu According to all the above works he had a lineal relation with Svayambhu, the self-existent god Brahma Moreover, all the abovementioned works show striking unanimity in representing him as of uncommon spiritual power and, beloved of god Brahmā The following pedigree of Rşabha with that of Iksvaku according to Hindu sources may be of help for the study of the former's position in the Svayambhuva race and his Jinist representation as Hiranyagarbha and Ikşvāku Rşabha's pedigree (Ist Manvantara) Pedigree of Ikṣvāku (Seventh Manvantara
1 Svayambhu (self-existent, Brahmā)
2 Svayambhuva Manu22
20 MBh 2 11 24
21 नाभिस्त्वजनयत् पुत्र मेरुदेव्या महाद्युतिम् । ऋषभ पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ सर्वक्षत्रस्य पूर्वजम् ॥ ऋपभादुद्भरतो जज्ञे वीर पुत्रशताग्रज | सोऽभिषिच्याथ भरतं पुत्र प्राव्राज्यमास्थित ॥ -Varup 33 50-51, Mörka p 52 37-38, Vis P 114 59b-61, Kurma p 41 37-38, Agni p Linga p 47 19-24a.
82
1 Svayambhu (Self-existent Brahma) or Hiranyagarbha 2 Marici28
p 21 28, Brahmanda 10 10-11, Vardha p 74,
22 ततो ब्रह्मात्मसम्भूत पूर्वं स्वायम्भुव प्रभु. ।
आत्मानमेव कृतवान् प्रजापाल्ये मनु द्विज 11 शतरूपा च ता नारी तपोनि तकल्मषाम् । स्वायम्भुवो मनुर्देव पत्नीत्वे जगहे प्रभु ॥ 23 ब्रह्मणो मानसा पुत्रा विदिता पण्महर्षय ।
मरीचिरत्र्यङ्गिरसौ पुलस्त्य प ुलह क्रतु । मरीचे कश्यप पुत्र कश्यपात् तु इमा प्रजा ||
Vis 17 16-17
-MBh 1 65 10-11a, 66 4, 34, Mat 171 27-30.
