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CHAPTER 25
THE SAVIOUR CHRIST
The first twenty-two of the Elders (Tirthamkaras) belong to pre-historic history; and but little more than a memory, preserved reverently in the Scriptures of Religion, remains to remind us of Their having lived on our Earth some time in the past. The first of Them was Rişabha Deva who may be said to have opened the Path of Salvation to the humanity in the current cycle of time. The twenty-second one, too, flourished many many thousands of years ago (about 86,500 years ago according to the Jaina account). He was Nemi Nāth, the cousin of Krishna, who himself was a real historical personage, and round whose towering personality the Hindus have woven the charming imagery of the Saviour God. After Nemi Nāth’s Nirvana, religion once again suffered from the: forgetfulness and indifference of men, and was perhaps altogether lost to the world. The twenty-third Tirthamkara was Pārsva Nath, who 'flourished something like 2,750 years ago · He lived for a hundred years and attained Nirvana. In His day religion received fresh impetus, and men from far and near carried away the teaching of the Divine Teacher with them to enlighten their friends. His disciples kept the torch burning after Him. Then came Mahāvīra who was born 2,528 years ago, and who lived 72 years amongst men. He attained omniscience at the age of 42, and taught the noble truth for 30 years. In
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