Temple of Satrunjaya

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

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THE TIRTHANKARAS OR JINAS
Their Tirthankaras or Arhantas,-images of one or more of whom
figure in every temple-are twenty-four in number, each having his separate cinha or cognizance, usually placed under the image, and many of them are distinguished by the colour of their complexion,-sixteen being yellow, two red, two white, two blue, and two black. The following is a list of them, with the principal particulars related of each: 10
1. RSABHANATHA or ADINATHA, called also Nabheya, Yugadisa, Yugadijina, Rsabha Deva, Kausalika, Adisvara, and Vrsabha Sena of the race of Iksvaku, was the son of Nabhi by Marudevi. He is represented as of yellow or golden complexion; has the bull (vṛşa) as his cinha or cognizance; Cakresvari for his sāsanadevi. According to the commentator of the Kalpa Sutra, he was born at Kosala or Ayodhya, towards the end of the third age. He was the first king (prathama rājā), first anchorite (prathama bhikṣākara) and first saint (prathama jina and prathama tirthankara). His stature, it is said, was 500 poles (dhanus), and when he was crowned as king his age was 2,000,000 great years (pūrva varsa). He reigned 6,300,000 years, and then resigned in favour of his sons, and having spent 100,000 years more in passing through the various stages of austerity and purity, he attained nirvāṇa on a mountain named Astapada, according to Hemacandra the same as Kailasa, others say it is in Gujarat, 3 years 8 months before the end of the third age. Besides his children by other wives, Rsabha had twins by each of his wives Sumangala and Sunanda,-by the former a son Bharata, the first Cakravarti11 and a daughter Brahmi; by the latter a second son
10 This account of the Tirthankaras is derived principally from Colebrooke, Essays, Vol. II. pp. 208-213; Asiat. Researches, Vol. IX. pp. 304-311.
11 Satrunjaya Mahatmya, I. 60. The twelve Cakravartis are: Bharata, son of Rasabha; Maghavan, son of Vijaya; Sanatkumara, son of Asvasena; Santi, Kunthu and Ara, the 16th, 17th and 18th Jinas; Sagara, son of Sumitra; Subhuma called Kartavirya; Padma, son of Padmottara; Harisena of Hari; Jaya of Vijaya; and Brahmadatta or Brahma; all of the race of Iksvaku.-Colebrooke, Essays, Vol. II. 217; Asiat. Res., Vol. IX. p. 315. It may be noticed that Rsabha and his father and son occur in the Puranic lists (Princep, Useful Tables, ed. 1858, p. 232) where Nabhi is the son of Agnidra, king of Jambudvipa and son of Priyavrata, king of Antarveda. The kings of various other nations also derived their descent from him. Princep, Usef. Tab., p. 232 n.; also Wilson, Visnu Purana, pp. 162, 163
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