Myths of Tirthankaras

Avasarpini has six ages progressive degeneration; 1. Susama, 2. Susama 3. Susama Dasama, 4. Dasama Susama, 5. Dusama Susama, 6. Darama Dusama. The twenty four Tirthankaras and their signs of Avasarpini are as below: 1) Rishabhadeva - bull 2) Ajitanatha - elephant 3) Sambhavanatha - horse 4) Abhinandana - monkey

92 5) Sumatinatha - curlew 6) Suparsvanatha - swastic 7) Chandraprabha - crescent 8) Suvidhinatha - crocodile 9) Pushpadanta - crab 10) Sitalanatha - srivatsa 11) Sreyamsanatha - rhinoceros 12) Vasupujya - buffalo 13) Vimalanatha - boar 14) Arantanatha - bear 15) Dharmanatha - thunderbolt 16) Santinatha - deer 17) Kuntanatha - goat 18) Aranatha - fish 19) Mallinatha - kumbha 20) Munisuvrata - tortoise 21) Naminatha - lotus 22) Neminatha - conch 23) Parvanatha - serpent 24) Mahavira - lion It is interesting to note that all the twentyfour Tirthankaras were of royal birth and had nothing to do with brahmins. Besides the

93 Tirthankaras, there are twentynine other personages who are worthy of great honour. There are the twelve chakravartins, nine Narayanas, nine Pratinarayanas, nine Balabhadras. These together with the twenty four Tirthankaras form the sixty three sacred persons of Jaina hagiology. Lesser than these but still important are nine Naradas, eleven Rudras twenty four kamadevas, forty eight parents of Tirthankaras and fourteen kalakaras. These hundred and six form the second group of sacred personages. The Jains also know the names and the present habitat of the twenty four Tirthankaras who will appear in the Ustarpini : 1) Padmanabha 3) Suparsva 5) Sarvanubhuti 7) Udayaprabhu 9) Potila 11) Munisu vrata 13) Nikasaya 15) Nirmama 17) Sumadhi 19) Yashodhara 21) Malyadeva 23) Anantavirya 2) Suradeva 4) Swayamprabhu 6) Devasruta 8) Pedhala 10) Satakirti 12) Amama 14) Nisupalaka 16) Chitragupta 18) Samavarnatha 20) Vijaya 22) Devajina 24) Bhadrajina

94 After Bhadrajina there will be no more Tirthankara in the Ustarpini. The world will progress towards Susama Susama and then this age is completed, Avasarpini will start again and thus the wheel whirls on endlessly.