Jain Journal 1970 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 48

GLEANINGS
There is authentic evidence to prove that it was the Phoenicians who spread the worship of Rsabha in Central Asia, Egypt and Greece. He was worshipped as 'Bull God' in the features of a nude yogi. The ancestors of Egyptians originally belonged to India. The Phoenicians had extensive cultural and trade relations with India in the pre-historic days. In foreign countries, Rsabha was called in different names like Reshef, Apollo, Tesheb, Ball, and the Bull God of the Mediterranean people. The Phoenicians worshipped Rsabha regarded as Apollo by the Greeks. Reshef has been identified as Rsabha, the son of Nabhi and Marudevi, and Nabhi has been identified with the Chaldean God Nabu and Maru Devi with Murri or Muru. Risabhadeva of the Armenians was undoubtedly Rsabha, the first Tirthankara of the Jainas. A city in Syria is known as Rashafa. In Soviet Armenia was a town called Teshabani. The Babylonian city of Isbekzur seems to be a corrupt form of Risabhapur. Besides the Phoenicians, Accadia, Sumeria and Mesopotamia had trade and cultural relations with the Indus Valley and they carried the Rsabha cult to their lands. There is much evidence to prove that maritime relations existed between Greece and India. According to Greek writers, a saint of Taxila called Kolynos or Kalyanasvami accompanied Alexandar to Greece and lived at Athens for a number of years. Kalyanasvami has been identified as a Jaina ascetic. He committed sallekhanā in Athens. A bronze image of Reshef (Rsabha) of the12th century B.C. was discovered at Alasia near Enkomi in Cyprus. An ancient Greek image of Appollo resembled Tirthankara Rsabha.