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Prakrit and Apabhramśa Studies
aeon appeared Tirthařkaras beginning with Rşabha and ending with Vardhamāna Mahāvira. The Tirthankaras are human beings who have attained spiritual perfection (absolute knowledge) and who preach and teach the Right Path to all the living beings. So far as their function of establishing, upholding and spreading of Dharma, and counteracting Adharma is concerned, they correspond to the Avatāras of Vedic Hinduism, though among themselves the Tirthankaras have no connection. They are not menifestations of the same essence. In addition to the Tirthnkaras, there have appeared in the current aeon twelve Cakravartins Universal Monarchs, beginning with Bharata and ending with Brahmadatta. The Cakravartins establish their sovereignty over all the six divisions of the Bhāratavarşa through the power of their fourteen Ratnas (objects and agencies endowed with marvellous magic powers) and nine Treasures. Their worldly power, pomp, pleasures and glory are the highest among the earthly beings.
Vāsudevas have half the status and power of the Cakravartins, so they are also called Ardhacakrins. In alliance with their elder brothers, Baladevas, they overpower and kill their opposites, the Prativāsudevas, and establish their sway over three divisions of Bhāratavarsa, through the power of their seven Ratnas. In the current aeon there appeared nine sets of Vāsudeva, Baladeva and Prativāsudeva. Rāma, Lakşmaņa and Rāvaņa made up the eighth set, while Baladeva, Krsna and Jarāsandha formed the ninth set. Baladevas are of gentle and sobre temperament, while Väsudevas are violent and impetuous. So the former immediately or mediately attain liberation, while the latter have to suffer in hell prior to their liberation. Here too some semblance to the Avatāra doctrine is created by the cyclic character of the emergenee of Baladevas, Vasudevas and Prativāsudevas, though again they too have no conection among themselves.
Consistent with this conception, Rāma and Lakşmaņa enjoy all the power and glory due to their status. Like any great monarch both of them are highly polygamous. Rāma, like all Baladevas, had eight thousand wives with Sitā, Prabhāvati, Ratinibhā
