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SAMAYASARA
Thirthankara, Lord Parswa who lived 220 years prior to Lord Mahavira is also considered a historical personage According to this view Jainism must have been prevalent in India nearly three centuries prior to Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Though writers of Cambridge history of India did not go beyond Lord Parswa, we may point out the fact that Jainism was in existence even prior to this period The Thirthankara prior to Lord Parswa, the 22nd Thirthankaia, according to the Jaina tradition is Lord Arishtnemi, who is said to have attained his Nirvana on the Mount Girnar in Junagadh State, which is a place for pilgrimage for the present day Jainas. This Arishtanemi was a cousin of Sri Krishana of Mahbharatha fame and the name Arishtanemi occurs in Vedic literature as one of the great Rishis. This Jaina tradition circumstantially supported by non-Jaina Vedic literature may also be accepted as having some historical basis. If Sri Krishana of Mahabharata war is accepted as having some historical basis then we have to accept the history of Arishanemi also According to the Jaina tradition, there were twenty-four Thirthankaras beginning with Lord Vrishabha and ending with Mahavira Vardhamana. Of these the last three may be taken to be personalities of the historic period. The rest are persons of prehistoric age and we need not trouble ourselves about their history till we know something more than merely tradition. The first of these Thirthankara Lord Vrishabha who is considered by the Jainas to be responsible for revealing Ahimsa Dharma for the first time to the world seems to be a very interesting personality. According to the Jaina tradition, he was a hero of the Iksavaku family. His father was Nabi Maharaja the last of the Manus and his mother Marudevi. Vrishabha's period represents a complete change of World conditions. Prior to this the country was called Boga Bhumi where the people were satisfied with all their wants by the mere wish through the help of the traditional kalpakavriksha. During the time of Lord Rishabha these happy conditions completely disappeared and the people were in a preplexity as to the way of life which they were expected to carry. Then they all went to Lord Rishabha praying for help. He is said to have consoled
