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26
History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathurā
the twenty-four tīrthařkaras ran almost on identical lines.78 All tīrthamkaras were born in ksatriya royal families. All were averse to worldly life. All of them had very long lives, except Mahāvīra. Most of them ruled for long, and subsequently renounced the world as a result of illuminations. They practised asceticism and attained mokṣa after founding a community of disciples. Jainism believes in two kalpas or cycles each of which has two eras named avasarpiņi and utsarpiņā; these two eras are divided into six ages or kālas. 79 According to the Jaina works the Samvāya, the Kalpasūtra and the Ayaśyaka Niryukti, Rşabha, the first tīrthamkara, was born in the third age, i.e., the period of happiness and sorrow, and the remaining twenty-three tīrthaskaras were born in the fourth age, i.e., the period of sorrow and happiness.80
Rşabha -- the first tīrthamkara According to the Jaina tradition, Rşabha, called Rşabhanātha, 1 Rşabhadeva, 82 Usabha, 83 Vrsabha, 54 Vrsabhanātha,85 Adinātha,86 Adiśvara Bhagvān,87 was the first jina and the first tīrthařkara. He was born in the third age (susmādusmā) or the period of happiness and sorrow89 at Vinītanagar,90 i.e., Ayodhya.91 His father Nābhi and mother Marudevī were the king and the
78. See the volumes of Hemacandra's Trisastiśalākāpuruşacarita, tr. into English by H.M.
Johnson and published from Baroda. 79. LDJC, p. 371. 80. Ibid., fn 2. 81. JI, p. 50; JAA, I, p. 14. 82. OISJ, p. 66. 83. LDJC, p. 371. 84. ERE, VII, p. 466; OISJ, p. 66. 85. JI, p.50. 86. OISJ, p. 66; GD, p. 14; GEAMI, I, p. 43; JAA, I, p. 14. 87. Ibid., p. 66. 88. LDJC, p. 19. 89. Ibid., p. 371 fn 2. 90. OISJ, p. 66; JAA, I, p. 14; HGAI, p. 67. 91. LDJC, p. 19; GEAMI, I, p. 43; HGAI, p. 67; GD, p. 14.
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