Ṛṣabhanātha

Rishabhanatha (Devanagari: ऋषभनाथ), also Rishabhadeva (Devanagari: ऋषभदेव, ), Rishabha (Devanagari: ऋषभ, ) or Ikshvaku (Devanagari: इक्ष्वाकु, ''Ikṣvāku''), is the first (Supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain cosmology and called a "ford maker" because his teachings helped one cross the sea of interminable rebirths and deaths. The legends depict him as having lived millions of years ago. He was the spiritual successor of Sampratti Bhagwan, the last Tirthankara of the previous time cycle. He is also known as Ādinātha (), as well as Adishvara (first Jina), Yugadideva (first deva of the yuga), Prathamarajeshwara (first God-king) and Nabheya (son of Nabhi). He is also known as Ikshvaku, establisher of the Ikshvaku dynasty. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanath, Neminath, and Shantinath, Rishabhanatha is one of the five Tirthankaras that attract the most devotional worship among the Jains.

According to traditional accounts, he was born to king Nabhi and queen Marudevi in the north Indian city of Ayodhya, also called Vinita. He had two wives, Sumangalā and Sunandā. Sumangalā is described as the mother of his ninety-nine sons (including Bharata) and one daughter, Brahmi. Sunandā is depicted as the mother of Bahubali and Sundari. The sudden death of Nilanjana, one of the dancers sent by Indra in his courtroom, reminded him of the world's transitory nature, and he developed a desire for renunciation.

After his renunciation, the legends as described in major Jain texts such as Hemachandra's ''Trishashti-Shalakapurusha-Charitra'' and ''Adinathcharitra'' written by Acharya Vardhamansuri state Rishabhanatha travelled without food for 400 days. The day on which he got his first ' (food) is celebrated by Jains as Akshaya Tritiya. In devotion to Rishabhanatha, Śvetāmbara Jains perform a 400-day-long fast, in which they consume food on alternating days. This religious practice is known as ''Varshitap.'' The fast is broken on Akshaya Tritiya. He attained ''Moksha'' on Mount Ashtapada. The text '' Adi Purana'' by Jinasena, ''Aadesvarcharitra'' within the ''Trishashti-Shalakapurusha-Charitra'' by Hemachandra are accounts of the events of his life and teachings. His iconography includes ancient idols such as at Kulpak Tirth and Palitana temples as well as colossal statues such as Statue of Ahimsa, Bawangaja and those erected in Gopachal hill. His icons include the eponymous bull as his emblem, the Nyagrodha tree, Gomukha (bull-faced) Yaksha, and Chakreshvari Yakshi.

Life

Rishabhanatha is known by many names including Adinatha, Adishwara, Yugadeva and Nabheya. ''Ādi purāṇa'', a major Jain text records the life accounts of Rishabhanatha as well as ten previous incarnations according to the Digambara tradition. For Rishabhanatha's biography in accordance with the Śvetāmbara tradition is found in several texts such as Hemachandra's ''Trishashti-Shalakapurusha-Charitra'' and ''Adinathcharitra'' written by Acharya Vardhamansuri. Jain tradition associates the life of a ''tirthankara'' to five auspicious events called the '' pancha kalyanaka''. These include ''garbha'' (mother's pregnancy), ''janma'' (birth), ''diksha'' (initiation), '' kevalyagyana'' (omniscience) and ''moksha'' (liberation).

According to Jain cosmology, the universe does not have a temporal beginning or end. Its "Universal History" divides the cycle of time into two halves (avasarpiṇī and '' utsarpiṇī'') with six ''aras'' (spokes) in each half, and the cycles keep repeating perpetually. Twenty-four Tirthankaras appear in every ''half'', the first Tirthankara founding Jainism each time after the destruction of ''dharma'' at the end of each half cycle of time. This is similar to, but not completely the same as the idea of destruction of ''dharma'' at the end of Kali Yuga in Hindu mythology. In the present time cycle, Rishabhanatha is credited as being the first ''tīrthaṅkara''. Usually, all the ''tīrthaṅkaras'' are born in the fourth spoke of the half cycle. However, Rishabhanatha is an exception as he was born at the end of the third ''half'' (known as ''sukhamā-dukhamā'' e''rā'').

