Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 27

OCTOBER, 1982
he remained quiet. He attained kaivalya by observing severe austerities and travelled up to Southern Karnataka. He started roaming about as nude like a mad man in the forest of Kutakacala mountain. Fire broke out there as a result of the rubbing of bamboos against one another and he was burnt to ashes in it. 24
It is also stated in the Bhāgavata Purāņa that Arhan king of Komka, Bemka and Kutaka will propagate this religion in the Kaliyuga of his own accord by hearing this conduct of Rsabhadeva from the people of those lands.25
According to the view of Dr. H. L. Jain, there does not remain any doubt in the event from this account that the purport of the Bhagavata Purāna points to Rsabhadeva of the Jajna purāņa only and the contention of Dharma founded by Arhan king with his (Rsabha's) Nirgrantha Dharma.
It is stated in the Bhāgavata Purana that “Oh Visnudatta Pariksit! the Lord himself (Visnu), being pleased by the great sages in sacrifice, entered into the womb of queen Marudevi, who was sleeping in the inner apartment, for doing good to king Nabhi.”26 In this statement of the Bhāgavata Purāņa two things are noteworthy for consideration, as there is a very close and important relation with the place of Rsabhadeva in Indian culture and his antiquity and literary traditions. One is this that there is no difference of opinion between the Hindus and the Jainas in regard to the acceptability and respectability of Rsabhadeva; just as he is the first Tirthankara of the Jainas, likewise he is the incarnate of sākşāt (direct) Lord Visnu of the Hindus. The acceptability of his divine personality as the incarnate of God was much rooted in ancient times that he was counted as one of the twenty eight Yugavataras of Siva in the Sivamahāpurāna.27
24 atha samiravegavidhutavenuvikarsanajato gradavanalastadvanamablihanah saha tena
dadaha-Bhagavata Puranam, 5th Skandha, 6th ch., v. 8. 25 yasya kitanucaritamupakarnya konkavenkakutakanamr ajarhannamopasiksya kalava -
dharma utkrsyamane bhavitavyenav imohitah svadharmapathamakutobhayamapahaya
kupatha ... sampravartayisyate-Bhagavata Puranam, 5th Skandha, 6th ch., v.9. 26 barhisi tasminneva visnudatta bhagavan paramarsibhih prasadito nabheh priyacikar
saya tadavarodhayane marudevyam dharman darsayitukamo vatarasananam sramananamrsinamurdhvamanthinam suklaya tanuvavatatara-Bhagavata Puranam, 5.3.20, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, pt. I. See also Bharatiya Samskrti-men Jainadharma-ka Yogadan, p. 12. tadapyaham bhavisyamirsabho namatah smrtah-Sivamahapurana, Baerilly Edition, 3.3.35, p. 472.