Marudevi | |
---|---|
Mother of Rishabhanatha | |
Other names | Mata Marudevi |
Genealogy | |
Spouse | Nabhi |
Children | Rishabha |
Part of a series on |
Jainism |
---|
Marudevī was the mother of the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha and the queen of King Nabhi. According to the Śvetāmbara canon, she was the first person to have attained Moksha in the current Avasarpiṇī. [1]
The enlivening of the embryo through the descent of the future Tīrthankara's soul in the mortal body is celebrated as Garbha Kalyānaka [2] At this time, Queen Marudevi dreamt fourteen auspicious dreams (Śvetāmbara belief) or sixteen auspicious dreams (Digambara belief). [3] According to Digambara accounts, King Nabhirāja, who was endowed with clairvoyance, explained the significance of these dreams to her in the morning. [4] As per Śvetāmbara monk, Acharya Hemachandrasuri's Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita, celestial beings, including Indra, interpreted and explained the meaning of these dreams to Queen Marudevi as described below: - [3]
Dreams (According to Śvetāmbara tradition) | Interpretation by Indra |
---|---|
1. A mighty white bull with a long tail and massive shoulders | A son who would propagate dharma would be born to her |
2. A four-tusked mighty white elephant | Her son would be the greatest and the holder of the greatest power |
3. A red-eyed, long-tongued lion | Her son would be like a fearless lion |
4. The goddess who rests on a lotus being adorned by pitchers of water lifted by trunks of elephants | Her son would be the best of men with glory of the demi-goddess of jewels |
5. A wreath of flowers from divine trees twisted together | Her son would be auspicious and his orders would be followed by one and all |
6. A moon orb, flooded with light | Her son would be pleasing and joy to the eyes |
7. A blazing sun, creating an illusion of day during the night | Her son would be the creator of light and destroy the darkness of delusion |
8. A flag staff with a chain of bells | Her son would be the founder of a great lineage (Ikshvaku) |
9. A golden pitcher full of water and covered by lotuses | Her son would be filled with all supernatural powers |
10. A pond full of lotuses as if it were to praise the baby Tirthankara | Her son would take away the pain of everyone stuck in the worldly life of temporary pleasures |
11. An ocean of milk that pleases the mind | Her son would be accessible as well as inaccessible |
12. A lustrous heavenly palace such as the abode of celestial beings | Her son would be worshipped by everyone, including the celestial beings who stay in such palaces |
13. A collection of precious jewels that resembled the radiance as exhibited by the stars in the sky | Her son would be a heap of jewels of all virtues |
14. A smokeless fire that resembles the brilliance of all such objects in the Universe combined together entering her mouth | Her son would absorb the radiance of all other divine beings |
The interpretation of 16 dreams as believed by the Digambara sect is as follows: -
Dreams (According to Digambara traditions) | Interpretation by Nābhirāja (He refers to Rishabhanatha) |
---|---|
1. A white mighty elephant the sound of whose voice was like thunder and whose trunk was moist with temple-fluid. | He will be the preceptor of the preceptors, to be worshiped by the devas. |
2. A magnificent bull, whiter than the petals of the lotus and having a beautiful form. | The dream foretold the birth of a great religious Teacher who would spread the light of knowledge. |
3. A ferocious, white lion possessing immense strength and with thick cluster of hairs on the neck. | He will be strong as the lion, in overcoming all enemies. |
4. Goddess Lakshmi’s anointment (abhiśeka) with water out of golden pitchers, by two large guardian elephants. | He will be the Supreme Being in the three worlds and that the devas will perform his abhiśeka at Mount Meru. |
5. Two garlands of fragrant flowers over which were hovering black bees intoxicated with the fragrance. | He will be the Founder of true Faith whose fragrance will spread all-around |
6. Full moon surrounded by stars. | He will bring soothing peace and happiness to all beings |
7. Sight of the radiant, rising sun in the east, obscuring the lustre of all other lights. | He will dispel the darkness of ignorance |
8. The eighth dream saw two fishes playing gloriously in a lovely pool of water, full of lotuses. | He will bring propitious outcomes for all living beings. |
9. She saw two golden pitchers with lotuses on the top. | He will possess the treasure of superior qualities, including excellent meditation. |
10. She saw an effulgent lake filled with water shining like liquid gold due to the floating remains of yellow lotus leaves | He will have the most auspicious form and body. |
11. She saw an ocean whose strong waves were breaking into small white sprays. | He will attain superior nine accomplishments (navalabdhi) and omniscience. |
12. She then saw a very big, resplendent, golden throne set with bright diamonds and rubies. | He will become the World Teacher |
13. The thirteenth dream was the sight of a jewel-bedecked heavenly plane of the devas which shone like the morning sun. | He will descend from the heaven to take birth on this earth. |
14. The next dream was the rising residence of Nāgendra, the lord of the devas of the Nāgakumāra clan. | He will be born with clairvoyance |
15. A very large heap of glittering jewels whose brightness illuminated the sky. | He will be the embodiment of Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. |
16. The last dream was the sight of a blazing, bright fire with smokeless flame. | He will burn up the entire karmas associated with His soul with the fire of pure meditation. |
After these sixteen dreams she saw a large, beautiful bull entering her open mouth, indicative of a pious and extraordinary soul entering her womb. [5]
As per the Śvetāmbara tradition, Marudevi attained moksha while sitting on an elephant. According to the Śvetāmbara canon, Marudevi’s eyesight had become weak after she constantly cried in pain of separation from her son Rishabhanatha. One day, Bharata came to meet Marudevi, his paternal grandmother and then, they received the news that Rishabhanatha had attained omniscience. Upon hearing the news, Bharata told Marudevi, “Oh my grandmother let me show you the glory of your son Rishabha”. Bharata then mounted Marudevi on an elephant and accompanied her to Purimatala City, where the samavasarana of Rishabha was established by demigods. Bharata started narrating the glory and splendor of Rishabha and how the demigods were present at his service. After hearing the glory of her son, tears of joy rolled out of Marudevi’s eyes which healed her weakened eyesight and she saw her son sitting on a throne inside samavasarana with millions of demigods at his service. At the same time, she noticed that despite having such a grand splendor, her son wasn’t interested in all these materialistic things and he also didn’t show any attachment towards his mother, Marudevi. Upon witnessing this, she got self-realization, she destroyed all her karmas and attained omniscience. At the very next moment, she attained moksha simultaneously while she was still sitting on the elephant. The demigods immersed her body in the ocean of milk to perform the final rites. Śvetāmbara canon says that Marudevi was the first person in this Avasarpini to attain salvation. [6] [7]
Marudevi is mentioned in the Hindu scripture Bhagavata Purana as mother of Rishabhanatha. [8]
Mahavira, also known as Vardhamana, was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early 6th century BCE to a royal Kshatriya Jain family of ancient India. His mother's name was Trishala and his father's name was Siddhartha. According to the second chapter of the Śvētāmbara Ācārāṅga Sūtra, Siddhartha and his family were devotees of Parshvanatha. Mahavira abandoned all worldly possessions at the age of about 30 and left home in pursuit of spiritual awakening, becoming an ascetic. Mahavira practiced intense meditation and severe austerities for twelve and a half years, after which he attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience). He preached for 30 years and attained moksha (liberation) in the 6th century BCE, although the year varies by sect.
