Rishabhanatha

Rishabhanatha
First Tirthankara

Rishabhanatha

Image of Rishabhanatha at Kundalpur pilgrimage site in Madhya Pradesh, India
Details
Alternate name(s) Adinatha, Adish Jina (first conqueror), Adi Purush (first Perfect Man), Ikshvaku
Successor Ajitanatha
Royalty
Dynasty/Clan Ikshvaku (founder)[1]
Predecessor King Nabhi
Successor Bharata Chakravartin, Bahubali and his 98 other sons
Family
Father Nabhi
Mother Marudevi
Children Bharata
Bahubali
Sundari
Brahmi
Kalyanaka / Important Events
Chyavana date Jeth Vad 4
Chyavana place Ayodhya
Born Fagan Vad 8
Ayodhya
Diksha date Fagan Vad 8
Diksha place Ayodhya
Kevalgyan date Maha Vad 11
Kevalgyan place Ayodhya
Moksha date Posh Vad 13
Moksha place Mount Kailash
Characteristics/Attributes
Complexion Golden
Symbol Bull[2]
Height 500 bows (1500 metres)[3]
Age 84 lakh purva (592.704 x 1018 years)[3]
Attendant Gods
Yaksha Gomukha
Yakshini Chakreshvari
Ganadhara Pundarika and Brahmi

Rishabhanatha (Sanskrit, lit. "bull lord") (also Ṛṣabhadeva) is said to be the first Tirthankara (Teaching God) of the present half cycle of time.[4][5] The word Tīrthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha which means a fordable passage across a sea. The Tirthankara show the 'fordable path' across the sea of interminable births and deaths (saṃsāra). Rishabhanatha is also known as Ādinātha which translates into "First (Adi) Lord (nātha)".

Overview

Jain cosmology divides Worldly Time cycle into two halves (avasarpiṇī and utsarpiṇī) with six aras (spokes) in each half. Twenty-four Tīrthaṅkaras grace this part of the universe in duşamā-suşamā (read as dukhmā-sukhmā) ara of both halves. The present half cycle (avasarpiṇī) being a special case, Rishabhanatha , the first tīrthaṅkara was born at the end of the third period (suṣama-duṣamā) itself.[6] According to Jain texts, he was born in the age when there was happiness all around with no work for men to do.[7] Gradually as the cycle moved, and wish-fulfilling trees disappeared, people rushed to their King for help.[8] Rishabhanatha is then said to have taught the men six main professions. These were (1) Asi (swordsmanship for protection), (2) Masi (writing skills), (3) Krishi (agriculture), (4) Vidya (knowledge), (5) Vanijya (trade and commerce) and (6) Shilp (crafts).[5][9][10] In other words, he is credited with introducing karma-bhumi (the age of action) by teaching these professions to the householders for livelihood.[11][12][13] The institution of marriage came into existence after he married to set an example for other humans to follow.[14][12] In total, Rishabhanatha is said to have taught seventy-two sciences which includes arithmetic, the plastic and visual arts, the art of lovemaking, singing and dancing.[14] Jaina chronology places the date of Rishabhanatha at an almost immesaurable antiquity in the past.[note 1][15]

Founding of Jainism

Ṛṣabhanātha is said to be the founder of Jainism in the present half cycle.[16] Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice President of India wrote:

There is evidence to show that so far back as the first century B.C. there were people who were worshipping Ṛṣabhadeva, the first tīrthaṅkara. There is no doubt that Jainism prevailed even before Vardhamāna or Pārśvanātha. The Yajurveda mentions the name of three Tīrthaṅkaras-Ṛṣabha, Ajitnātha and Ariṣṭanemi. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa endorses the view that Ṛṣabha was the founder of Jainism.
— Dr. S. Radhakrishnan[17]

Legends

See also: Panch Kalyanaka

Ādi purāṇa, a major Jain text records the life accounts of Rishabhanatha. The text also mention ten previous lives of Rishabhanatha.

Garbha kalyana

On the second day of Ashadha (month of Hindu calendar) Krishna (dark fortnight), Queen Marudevi saw sixteen auspicious dreams. King Nabhi explained these dreams to her as a sign of Tirthankara's birth. This event is the first Kalyanaka of Panch Kalyanaka (five auspicious events) and is known as garbha kalyana. This means enlivening of the embryo through the descent of the life (soul) in the mortal body. [18]

Birth

Rishabhanatha was born to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi in Ayodhya, on the ninth day of the dark half of the month of Chaitra-caitra krişna navamĩ.[19] This is the second of Panch Kalyanaka and is known as Janma Kalyanaka.

