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10
Dalsukhbhai D. Malvania
Tirthankaras take one cloth at the time of their becoming ascetics"Savve vi egaduseņa niggata". And about the colleages of Rsabha AN 284 says that they were-sukkambaras i. c. having white clothes as well as nirambaras,, i, e. without clothes. In order to oppose the Digambra trend of nonliberation of women AN 184 according to Haribhadra and 181 according to Malayagiri proclaim that man, woman or eunuch can have the Tirthankarakarma. And this trend can be found in Pannavana (16) also where it is stated that there can be "itthilingasiddha, purisalingasiddha and napumsakalingasiddha". This trend is emphasised by Jinabhadra when he says that Marudevi, the mother of Rsabha is the first siddha in this avasarpini (Vi. 1631). AN 159 simply says that Marunevi was liberated "ega siddhim patta marudeva nabhino patti." But Jinasena in his Mahapuraṇa clearly mentions that first siddha was Anantavirya, the son of Bharata (24. 181).
Removal of pride of Bahubali by the daughters of Rsabha as nuns is accepted by VI- 1718 but Jinasena's MP (36. 186) has a diffrent story. It was removed when Bharata went to Bahubhli and worshipped him. This suggests that a woman should not have privilege to preach an ascetic.
Upto Rsabha's time society had no regular marriage system and that was established by Rṣabha. So upto that time Mihunadhamma was prevailing in the society i.e. twins-brother and sister were behaving like husband and wife. This was also the case with Rṣabha and his sister according to Svetambara tradition. Avasyakacurṇi clearly mentions that Sumangala, Rṣabha's wife was his sister-"ito ya bhagavam sumangalae bhaginie saddhim suham suheņa viharai " p. 152.
But according to Digambar Puranas Ravisena says Rsabha's wives were Sunanda and Nanda (3. 260) but it is strange when he says-Bharata was the son of Yasasvati (20. 124). Jinasena says that Rṣabha married Yasasvati and Sunanda, both were the sisters of Kaccha and Mahakaccha (MP. 15. 69-70). Bharata and Brahmi were son and daughter of Yasasvat! and Bahubali and Sundari were of Sunanda (MP. 15.126, 16.5,7). Bahubali was the first Kamadeva (MP. 16. 9). This Kamadeva mythology is a new conception adopted by Digambara Puranas.
About this mihunadhamma however Digambara Harivamsapurana of Jinasena II (V.S. 840) who is later than the Jinasena I accepts this theory in his HP (7. 65 PP) but says that this system was abolished by Marudeva, the 12th Kulakara producing only one son (HP, 7 166) and not daughter.
When we read Mahapurana of Jinasena it is clear that he is trying to accomodate some Vedic ideas in Jaina mythology. Such a trend can be