The Śvetāmbara is one of the two main branches of Jainism, the other being the Digambara. Śvetāmbara in Sanskrit means "white-clad", and refers to its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara or "sky-clad" Jains whose ascetic practitioners go nude. Śvetāmbaras do not believe that ascetics must practice nudity.
In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and supreme preacher of the dharma. The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha, a fordable passage across saṃsāra, the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, tirthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma, who have conquered saṃsāra on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara attains kevala jnana (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation).
Parshvanatha, or Pārśva and Pārasanātha, was the 23rd of 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism. Parshvanatha is one of the earliest Tirthankara who is acknowledged as a historical figure. The Jain sources place him between the 9th and 8th centuries BCE whereas historians consider that he lived in the 8th and 7th century BCE.
Bahubali was the son of Rishabhanatha and the brother of the chakravartin Bharata. He is a revered figure in Jainism. He is said to have meditated motionless for 12 years in a standing posture (kayotsarga), with climbing plants having grown around his legs. After his 12 years of meditation, he is said to have attained omniscience.
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.
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.
Neminātha, 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. Balarama and Krishna, who were the 9th and last Baladeva and Vasudeva respectively, were his first cousins.
King Nabhi or Nabhi Rai was the 14th or the last Kulakara of avasarpini. He was the father of Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara of present avasarpini. According to Jain text Ādi purāṇa, Nabhirāja lived for 1 crore purva and his height was 525 dhanusha.
Jainism is a religion founded in ancient India. Jains trace their history through twenty-four tirthankara and revere Rishabhanatha as the first tirthankara. The last two tirthankara, the 23rd tirthankara Parshvanatha and the 24th tirthankara Mahavira are considered historical figures. According to Jain texts, the 22nd tirthankara Neminatha lived about 84,000 years ago and was the cousin of Krishna.
Gautama Swami, born as Indrabhuti Gautama was the first Ganadhara of Mahavira, the 24th and last Jain Tirthankara of present half cycle of time. He is also referred to as Guru Gautama, Gautama Ganadhara, and Ganadhara Gautama Swami.
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.
Digambara is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being Śvetāmbara (white-clad). The Sanskrit word Digambara means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing nor wearing any clothes.
The Ajmer Jain temple, also known as Soniji Ki Nasiyan, is a Jain temple known for its architecture. It was built in the late nineteenth century. The main chamber, known as the Swarna Nagari "City of Gold", has several gold-plated wooden figures, depicting several figures in the Jain religion. This golden chamber of the temple uses 1,000 kg of gold to carve out a depiction of Ayodhya.
Jainism is an Indian religion which is traditionally believed to be propagated by twenty-four spiritual teachers known as tirthankara. Broadly, Jainism is divided into two major schools of thought, Digambara and Śvetāmbara. These are further divided into different sub-sects and traditions. While there are differences in practices, the core philosophy and main principles of each sect is the same.
Ajitanatha 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.
Jainism and Hinduism are two ancient Indian religions. There are some similarities and differences between the two religions. Temples, gods, rituals, fasts and other religious components of Jainism are different from those of Hinduism.
In Jainism, Bharata was the first chakravartin of the Avasarpini. He was the eldest son of Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara. He had two sons from his chief-empress Subhadra, named Arkakirti and Marichi. He is said to have conquered all six parts of the world and to have engaged in a fight with Bahubali, his brother, to conquer the last remaining city of the world.
Kesariyaji Tirth or Rishabhdeo Jain temple is a Jain temple located in Rishabhdeo town of Udaipur District of Indian state of Rajasthan. The temple is considered an important pilgrimage center by both Digambara and Śvētāmbara sect of Jainism. Further, Rajasthan High Court, in its judgment dated 30th March 1966, stated that it was, indisputably, a Śvētāmbara Jain temple.
Vādikavi Ācārya Bappabhattisuri Mahārāja Sāheb was a Śvetāmbara Jain ascetic in the 8th century CE. He was an eminent poet, philosopher, reformer, researcher, and a child prodigy. Apart from his literary contributions, he is best known for his scriptural debates and the reforms he brought about in the iconography of Tirthankara idols sculpted and owned by the Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism.
Non-Copyright