Introduction

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Anantanātha (अनन्तनाथ) is another name for Ananta, the fourteenth Tīrthaṅkara (Janism recognizes 24 such teachers or Siddhas). His colour is gold (kāñcana), according to Aparājitapṛcchā (221.5-7). His height is 50 dhanuṣa (a single dhanuṣa (or, ‘bow’) equals 6 ft), thus, roughly corresponding to 91 meters. His emblem, or symbol, is a Porcupine or Falcon.

Anantanātha’s father is Siṃhasena and his mother is Suyaśā according to Śvetāmbara or Sarvayaśā according to Digambara. It is an ancient Jain practice to worship the Tīrthaṅkara’s parents in various rites, such as the pratiṣṭhāvidhi, according to the Ācāradinakara (14th century work on Jain conduct written by Vardhamāna Sūri).

Source: archive.org: The Jaina Iconography

Anantanātha (अनन्तनाथ) refers to the fourteenth of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—The symbolic mark which distinguishes Anantanātha from all other Tīrthaṃkaras is the hawk according to Śvetāmbaras and the bear according to the Digambaras. The Yakṣa and Yakṣiṇī, the goblins, serving him are named Pātāla and Anantamatī (Śvetāmbara Aṃkuśā) respectively. The Chowri-waver, in his case, was king Puruṣottama-Vāsudeva by name. The tree associated with his enlightenment is Aśvattha (Ficus religioso).

The Jaina Purāṇas give his father’s name as Siṃhasena and mother’s name as Jayaśyāmā. He was the Kṣatriya sovereign of Ayodhyā, where the Tīrthaṃkara was born. He obtained his name of Ananta as his mother had seen an endless necklace of pearls. Jaina tradition asserts that an endless (ananta) thread which lay about powerless in Ayodhyā became endowed with power to heal diseases as soon as the Tīrthaṃkara took his birth. The idea of power and combating spirit have given rise to his symbols either of a falcon or a bear, his Yakṣa and the Yakṣiṇī carry, it may be interesting to notice, war-like weapons symbolising the same idea.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger Wörterbuch

Anantanātha (अनन्तनाथ):—m. = ananta

2) d) [Oxforder Handschriften 238,b, Nalopākhyāna]

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Natha, Ananta.

Full-text: Simhasena, Suyasha, Purushottama, Sarvayasha, Ankusha, Anantamati, Gerasoppe, Patala, Jayashyama, Vajrankusha, Ananta, Gadadhara.

Relevant text

Search found 3 books and stories containing Anantanatha, Anantanātha, Ananta-natha, Ananta-nātha; (plurals include: Anantanathas, Anantanāthas, nathas, nāthas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

A study of the philosophy of Jainism (by Deepa Baruah)

Chapter I.c - The lives of the Tīrthaṅkaras < [Chapter I - Introduction]

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Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)

Part 5: Ananta’s life before initiation < [Chapter IV - Anantanāthacaritra]

Part 18: Sermon on the Tattvas < [Chapter IV - Anantanāthacaritra]

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Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti) (by K. C. Lalwani)

Part 3 - On patriarchs < [Chapter 5]

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