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ધન્ય ધરાઃ
dense jungles far, far away from the crowd of people to reach the supreme state of omnisciance and final liberation.
Rishabha called all his queens, sons and daughters, Ministers, Counsellors, relatives and friends to whom he expressed his desire to renounce the home life and embrace asceticism. Rishabha had one humdled sons and two daughters. His eldest son was Bharata and the daughters were Brahmi and Sundari. Because he taught the new script to his daughter Brahmi it came to be known as Brahmi. Bharata was enthroned as his successor after whom India came to be known as Bharatvarsha according to Indian scriptures. He made his other sons the rulers of other kingdoms and states. The people of Ayodhya assembled in large numbers paid their homage to their benefactor, friend, guide and philosopher, their king and PresidentPrajapati in gratitude for all the benevolent and meritorious works he has rendered in raising them from early life to enlightenment, intellectual freedom. Culture and civilized ways of life.
Rishabha renounced the world and became an ascetic. He retired to the adjoining forest called Siddhartha for practising penance. The people thronged worship Rishabha and the place where they assembled was later known as Prayaga. It was near the confluence of the three sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi-which flowed not far away from Allahabad. Prayag is the most sacred spot of worship to the Hindus. They believed that a dip at the meeting place of the three rivers will wash all their sins. The Kumbhamela, the congregation of saints and sages, scholars and philosophers near Triveni in Allahabad was first initiated by King Bharata according to authentic evidence to commemorate the benign rule of Rishabha, his great renunciation of the world and also his attainment of Keval Mukthi.
The Mangal Kalasa is the sacred symbol of Rishabha's holy cult of peace, contentment and prosperity authenticated by coin legends, archeological and literary evidence. Kumbha is a synonym for Mangal Kalasa as the most sacred symbol of worship. To the Hindus, the Purna Kumbha is the symbol of sancity, purity and serenity. It is my firm conviction that Kumbha Mela, the Congregation of Saints and Seers held at Prayage originated from the days of Emperor Bharata to commemorate the Nirvana Kalyanaka of Bhagawan Rishabha.
Rishabha practised extreme penance for one year lost deedly in meditation and concentration of the mind. He stood erect in KAYOTSARGA posture and studied every phenomenon of the inner and outer world. He destroyed all his mental organs caring little for his body and also for his food to sustain his life. After practising extreme penance for one year he went to Hastinapur where king Sreyansa met Rishabha who paid him homage. His DARSHAN of Rishabha, made him to remember his previous life, the incident of offering DANA to a saint. He offered Rishabha, the first nourishment after his renunciation which was the sweet Juince of sugarcane. It was the third of the bright half in the month of Vasishaka that the world teacher broke his fast at Hastinapur. It was the first DANA offered to an ascetic who had undertaken a long fast for self-realisation. Akshaya Tritiya is considered as the most auspicious and the most ancient sacred festival to the people of India in view of the fact that Lord Rishabha was given Dana on that day and it is observed today to commemorate the Dana offered to Rishabha on the conclusion of his penance for one year.
Sresyanskumar embraced asceticism under Rishabha and became his disciple. Moving from one place to another, Rishabha reached Udayan near Ayodhya called
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