Ajitanatha

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Ajitanatha
2nd Jain Tirthankara
Idol of Ajitnatha at Taranga.jpg
Tirthankara Ajitnatha at Shri Ajitnath Bhagwan Shwetamber Jain Derasar, Taranga
Venerated in Jainism
Predecessor Rishabhanatha
Successor Sambhavanatha
Symbol Elephant
Height450 dhanush (1,350 meters)
Age72 lakh purvas (508.032 x 1018 years old)
TreeSaptaparna (Alstonia scholaris)
Color Golden
Genealogy
Born
Parents
  • Jitaśatru (father)
  • Vijayādevī (mother)

Ajitanatha (lit. invincible) was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini (half time cycle) according to Jainism. He was born to king Jitashatru and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty. He was a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma .

Contents

In Jain texts

Ajitnatha (lit. invincible) [1] was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini (half time cycle in Jain cosmology) according to Jainism. [2]

Ajitnatha was born in the town of Saketa to King Jitashatru and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya (Vinita-Saketa) [3] in the Ikshvaku dynasty on magha-shukla-dashmi (the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Magha ). [2] His height was 450 dhanusha . He lived for a span of 72 lakh purva. [1]

According to Hemachandra, he was named Ajita because the king father was unable to defeat his mother in gambling until he was in her womb. Uttarapurana, a Digambara text, explains that he was named Ajita because he could not be defeated by sins or all heretics. [3]

He attained kevala jnana under the saptaparna tree (Alstonia scholaris) [3] and Moksha on chaitra-shukla-panchmi (fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra ) from Shikharji. [4] [1] [3]

He had 90 Ganadharas and Simhasena was his chief among them. Falgu (according to Swetambara tradition) or Prakubja (according to Digambara tradition) was a chief of his order of the nuns. [1] [3]

The Yajurveda mentions the name of Ajitanatha, but the meaning is not clear. According to Jain traditions, his younger cousin brother was Sagara. Sagara, who became the second Chakravartin, is known from the traditions of both Hindu and Jain scriptures. [5] [3]

Iconography

Swetambara as well as Digambara sects consider his complexion golden and elephant as his symbol. [3] He is associated with saptaparna tree; Mahayaksha as attendant Yaksha; and Ajita (as per Swetambra) or Rohini (as per Digambara) as attendant Yakshis. [6] [3] The elephant, symbol of Ajitanatha, is a vahana (mount) of the Mahayakshya and Ajita Yakshi seems named after Ajitanatha. [3]

In literature, art and architecture

Literature

Major temples

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rishabhanatha</span> First Tirthankara of Jainism

Rishabhanatha, also Rishabhadeva, Rishabha or Ikshvaku, is the first tirthankara 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, Yugadideva, Prathamarajeshwara and Nabheya. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taranga Jain temple</span> Jain temple dedicated to Lord Ajitnatha on Taranga hill,Gujarat

Taranga is a Jain pilgrimage center near Kheralu in Mehsana district, Gujarat, India, with two compounds of Jain temples that are important examples of the Māru-Gurjara style of architecture. The Ajitnatha temple, was constructed in 1161 by the Solanki king Kumarapala, under the advice of his teacher, Acharya Hemachandra. Both the main sects of Jainism are represented, with adjoining walled compounds: the Śvetāmbara compound consists of 14 temples in all, and there are also five Digambara-affiliated temples at Taranga hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambhavanatha</span> Third Tirthankara in Jainism

Sambhavanatha was the third Jain tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). Sambhavanatha was born to King Jitari and Queen Susena at Shravasti. His birth date was the fourteenth day of the Margshrsha shukla month of the Indian calendar. Like all arihant, Sambhavanatha at the end of his life destroyed all associated karmas and attained moksha (liberation).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatinatha</span> 5th Tirthankara in Jainism

Sumatinatha was the fifth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). Sumatinatha was born to a Kshatriya King Megha (Megharatha) and Queen Mangalavati (Sumangalavati) at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His Janma Kalyanak (birthday) was the eighth day of the Vaisakha Sudi month of the Jain calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Padmaprabha</span> Sixth Tirthankara in Jainism

Padmaprabha, also known as Padmaprabhu, was the sixth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avsarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha - a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suparshvanatha</span> 7th Tirthankara in Jainism

Suparshvanatha, also known as Suparśva, was the seventh Jain Tīrthankara of the present age (avasarpini). He was born to King Pratistha and Queen Prithvi at Varanasi on 12 Jestha Shukla in the Ikshvaku clan. He is said to have attained moksha at Shikharji on the sixth day of the dark half of the month of Phālguna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shitalanatha</span> 10th Tirthankara in Jainism