Rishabhanatha is said to be the founder of Jainism in the present Avsarpini (a time cycle) by all sub-traditions and sects of Jainism. Jain chronology places Rishabhanatha in historical terms, as someone who lived millions of years ago. He is believed to have been born 10²²⁴ years ago and lived for a span of 8,400,000 purva (592.704 × 10¹⁸ years). His height is described in the Jain texts to be 500 bows (1312 ells), or about 4920 feet/1500 meters. Such descriptions of non-human heights and age are also found for the next 21 Tirthankaras in Jain texts and according to Kristi Wiley – a scholar at University of California Berkeley known for her publications on Jainism. Most Indologists and scholars consider all the first 22 of 24 Tirthankaras to be prehistorical, or historical and a part of Jain mythology. However, among Jain writers and some Indian scholars, some of the first 22 Tirthankaras are considered to reflect historical figures, with a few conceding that the inflated biographical statistics are mythical.

According to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a professor of comparative religions and philosophy at Oxford who later became the second President of India, there is evidence to show that Rishabhdeva was being worshipped by the first century BCE. The Yajurveda mentions the names of three Tirthankaras – Rishabha, Ajitanatha and Arishtanemi, states Radhakrishnan, and "the Bhāgavata Purāṇa endorses the view that Rishabha was the founder of Jainism".

Birth

Rishabhanatha was born to Nabhi and Marudevi, the king and queen of Ayodhya, on the ninth day of the dark half of the month of Chaitra (''caitra krişna navamĩ''). His association to Ayodhya makes it a sacred town for Jains, as it is in Hinduism for the birth of Rama. In Jain tradition, the birth of a ''tirthankara'' is marked by 14 auspicious dreams of the mother. These are believed to have been seen by Marudevi on the second day of Ashadha (a month of the Jain calendar) ''krishna'' (the new moon). The dreams signified the birth of a ''chakravartin'' or a ''tirthankara,'' according to the supposed explanation by Indra to Marudevi.

Marriage and children

Rishabhanatha is believed to have had two wives, Sunanda and Sumangala. Sumangala is claimed to be the mother of ninety-nine sons (including Bharata) and one daughter, Brahmi. Sunanda is believed to be the mother of Bahubali and Sundari. Jain texts state that Rishabhanatha taught his daughters Brahmi and Sundari, Brahmi script and the science of numbers (''Ank-Vidya'') respectively. The ''Pannavana Sutra'' (2nd century BCE) and the ''Samavayanga Sutra'' (3rd century BCE) of the aagams followed by the Śvetāmbaras list many other writing scripts known to the ancient Jain tradition, of which the Brahmi script named after Rishabha's daughter tops the list. His eldest son, Bharata, is stated to have ruled ancient India from his capital of Ayodhya. He is described as a just and kind ruler in Jain texts, who was not attached to wealth or vices.

Rule, administration and teachings

Rishabhanatha was born in ''bhoga-bhumi'' or the age of omnipresent happiness. It is further suggested that no one had to work because of miraculous wish-fulfilling trees called the ''kalpavrikshas''. It is stated that people approached the king for help due to decreased efficacy of the trees with passage of time. Rishabhanatha is then said to have taught them 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). In other words, he is credited with introducing ''karma-bhumi'' (the age of action) by founding arts and professions to enable householders to sustain themselves. Rishabhanatha is credited in Jainism to have invented and taught fire, cooking and all the skills needed for human beings to live. In total, Rishabhanatha is said to have taught seventy-two sciences to men and sixty-four to women. The institution of marriage is stated to have come into existence after his marriage to Sunanda marked the precedence. According to Paul Dundas, Rishabhanatha, in Jainism, is thus not merely a spiritual teacher, but the one who founded knowledge in its various forms. He is depicted as a form of culture hero for the current cosmological cycle.

