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Kanha
1. Kanha (Kṛṣṇa)
Son of Vasudeva and his queen Devai and brother of Rama(1). He was the sovereign, i. e. Vasudeva(1) of the southern half of the Bharaha (2) region in Jambūdīva. Baravai was his capital though he was born at Mahura(1). He was famous for his bravery. He had killed Kamsa, the king of Mahura(1) as well as Jarāsaṁdha, the king of Rayagiha, the fatherin-law of Kamsa and the ninth Paḍisattu. Kanha is also known as Mahāraha. Kaṇha was a compassionate king.3 He had under him ten revered kings like Samuddavijaya etc., five great heroes like Baladeva(1) etc., sixty thousand heroes like Samba etc. He had sixteen thousand wives, of them eight were principal, viz. Paumāvai(14), Gori(2), Gamdhari(4), Lakkhaṇā(2), Susīmā (2), Jambavaï(1), Saccabhāmā(1) and Ruppiņi(1), the last being the chief among them. Gayasukumala(1) was his real brother. Kanha had been to Avarakaṁkā to rescue Dovai, the wife of five Pamḍavas, who was abducted by Paumaṇābha, the king of that place. He succeeded in defeating the king and rescuing the lady. While returning from Avarakaṁkā the Pamḍavas, just out of fun, hid the boat meant for crossing Gamga. Kanha had to swim over the entire river to reach the other bank. This caused much annoyance to him. Consequently the Pamḍavas were exiled by Kanha. Titthayara Aritthanemi had predicted before Kanha the destruction of Baravai; the time, place and way of his death; his rebirth in Valuyappabhã, the third infernal region and thereafter in Sayaduvära, capital of Pumḍa, as Amama(2), the twelfth Titthamkara of the coming Ussappiņi. Kanha lived for a period of one thousand years. His height was ten dhanuṣas. In his previous birth he was Gamgadatta(4)10. He is also known as Vasudeva(2).11
1. Pras. 15, Ant. 1, Jna. 52, 117, Tir. 485, 566.
2. Sth. 451.
153
3. Ant. 6.
4. Ant. 1-6, Nir. 5, Sth. 626, AvaCu. I. pp. 361-5.
5. Jna. 124-6, SthA. p. 524, KalpS. p. 33, KalpDh. p. 34, PrasA. p. 87. 6. Jna. 126-7.
2. Kanha
Preceptor of Sivabhäi(1) who founded the Bodiya sect.1
1. Vis. 3052-5, NisBh. 5609, AvaBh. 146, AvaCu. I. p. 427, UttN. p. 178.
3. Kanha A Brahmana mendicant.1
1. Aup. 38.
7. According to Sam. 159 he will be the thirteenth Titthainkara in the coming ascending cycle.
8. Ant. 9, Jna. 53, Sth. 692, 735, SthA. pp. 433-434, DasH. p. 36, Tir. 614, AvaN. 413.
9. Sam. 10, Sth. 735, AvaN. 405. 10. Sam. 158.
11. Utt. 22. 8.
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4. Kanha Preceptor of both Varaha(3), previous birth of the fifth Baladeva(2), and Isivāla, previous birth of the fifth Vasudeva(1).1
1. Sam. 158, Sth. 672, Tir. 606.
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