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History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathura
Śauripura385 or sauryapura.386 His father Samudravijaya was the king of Dwaraka 387, and his mother's name was Sivā Devī.388 According to the Jaina tradition, Neminātha descended for incarnation from the heaven Aparājitadevaloka.389 Animal-slaughter for the marriage feast grieved him and he decided to remain celibate.390 He took to asceticism and became a kevalin under a vetasa tree 391 after undergoing penance for fifty-six days. 392
According to the Jaina tradition, his height was 10 poles and he lived for 1,000 common years.393 His complexion has been mentioned as black.394 His first gañadhara and āryā were Varadatta and Yakşadinnā respectively. 395 He attained moksa in the padmāsana posture 396 on Mount Girnar.397
To the life of Pārsvanātha, the twenty-third tīrthařkara, and Mahāvīra, the twenty-fourth tirthamkara, we shall turn in the next chapter.
Antiquity of Jainism
Very few subjects have generated as much discussion among scholars as the antiquity of Jainism. Broadly speaking, there are three schools of thought regarding its antiquity. According to the Jaina tradition, Rşabha was the first jina and the first tirthamkara,398 and was born more than one hundred billion
385. OISJ, pp. 66-71; HP, pp. 478-82; JAA, I, p. 50. 386. Ibid.; Ibid.; Ibid. 387.JPV, p. 117; JI, p. 81. 388. Ibid.; OISJ, pp. 66-71; HP, pp. 478-82. 389. OISJ, pp. 66-71. 390. JPV, p. 117; JAA, I, p. 17; HP, pp. 616-34. 391. OISJ, pp. 66-71. 392. HP, p. 644. 393. OIS), pp. 66-71. 394. ERE, VII, p. 466. 395. OISJ, pp. 66-71. 396. Ibid., p. 66. 397. Ibid., p. 66; JAA, 1, p. 17; HP, pp. 644-5. 398. LDJC, p. 19.