Traditional sources state that Rishabhanatha was the first king who established his capital at ''Vinitanagara'' (Ayodhya). He is claimed to have given first laws for governance by a king. He is said to have established the three-fold ''varna'' system based on professions consisting of ''kshatriyas'' (warriors), ''vaishyas'' (merchants) and ''shudras'' (artisans). Bharata is said to have added the fourth ''varna'', ''brahmin'' to the system.

Renunciation

Jain legends talk about a dance of celestial dancers organised in Rishabhanatha's royal assembly hall by Indra, the heavenly-king of the first heaven. Nilanjana, one of the dancers, is said to have died in midst of the series of vigorous dance movements. The sudden death of Nilanjana is said to have reminded Rishabhanatha of the world's transitory nature, triggering him to renounce his kingdom, family and material wealth. He is then believed to have distributed his kingdom among his hundred sons. Bharata supposedly got the city of Ayodhya and Bahubali is believed to have got the city of Taxila and the kingdom of Gandhara (as per the Śvetāmbara tradition) or Podanapur (as per the Digambara tradition). He is believed to have become a monk in Siddharta-garden, in the outskirts of Ayodhya, under Ashoka tree on the ninth day of the month of ''Chaitra Krishna'' (Hindu calendar). Tirthankaras usually tear out five handfuls of their hair at initiation. Śvetāmbara text ''Trisasti-salaka-purusa-caritra'' mentions Rishabhanatha tore only four handfuls of his hair. Just as the moment he was about to pull and tear a fifth handful, Indra requested him not to do so, because the remaining hair 'shone like emerald on his golden soulders'.

Akshaya Tritiya

Jains believe that people did not know the procedure to offer food to a monk, since Rishabhanatha was the first one. His great-grandson, Shreyansa, a king of ''Gajapura'' (now Hastinapur) after recalling his previous birth in which he had offered food to a Jain monk keeping in mind all the dietary restrictions and preparing it to be free from all faults, offered him sugarcane juice (''ikshu-rasa'') with required procedure to break 400-days-long fast. Jains celebrate the event as ''Akshaya tritiya'' every year on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month ''Vaishaka'' (usually April). It is believed to be the starting of the ritual of ''ahara- daana'' (food offerings) from layperson to mendicants.

Omniscience

Rishabhanatha is said to have spent a thousand years performing austerities before attaining ''kevala jnana'' (omniscience) under Akshayavata in the town of Purimatala on the 11th day of ''falgun-krishna'' (a month in traditional calendar) after destroying all four of his ''ghati-karma''. The '' Devas'' (heavenly beings) are suggested to have created divine preaching halls known as ''samavasaranas'' for him after that. He is believed to have given the five major vows for monks and 12 minor vows for laity. He is believed to have established the ''sangha'' (four-fold religious order) consisting of male and female mendicants and disciples. His religious order is mentioned in ''Kalpa Sutra'' to have consisted of 84,000 ''sadhus'' (male monks) and 3,000,000 ''sadhvis'' (female monks).

File:Footprints of Rishabha.jpg, Ancient footprints of lord Rishabha commemorating the place of his Omniscience
File:Small shrine decidated to the place of Omniscience of Rishabha.jpg, New shrine built to protect the ancient footprints
File:Jaina monks & Devotees paying homage.jpg, Jaina monks & devotees paying homage to the lord Rishabha

Nirvana kalyanaka

Rishabhanatha is said to have preached the principles of Jainism far and wide. He is suggested to have attained ''Nirvana'' or ''moksha'', destroying all four of his ''aghati-karma''. This is marked as liberation of his soul from the endless cycle of rebirths to stay eternally at ''siddhaloka''. His death is believed in Jainism to have occurred on ''Ashtapada'' (also known as Mount Kailash) on the fourteenth day of Magha Krishna (Hindu Calendar). His total age at that time is suggested to be 84 ''lakh'' ''purva'' years, with three years and eight and a half months remaining of the third e''ra''. According to medieval era Jain texts, Rishabhanatha performed asceticism for millions of years, then returned to Ashtapada where he fasted and performing inner meditation to his moksha. They further state that Indra came with his fellow gods from the heavens after that, to perform rituals of the place from where Rishabhanatha attained ''moksha''.