Kingdom

Rishabhanatha's kingdom was kind and gentle[14] and he is credited with transforming a tribal society into an orderly one.[20] Like all tīrthaṅkara and other legendary figures of Indian history (who were great warriors), he too was a great warrior with great strength and body. However, he never needed to show his warrior aspect.[14] Ṛṣabhanātha is known for advocating non-violence.[14] He was one of the greatest initiators of human progress.[12]

Rishabhanatha had two wives. One of them was Sunanda and Sumangala. He had one hundred sons and two daughters.[21] Among these, Sunanda was the mother of Bahubali and Sundari whereas Sumangala was the mother of Bharata and Brahmi.[22] He taught his daughters Brahmi and Sundari, the Brahmi-lipi (ancient Brahmi script) and the 'science of numbers' (Ank-Vidya) respectively.[23] Rishabhanatha is said to have lived for 84 lakh pūrva out of which 20 lakh pūrva were spent as youth (kumāra kāla), and 63 lakh pūrva as the King (rājya kāla).[19]

Renunciation

Statuary representing meditation by Rishabhanatha in Kayotsarga posture. (Photo:Ajmer Jain temple)

One day Indra of the first heaven arranged a dance by celestial dancers in the assembly hall of Lord Rishabhanatha.[24] One of the dancers was Nilanjana, whose clock of life had only a few moments left to run.[19][25] While in the midst of a process of vigorous dance movements, she stopped, and the next instant her form ‘dissolved’ and she was no more.[26] The sudden fatal death of Nilanjana, reminded Rishabhanatha of the world's transitory nature and he developed a desire for renunciation.[27][26] He gave his kingdom to his 100 sons, of whom Bharata got the city of Vinita (Ayodhya) and Bahubali got the city of Podanapur (Taxila)[28] and became an ascetic on the ninth day of Chaitra Krishna (Hindu calendar). The renunciation is the third of Panch Kalyanaka and is called Diksha Kalyanaka.[20]

Akshaya Tritiya

King Shreyansa giving ahara to Rishabhanatha

Akshaya Tritya is considered holy and supremely auspicious by Jains. It is believed that Rishabhanatha took his first ahara (alms) as an ascetic on this day. Rishabhanatha was the first Digambara monk of the present half cycle of time (avasarpini).[29] Therefore, people didn't knew how to offer food (ahara) to Digambara monks. King Shreyansa of Hastinapur town recollected his past life experiences and offered sugarcane juice (ikshu-rasa) to Rishabhanatha.[30] Jains attach great importance to this day as, it was only after 11 months and 13 days that Rishabhanatha was offered food. It is celebrated on the third day of bright fortnight of the month Vaishaka.[31] He got the name Ikshvaku[12] from the word Ikhsu[32] (sugarcane) and his dynasty became Ikshvaku dynasty.[33]

Omniscience

Rishabhanatha's moving over lotus after attaining omniscience

He spent 1000 years performing austerities and then attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience) on the eleventh day of Falgun Krishna (Hindu calendar). This is the fourth of Panch Kalyanaka and is known as Kevala Jnāna Kalyanaka. According to Jain texts, following is the number of followers of Tirthankara Rishabhanatha:[34]

As an Omniscient, Tirthankara Rishabhanatha is said to have preached, for 1 lakh pūrva less 1000 years (kevalakāla).[26]

Moksha

Rishabhanatha traveled far and wide preaching Jainism.[37] He attained Moksha on fourteenth day of Magha Krishna(Hindu Calendar). While traveling, he came across a mountain named Ashtapada, which is famously known as mount Kailash. Deva (heavenly beings) created a divine preaching hall known as samavasarana at this mountain for Rishabhanatha.[37] He attained Moksha on Mount Kailasa at the age of 84 lakh purva (592.704 x 1018 years).[3][38] His preachings were recorded in fourteen scriptures known as Purva.[39]

Colossal Statues

In literature

There is mention of Rishabhanatha in Hindu scriptures, like Bhagavata Purana.[40] Rishabhanatha also finds mention in Buddhist literature. It speaks of several tirthankara which includes Rishabhanatha along with Padmaprabha, Chandraprabha, Pushpadanta, Vimalnatha, Dharmanatha and Neminatha. A Buddhist scripture named Dharmottarapradipa mentions Rishabhanatha as an Apta (Tirthankara).[21]

The Ādi purāṇa, a 10th-century Kannada language text by the poet Adikavi Pampa (fl. 941 CE), written in Champu style, a mix of prose and verse and spread over sixteen cantos, deals with the ten lives of Rishabhanatha and his two sons.[41][42] The life of Rishabhanatha is also given in Mahapurana of Jinasena, Trisasti-salaka-purusa-caritra of Hemachandra, Kalpa Sutra and Jambudvipa-prajnapti.[40][43]

Bhaktamara Stotra by Acharya Manatunga is one of the most prevalent hymns of Rishabhanatha.[44]

Iconography

Rishabhanatha is usually depicted in lotus position or kayotsarga, a standing posture of meditation. The distinguishing mark of Rishabhanatha is his long locks of hair which fall on his shoulders and an image of a bull in his sculptures.[45] His paintings usually depict various important events of his legend. Some of these include his marriage and Indra performing a ritual called abhisheka. He is sometimes shown as presenting a bowl to his followers and teaching them the art of pottery, painting a house, weaving textile. The visit of his mother Marudevi is also shown extensively in painting.[46]

Images

Temples

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rishabhanatha.

Notes

  1. ↑ The date of Rishabhanatha is given in the Jain texts but is too methodical in its computations.

Citations

References

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