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(was) the venerable Gadhaka; at the request of his female pupil, the venerable Sama, (was dedicated) an image of Usabha (Rishabha), the gift of Gulha, the daughter of Varma (and) the wife of Jayadasa.”
P. 389, vol. I.
No. XXVIII.
"(Adoration) to divine Usabha (Rishabha)! At the request of Sadita, female pupil of.........dhuka, a preacher in the Varanagana, Nandika Kula and......... Sakha."
3.2.
P. 206-207, vol. II.
Now just see that nearly two thousand years ago Rishabha had come to be regarded as the first Jain Tirthankara. And when did Mahavira and Parshva live? The date of Mahavira's Moksha is 526 B. C. and Parshva attained Nirvana 250 years earlier. Thus inscriptions cut a few centuries after these two Tirthankaras, bear testimony to Rishabha's being a Jain Tirthankara. Had Mahavira or Parshva been the founder of Jainism, how could people living two thousand years ago dedicate images to Rishabha ?
Gentlemen, it is my sad duty to tell you this noon that our holy religion has been much trifled with. Some writers have regarded it as originating in the 6th century. Some have called it a branch of Buddhism, others have confounded it with the Charvaka religion. Some have called Mahavira its founder, others have called Parshva Nath its author. We never expected such ill-treatment at the hands of
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