In literature

The Ādi purāṇa, a 9th-century Sanskrit poem, and a 10th-century Kannada language commentary on it 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. In 11th century, Śvetāmbara monk Acharya Vardhamansuri wrote ''Adinathcharit'', an 11000-verse-long biography of Rishabhanatha in Prakrit. The life of Lord Rishabhanatha is also detailed in Mahapurana of Jinasena, ''Trisasti-salaka-purusa-caritra'' by the Śvetāmbara monk Acharya Hemachandra, ''Kalpa Sutra'' (a Śvetāmbara Jain text written by Bhadrabāhu that contains the biographies of some of the Tirthankaras), and ''Jambudvipa-prajnapti''. Bhaktamara Stotra by Acharya Manatunga is one of the most prominent prayers mentioning Rishabhanatha. There is mention of Rishabha in Hindu texts, such as in the ''Rigveda'', ''Vishnu Purana'' and ''Bhagavata Purana'' (in 5th canto). In later texts, such as the ''Bhagavata Purana'', he is described as an ''avatar'' of Vishnu, a great sage, known for his learning and austerities. Rishabhanatha is also mentioned in Buddhist literature. It speaks of several ''tirthankara'' and includes Rishabhanatha along with: Padmaprabha, Chandraprabha, Pushpadanta, Vimalanatha, Dharmanatha, and Neminatha. A Buddhist scripture named ''Dharmottarapradipa'' mentions Rishabhanatha as an Apta (Tirthankara).

Iconography

Rishabhanatha is usually depicted in the lotus position or kayotsarga, a standing posture of meditation. The distinguishing features of Rishabhanatha are his long locks of hair which fall on his shoulders, and an image of a bull in sculptures of him. In accordance with the Śvetāmbara tradition, almost all idols depicting Rishabhanatha have hairlocks on both his shoulders, in accordance with the mention of a ''loch'' (tearing out of hair) with four handfuls instead of the normal five handfuls in ''Trisasti-salaka-purusa-caritra,'' which makes his iconography distinctive from other Tirthankaras'. Most of his iconography as per the beliefs of the Śvetāmbara tradition can be found at Palitana temples. Rishabhanatha's hairlocks have been depicted in first century CE sculptures found in Mathura and Causa. Paintings of him usually depict legendary events of his life. Some of these include his marriage, and Indra performing a ritual known as abhisheka (consecration). He is sometimes shown presenting a bowl to his followers and teaching them the art of pottery, painting a house, or weaving textiles. The visit of his mother Marudevi is also shown extensively in painting. He is also associated with his Bull emblem, the Nyagrodha tree, Gomukha (bull-faced) Yaksha, and Chakreshvari Yakshi.

Statue of Ahimsa, carved out of a single rock, is a tall ( including pedestal) statue of Rishabhanatha and is 1,840 sq feet in size. It is said to be the world's tallest Jain idol. It is located above from sea level, at Mangi-Tungi hills near Nashik (Maharashtra). Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records visited Mangi Tungi and awarded the engineer of the 108 ft tall ''Rishabhdeva'' statue, C R Patil, the official certificate for the world's tallest Jain idol. In 2016, a 108 feet idol of Rishabhnatha (Adinatha) was installed at Palitana.

