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 the name is Ādināth - The first lord. He was an Arhat - a liberated soul.

Life

Birth

He was born to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi at Ayodhya in Ikshvaku clan.

Teacher

According to Jain beliefs, Lord Rishabh has been known to exist at the time civilization were yet to develop. He taught people agriculture, tending of animals, cooking, etc.

Sons

He is

His eldest - Bharat - was a chakravarti king. In the later part of his life he retired as 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 eldest son was Bahubali, whose statue stands at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka as well as at Karkala.

His grandson Marichi (Bharath's son), whoes soul was later came to be known as Lord Mahavira.

Salvation

He attained salvation or 'Keval gyan' or infinite knowledge at Palitana.

Liberation

He 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 buring 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 ] as an Avatar of Lord Vishhnu. 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