Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 25

OCTOBER, 1982
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become facts for the recording of history of Nirgrantha Dharma and Samgha. Of course, it is difficult to extract positive history from the Jaina myths or prove or disprove their historicity or even give approximate dates to the mythical parts of the Jaina canonical works, dealing with Rsabha legend and origin of Nirgrantha Dharma and Samgha.
According to the Jaina tradition there emerged sixty-three salākā puruşası7 after the fourteen Kulakaras. Amongst them the culturehero Rsabha became the first king 18 He was the son of the fourteenth Kulakara Nabhi and Marudevi who lived at ancient Ayodhya (Vinita).19
17 Kalpasutra, 190-200, pp. 247-275 ; Tiloyapannatti, pt. 1, v. 510-519, pp. 206-7 ;
Trisasthisalakapurusacaritra, Hemacandra, 1-10 parvas. Among the sixty three Salaka-Purusas there are stated to be twenty-four Tirthankaras, twelve Cakravartins, nine Baladevas, nine Narayanas and nine prati-Narayanas. Their names are given below :
Twenty-four Tirthankaras : 1. Rsabhadeva 4. Abhinandana 7. Suparsva 10. Sitala 13. Vimala 16. Santi 19. Malli 22. Nemi
2. Ajita 5. Sumati 8. Candraprabha 11. Sreyamsa 14. Ananta 17. Kunthu 20. Munisuvrata 23. Parsvanatha and
3. Sambhava 6. Padmaprabha 9. Puspadanta 12. Vasupujya 15. Dharma 18. Araha 21. Nami 24. Vardhamana
or Mahavira
Twelve Cakravartins : 25. Bharata 28. Sanatkumara 31. Araha 34. Harisena
26. Sagara 29. Santi 32. Subhauma 35. Jayasena and
27. Maghava 30. Kunthu 33. Padma 36. Brahmadatta
Nine Balabhadras (Baladevas): 37. Acala
38. Vijaya 40. Suprabha
41. Sudarsana 43. Nandana
44. Padma and
39. Bhadra 42. Ananda 45. Rama
Nine Vasudevas (Narayanas) : 46. Triprstha
47. Dviprstha 49. Purusottama
50. Purusasimha 52. Datta
53. Narayana and
48. Svayambhu 51. Purusapundarika 54. Krsna
Nine Prati-Vasudevas (Prati-Narayanas): 55. Asvagriva 56. Taraka
57. Meraka 58. Madhu 59. Nisumbha
60. Bali 61. Prahlada 62. Ravana and
63. Jarasandha tubbhe usabham rayanam thaveha, etc.-Avasyaka Curni, 153. 13, 156. 12.
Rsabha was the first chosen king in India according to the Jaina tradition. 19 Tiloyapannatti, 1st part, verse 526, p. 208 ; Avasyaka Niryukti, 85.