Kunthunatha

Kunthunatha
17th Tirthankara, 6th Chakravarti, and 12th Kamadeva
The idol of Kunthunatha Bhagwan at a Jinalaya in Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Venerated in	Jainism
Predecessor	Shantinatha
Successor	Aranatha
Symbol	Goat [1]
Height	35 bows (105 metres)
Age	over 95,000 years
Color	Golden
Genealogy
Born	Hastinapur [2]
Died	Sammed Shikhar
Parents	Śurya (father) Śrīdevī (mother)
Dynasty	Kuruvaṁśa—Ikṣvākuvaṁśa

Kunthunath was the seventeenth Tirthankara, sixth Chakravartin ^[3] and twelfth Kamadeva of the present half time cycle, Avasarpini. ^{[1] [4]} According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Kunthunatha was born to King Surya (Sura) ^[1] and Queen Shridevi at Hastinapur ^[3] in the Ikshvaku dynasty on the fourteenth day of the Vaishakh Krishna month of the Indian calendar. ^[4]

Etymology

Kunthu means heap of Jewels. ^[3]

Life

According to the Jain belief, he was born in 27,695,000 BC, Like all other Chakravartin, he also conquered all the lands ^[3] and went to write his name on the foothills of mountains. Seeing the names of other Chakravartin already there, he saw his ambitions dwarfed. He then renounced his throne and became an ascetic for penance. ^[3] At an age of 95,000 years he liberated his soul and attained Moksha on Mount Shikharji. ^[3]

Famous Temple

• Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh
• Ganigitti Jain temple, Hampi
• Kunthunath Temple at Jaisalmer Fort in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

• 
  Chaubisi of Kunthunatha,Chaubisi of Kunthunatha at National Museum, New Delhi, 15th century
• 
  Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur
• 
  Kunthunath Temple, Madhuban

See also

• God in Jainism
• Arihant (Jainism)
• Jainism and non-creationism

References

1. Forlong 1897, p. 14.
2. Tandon 2002, p. 45.
3. von Glasenapp 1999, p. 308.
4. Tukol 1980, p. 31.

Sources

• Johnson, Helen M. (1931), Kunthusvsmicaritra (Book 6.1 of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra), Baroda Oriental Institute
• von Glasenapp, Helmuth (1 January 1999), Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN   81-208-1376-6
• Tukol, T.K. (1980), Compendium of Jainism, Dharwad: University of Karnataka
• Forlong, Major-General J.G.R. (1897), Short Studies in the Science of Comparative Religions, 15 Piccadilly, London: B. Quaritch, Not in Copyright
• Tandon, Om Prakash (2002) [1968], Jaina Shrines in India (1 ed.), New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, ISBN   81-230-1013-3