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TULSI-PRAJÑA, Oct.-December, 1991
Reshef: The god of phoenicians was regarded as apollo by the Greeks. A bronze statuette of Reshef of the 12 th century B. C. was discovered at Alasia near Enkomi in Cyprus. Dr. Glaude F. A. Schaeffer, Director of French centre of Scientific Research, Paris has indentified this statuette as that of Apollo of Cyprus, the pheenician God Reshef. An ancient Greek statue of Apollo resembles the image of Rishabha. The statue of Apollo of the Greeks possessed all the features of Rishabha image. Rishabha is worshipped in India in the name of surya-murthi or God of Enlightenment, Sun God. Reshef or Apollo of the Greeks is also worshipped as Sun God. There was close relation between Greek and Indian savants in the prehistoric times. The phoenictans worshipped Reshef as the deity of agriculture. Rishabha was the originator of the science of agriculture. The chaldean Teshud or Reshubh represented Rishabha. The images of Teshub have been discovered at Malatia, Boghaz Keui, in the Zinerli sculputure, in the ancient monument at Isbekjur. Teshub is the chief deity of the Hittite Pantheon. He stands on a bull and has the three-pronged thunderbolt as his distinctive weapon. prof. R.C. Raychudhuri has identified Teshub with shiva. In ancient times Rishabha was worshipped in India as siva. The Jains recognise Lord Jina as Siva who bears the Ratna Traya interpreted as Trisula which is not a weapon, but only the symbol of the three gems of Jain sm. Teshub's consort Ma stood on a lioness or panther. Chakreshawari is the yakshi of Rishabha. Her vahanam is a lion. The ancient symbol of Rishabha is Ratna traya, the symbol of Siva wrongly taken subsequently in the form of Trisula. Several other images of Teshef or Reshef were discovered in many parts of mediterranian countries. All these images resemble the image of Rishabha found in many parts of India. Excavations in soviet Armenia at Kasmir-blur, near Erivan, on the site of the ancient city urartion of Teshabani have brought to light some figures including a bronge statuette of Tesheb. It bore distinct Indian features of Rishabha. It wore a decorated crown and held a hammer in its left hand while in the right hand it held a miniature of the Indian plough. The ancient Jaina kings bore a crown with drawings of Jaina deities. The fifth line of the Hathigumpha inscription has referred to this decorated crown, It is mentioned in the Mahapuranam that Emperor Bharata caused to be made the drawings or figures of Rishabha on bells and also in his bell like crown. Among the relics discovered at the site of Teshabani is a decoreted bronze helmet which bore the dedication of king Argishtis
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