Risabha Deva

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 82

66
RISHABHA DEVA ļn the Jain literature, the Agama (canonical) text of the Swetamber sect are regarded by certain scholars including Dr. Jacobi to belong to the Mauryan period.3 These clearly narrate4 the life of Rishabha, and name him as the first Tirthankara of the Jainas. Similarly, the available Agama (canonical) portion and the other texts of the first century B. C. of the Digambara sect mention this great Hero in the same way.5 Turning to the non-Jain evidence, our eyes naturally turn to the Vedic literature and we find mentioned in no less a work than the Rigveda itself the name of Rishabha;6 but some scholars reject this evidence and urge that there is nothing to show that he was a Jaina Tirthankara.7
3. Jaina Sutras, S. B. E. Introduction. 4. Acharanga Sutra (S. B. E.) Pt. Kalpa Sutra,
(S. B. E.) p. 282-3 Samavayanga Sutra (Hyderabad
ed.) pp. 97-194. 5. "Facytat ala fə 37 murrira foga5a51 1–54
धवला महाधवला, प्रवचनसार, अष्टपाहुड़ आदि. 6. 'TH HIAATRIAt Aqai faqi aft i ___ हन्तारं शत्रणां कृधि विराज गोपितं गवाम् ॥'
- 904-824982 Tr. 0 Rudra like Divinity' do thou produce amongst us, of high descent, a Great God, like Rishabha Deva, by becoming Arhan which is the epithet of the First World teacher, let Him become the destroyer of the enemies. 7. Historical Gleanings, page 76.