YJA Convention 1994 07 Chicago IL First

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 27

Tirthankars of the Present Era
Edited by Mr. P. C. Nahar and Mr. K. C. Ghosh
Vinita, and attained nirvana on Mount Astapad. The Rig Veda of the Hindus refers to a rishi (saint) by the name of Rishabha. He is represented by a golden complexion and, as the name Rishabha means 'bull' or 'ox', his symbol is just that.
2.
Time rolls along in an eternal cycle of rise and decline. An Utsarpini is a "rising" era in which human affairs and natural conditions improve and aggrandize over time. During such an era, worldly souls do not seek salvation. At the peak of the Utsarpini begins an Avsarpini, a "declining" era of the same length, in which the ultra-utopian world which evolved, gradually corrupts, weakens, and becomes harder to survive in. (These eras are enormously long and are measured in sagaropams, "ocean of years.") During the middle period of every declining era are born twenty-four Tirthankars ("ford"- or "crossing-finders"). They are humans who, after attaining enlightenment, revive and reconstruct the dharma for the changing times in which it is needed more and more. The following is the brief description of the Tirthankars of our present declining era, beginning with Adinath and ending with Mahavira, from whose teachings comes today's Jainism:
AJIT belonged to the same race. He was the son of King Jitasbatru and Queen Bijoy. He was born in Ayodhya and was initiated at the same place. He reached nirvana on Samet Sikhar mountain, better known as Pareshnath Hill in Bengal. He was also of a golden complexion and has an elephant as his symbol. King Sagar flourished during his time.
3. SAMBHAV was the son of King Jitari and
Queen Sena, and belonged to the same race. He was born at Sawathi (Shravasthi) - modern "Setmet ka kila", near Balarampur (U.P.). He was initiated at the same city, and attained nirvana on Mount Samet Sikhar. His complexion was of a golden color and his symbol was the horse.
1. ADINATH, better known as Rishabha,
belonged to the Ishaku race, and was the son of King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi. His place of birth was Vinita (Ayodhya), in the country of Koshala, though according to some it was in the north of Kashmir. He was born towards the end of the period of yugaliks.
4. ABHINANDAN was the son of King
Sambara and Queen Siddharthi, who belonged to the Ikshaku race. He was of a golden complexion and has a monkey as his symbol. He was born in Ayodhya and was initiated at the same place. His nirvana took place on Mount Samet Sikhar.
According to the way of life of the semiutopian times, he was married to his twin sister Sumangala, and to Sunanda, whose twin brother died in childhood. Sumangala's offsprings were twins named Bharat and Brahmi and 98 other twin sons. By Sunanda, he had Bahubali and Sundari. From the descendants of Bharat and Bahubali, the Surya and Chandra dynasties originated, respectively. The country was named Bharat, after the eldest prince. Rishabha resigned his empire to his sons and laid the foundation of the dharma in this era. He was initiated in the city of
5. SUMATI was the son of King Megha and
Queen Mangala of Ayodhya. He belonged to the Ikshaku race. He was initiated in the same city, and his nirvana also occurred at Mount Samet Sikhar. He was also of a golden complexion and has a curlew for his symbol. It is a red goose according to the Digambars.
6. PADMAPRABHA was the son of King
Shidhar and Queen Sushima. He belonged
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