In Jainism, Balabhadra or Baladeva are among the sixty-three illustrious beings called śalākāpuruṣas that are said to grace every half cycle of time. According to Jain cosmology, śalākāpuruṣa are born on this earth in every Dukhama-sukhamāara. They comprise twenty-four tīrthaṅkaras, twelve chakravartins, nine balabhadra, nine narayana, and nine pratinarayana. Their life stories are said to be most inspiring. According to the Jain puranas, the Balabhadras lead an ideal Jain life.
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 Tirthankar of 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 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.
Sambhavanatha was the third Jain tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). Sambhavanatha was born to King Jitari and Queen Susena at Sravasti. 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).
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.
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.
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 Chakravartin 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.
Mallinatha was the 19th tīrthaṅkara "ford-maker" of the present avasarpiṇī age in Jainism.
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.
Neminātha, also known as Nemi and Ariṣṭanemi, is the twenty-second Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age. Neminatha lived 81,000 years before the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha. 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 Shravana Shukla of the Jain calendar. Krishna, who was the 9th and last Jain Vasudev, was his first cousin.
According to the Jain cosmology, the Śalākāpuruṣa "illustrious or worthy persons" are 63 illustrious beings who appear during each half-time cycle. They are also known as the triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣa. The Jain universal or legendary history is a compilation of the deeds of these illustrious persons. Their life stories are said to be most inspiring.
/Ajitanath/ Moksha From Shikharji Ajitanath was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini 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.
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.
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.
Kunthunath was the seventeenth Tirthankara, sixth Chakravartin and twelfth Kamadeva of the present half time cycle, Avasarpini. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Kunthunatha was born to King Surya (Sura) and Queen Shridevi at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku dynasty on the fourteenth day of the Vaishakh Krishna month of the Indian calendar.
Shri Digamber Jain Prachin Bada Mandir is a Jain temple complex located in Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh. It is the oldest Jain temple in Hastinapur dedicated to Shantinatha, the 16th Jain Tirthankara.
Jain Basadi complex in Halebidu, Hassan district consists of three Jain Basadis dedicated to the Jain Tirthankars Parshvanatha, Shantinatha and Adinatha. The complex is situated near Kedareshwara temple and Dwarasamudra lake. The temple complex also includes a step well called Hulikere Kalyani.
Dhayanatray (1676-1726) was an Indian writer who wrote on Jainism.
The Lakshmeshwara Jain temples is a group of Jain temples in the town of Lakshmeshwara in the Gadag district of Karnataka.
The Ahichchhatra Jain temples is a group of Jain temples in Ahichchhatra village in Aonla tehsil of Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh, North India. Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism, attained Kevala Jnana.