In Madhya Pradesh, there is the Bawangaja (meaning ) hill, near Barwani with a Gommateshvara figure covered on the top of it. This site is important to Jain pilgrims particularly on the full moon day in January. The site has a Rishabanatha statue carved from a volcanic rock. The Rishabhanatha Statue at Gopachal Hill, Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh. Thousands of Jain idols including 58.4 foot idol of Rishabhanatha were carved in the Gopachal Hill idol from 1398 CE to 1536 CE by rulers of Tomar dynasty rulers – ''Viramdev, Dungar Singh and Kirti Singh''.
A statue of Rishabhanatha was unveiled at the ''Abhay Prabhavana Museum'' in 2024.

File:SHRI ADINATH BHAGWAN BIBROD JAIN TIRTH.jpg, Idol of Rishabhanatha at Shri Bibrod Adinath Jain Shwetamber Tirth, Bibdod, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, India
File:StatueOfAhimsa (cropped).jpg, Statue of Ahimsa, Maharashtra,
File:Lord adinath statue palitana.jpg, statue at Palitana
File:Photo of lord adinath bhagwan at kundalpur.JPG, Adinatha at Kundalpur
File:Bawangajastatue (cropped).jpg, Bawangaja, Madhya Pradesh,
File:Siddhachal - Rishabhanatha.jpg, The colossal at Gopachal Hill
File:Adinath.jpg, The tall rock cut idol at Chanderi
File:Rishabhdev Idol - Kota databari.jpg, The idol at Dadabari, Kota
File:Golakot Jain temple (19).jpg, Idol at Golakot Jain temple
File:Ranakpur ni20-46.jpg, Ranakpur Jain Temple, Rajasthan
File:Śvetāmbara Idol of Rishabhanatha at Kangra Fort.jpg, Idol of Rishabhanatha Decorated with Flowers & Ornaments as per Śvetāmbara Rituals

Temples

Rishabhanatha is one of the five most devotionally revered Tirthankaras, along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha, Neminatha and Shantinatha. Various Jain temple complexes across India feature him, and these are important pilgrimage sites in Jainism. Mount Shatrunjaya, for example, is a hilly part of southern Gujarat, which is believed to have been a place where 23 out of 24 Tirthankaras preached, along with Rishabha. Numerous monks are believed to have attained their liberation from cycles of rebirth there, and a large temple within the complex is dedicated to Rishabha commemorating his enlightenment in Ayodhya. The central Rishabha icon of this complex is called Adinatha or simply ''Dada'' (grandfather). This icon is the most revered of all the ''murtipujaka'' icons, believed by some in the Jain tradition to have miracle making powers, according to John Cort. In Jain texts, Kunti and the five Pandava brothers of the Hindu Epic ''Mahabharata'' came to the hill top to pay respects, and consecrated an icon of Rishabha at Shatrunjaya. Important Rishabha temple complexes include Palitana temples, Dilwara Temples, Kulpakji, Kundalpur, Paporaji, Soniji Ki Nasiyan, Rishabhdeo, Sanghiji, Hanumantal Bada Jain Mandir, Trilok Teerth Dham, Pavagadh and Sarvodaya Jain temple.
File:Rishabhdeo Jain temple (9710280717).jpg, Kesariyaji Tirth, Rajasthan
File:Jain Temple Ranakpur.jpg, Ranakpur temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan
File:Jain temple warangal.jpg, Kulpakji Tirth
File:Khajuraho3.jpg, Adinatha temple, Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
File:Delwada.jpg, Vimal Vasahi, Dilwara temples
File:Panchakuta Basadi (10th century AD) at Kambadahalli.JPG, Panchakuta Basadi

See also

* List of Jain Tirthankaras
* List of Tirthankaras
* God in Jainism
* History of Jainism
* Siddha

Notes

References

Citations

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rishabhanatha

Tirthankaras
Solar dynasty
Ancient Indian people
Jain giants
Characters in the Bhagavata Purana
Forms of Vishnu
People from Uttar Pradesh
Mythological characters
Founders of new religious movements