Lord Rishabha

Lord Rişhabha (other names used: Rişhabh, Rişhabhanāth, Rishabh Dev,Rushabh, Adinath or Adishwar) is considered the first Tirthankar of Jainism.

According to Jain beliefs, Lord Rishabha was the first Tirthankar of present Age (Avasarpini). Hence he had the name of Ādināth - The first lord. He was an Arhat - a liberated soul.

Life

He was born to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku clan. According to Jain beliefs, Lord Rishabh existed before civilization developed. He taught people agriculture, tending of animals, cooking, etc. He had one hundred and one sons, and also one hundred and one pet dogs, that some books describe as being similar to our modern breed of dalmatians. His eldest - Bharat - was a chakravarti king. In the later part of his life he retired to become a monk and attained nirvana. Since he became a siddha, he is occasionally worshipped. According to the Jain beliefs, India was named Bhārata-varsha or Bhārata after him. His second son was Bahubali, whose statue stands at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka as well as at Karkala. His grandson Marichi's soul later became Lord Mahavira.He attained salvation or 'Keval gyan' or infinite knowledge at Palitana and attained liberation (moksh or nirvan) at Ashtapad mountain in Himalayas.

Descriptions from Jain Texts

According to Trilokasara:

धम्मो वि दयामूलो विणिम्मियो आदिबह्मेण

(The "first Brahmā" (Lord Rishabha) established the (ordinary) dharma based on compassion.)

In Jain tradition, he is more than a Tirthankar. As a king, he is credited with development of several innovations affecting the society, as transition was being made from a simple to a more complex society. According to Vrihat-svayambhuu stotra:

प्रजापतिर्यः प्रथमं जिजीविषुः शशास कृष्यादिसु कर्मसु प्रजाः

(As first Prajapati, he taught people, who wanted to earn a living, various professions.)

Legends

His mother once came to see the glory of her son. She was so emotionally moved by her son's image that she attained her Nirvana at that precise moment.

Sculptures and mentions

Lord Rişhabha is venerated by many Jains through his statutes. Some features of his statues are:

Long Hair: The ancient idols of lord Rishaba all show him long shoulder length hair.
- This is referred to by Acharaya RavisheNa in Padma-PuraNa:
वातोद्धूता जटास्तास्य रेजुराकुलमूर्तयः. धूमल्व इव सद्ध्यान वह्निसक्तस्य कर्मणः
(Blowing in the wind, the locks of his hair looked, as if they were smoke coming out the fire burning the karmas.) The Vaishnava text Bhāgavata-Puraņa also mentions the locks of hair of Lord Rishaba:
कुटिल जटिल कपिशकेशभूमिभारा

References in Hinduism

Lord Rishabha has been mentioned in the Hindu text of Bhagavatha-Purana as an Avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is mentioned in all the Vaishnava/Shaiva Puraņas, as well as in some other texts.

The Bhāgavata says:

अष्टमे मेरुदेव्यां तु नाभेर्जात उरूक्रमः. दर्शयन वर्म धीराणां सर्वाश्रमनमस्कृतम्

(In the womb of Merudevi, wife of Nabhi, the lord had his eighth avatara. He showed himself in a form that is to be worshipped by all Shramanas.)

Bhāgavata calls him "शरीर मात्र परिग्रह " (body his only possession), "गगन परिधानः " (wearing the sky), वातरशना (wearing the wind).

It is to be noted that Jainism is a Shramana Paramparā, ie, a monastic tradition, as opposed to orthodox Hinduism, which is a Vedic Paramparā; this also is what the Bhāgavata Purana mentions above.

Some of the attributes of Lord Adinath are similar to Shiva of Hinduism, long hair, association with bull (the mark of Lord Adinath), meditation in the Himalayas (Ashtapad in Jain tradition is identified with Kailash), etc.

Famous temples dedicated to Lord Rishabha

Adishwar Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan
Adishwar temple, Palitana, Gujarat
Adinath temple, Khajuraho, MP
Adinath temple, Ayodhya, UP
Adinath at Rikhabdeo near Udaipur, Rajasthan
Adinath Bhagvan Temple, Mahrauli, Delhi
Bhagawan Adinath Temple, Hirehattihole, Karnataka
Adinath Bhagvan Temple, Ponnur Hill, Tamilnadu

Archaeology: Notable Pratimas of Lord Rishabha

Pre-Kushana Mathura sculpture
Kushana images from Mathura
Bronze from Chausa hoard, 1st cent CE
Bronze from Akota hoarde, 6th cent CE
Monumental figure at Bavangaja, Badvani, 10th cent

Jainism | Tirthankars