Shitalanatha was the tenth tirthankara of the present age according to Jainism. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Jains believe Shitalanatha was born to King Dradhrath and Queen Nanda at Bhaddilpur into the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the twelfth day of the Magha Krishna month of the Indian national calendar. Shitalanatha is associated with Svastika (Dig.)/ Srivatasa (Svet.) emblem, Pilurikha tree, Brahma Yaksha and Manavi (Dig.) & Ashoka (Svet.) Yakshi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasupujya</span> 12th Tirthankara of Jainism

Vasupujya is the twelfth tirthankara in Jainism of the avasarpini. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Vasupujya was born to King Vasupujya and Queen Jaya Devi at Champapuri in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the fourteenth day of the Falgun Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He never married and remained a celibate. He attained Kevala Jnana within one month of Tapsya and Moksha at Champapuri, of Bihar in India on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Ashadh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vimalanatha</span> 13th Tirthankara in Jainism

Vimalanatha was the thirteenth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a Siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Vimalanatha was born to King Kratavarma and Queen Shyamadevi at Kampilya of the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the third day of the Magh Sukla month of the Indian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shantinatha</span> 16th Tirthankara in Jainism in current cycle of Jain cosmology

Śāntinātha or Śānti is the sixteenth Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age. According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Vishvasena and Queen Aćira of the Ikshvaku dynasty in the north Indian city of Hastinapur. His birth date is the thirteenth day of the Jyest Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He was also a Chakravarti and a Kamadeva. He ascended to the throne when he was 25 years old. After over 25,000 years on the throne, he became a Jain monk and started his penance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mallinatha</span> 19th tirthankara in Jainism

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Munisuvrata</span> 20th Tirthankara of Jainism, in current cycle of Jain cosmology

Munisuvrata or Munisuvratanatha was the twentieth Tirthankara of the present half time cycle (avasarpini) in Jain cosmology. He became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of his karma. Events of the Jaina version of Ramayana are placed at the time of Munisuvrata. Munisuvrata lived for over 30,000 years. His chief apostle (gaṇadhara) was sage Malli Svāmi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neminatha</span> 22nd Jain Tirthankara

Nemināth, also known as Nemi and Ariṣṭanemi, is the twenty-second tirthankara of Jainism in the present age. Neminath lived 81,000 years before the 23rd Tirthankar Parshvanath. According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Samudravijaya and Queen Shivadevi of the Yadu dynasty in the north Indian city of Sauripura. His birth date was the fifth day of Shravan Shukla of the Jain calendar. Krishna, who was the 9th and last Jain Vasudev, was his first cousin.

The Solar dynasty or Sūryavaṃśa, also called the Ikshvaku dynasty is a legendary Indian dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom with their capital at Ayodhya and later at Shravasti. They prayed to their clan deity Surya, after whom the dynasty formed its namesake. Along with the Lunar dynasty, the Solar dynasty comprises one of the main lineages of the Kshatriya varna in Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abhinandananatha</span> Fourth Tirthankara in Jainism

Abhinandananatha or Abhinandana Swami was the fourth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). He is said to have lived for 50 lakh purva. He was born to King Sanvara and Queen Siddhartha at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku clan. His birth date was the second day of the Magh shukla month of the Indian calendar. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its Karma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anantanatha</span> 14th Tirthankara in Jainism

Anantanatha was the fourteenth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini) of Jainism. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandraprabha</span> 8th Jain Tirthankara

Chandraprabha or Chandranatha is the eighth Tirthankara of Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age. According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri to the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to Jain texts, his birth-date was the twelfth day of the Posh Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He is said to have become a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aranatha</span>

Aranath(Arnath) was the eighteenth Jain Tirthankar of the present half cycle of time (Avasarpini). He was also the eighth Chakravartin and thirteenth Kamadeva. According to Jain beliefs, he was born around 16,585,000 BCE. He became a siddha i.e. a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karmas. Aranath was born to King Sudarshana and Queen Devi (Mitra) at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the tenth day of the Migsar Krishna month of the Indian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dharmanatha</span> 15th Tirthankara in Jainism in current cycle of Jain cosmology

Dharmanatha was the fifteenth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Dharmanath was born to King Bhanu Raja and Queen Suvrata Rani at Ratnapuri in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the third day of the Magh Sukla month of the Indian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pushpadanta</span> Ninth Tirthankara in Jainism

In Jainism, Pushpadanta, also known as Suvidhinatha, was the ninth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). According to Jain belief, he became a siddha and an arihant, a liberated soul that has destroyed all of its karma.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 183.
  2. 1 2 Tukol 1980, p. 31.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987). Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana [Jaina Iconography]. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 128. ISBN   978-81-7017-208-6.
  4. Krishna & Amirthalingam 2014, p. 46.
  5. Jain, Kailash Chandra, Antiquity of Jainism, Jainism Literature Center
  6. Tandon 2002, p. 44.
  7. Cort 2001, p. 236.

Sources

Further reading