Ajitanatha

Ajitanatha
2nd Jain Tirthankara
Tirthankara Ajitnatha at Shri Ajitnath Bhagwan Shwetamber Jain Derasar, Taranga
Venerated in	Jainism
Predecessor	Rishabhanatha
Successor	Sambhavanatha
Symbol	Elephant
Height	450 dhanush (1,350 meters)
Age	72 lakh purvas (508.032 x 10<sup>18</sup> years old)
Tree	Saptaparna (Alstonia scholaris)
Color	Golden
Personal information
Born	Ayodhya
Parents	Jitaśatru (father) Vijayādevī (mother)
Siblings	Sagara <br> (step-brother/cousin)
Dynasty	Ikṣvākuvaṁśa

Ajitanatha (lit. invincible) was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini (half time cycle) 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.

In Jain texts

Ajitnatha (lit. invincible) was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini (half time cycle in Jain cosmology) according to Jainism. Ajitnatha was born in the town of Saketa to King Jitashatru and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya (Vinita-Saketa)<ref name=":0">Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987). Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana [Jaina Iconography]. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 128. ISBN 978-81-7017-208-6.</ref> in the Ikshvaku dynasty on magha-shukla-dashmi (the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Magha). His height was 450 bows or 2,700 feets. He lived for a span of 72 lakh purva.

According to Hemachandra, he was named Ajita because the king father was unable to defeat his mother in gambling until he was in her womb. Uttarapurana, a Digambara text, explains that he was named Ajita because he could not be defeated by sins or all heretics.<ref name=":0" /> He attained kevala jnana under the saptaparna tree (Alstonia scholaris)<ref name=":0" /> and Moksha on chaitra-shukla-panchmi (fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra) from Shikharji.<ref name=":0" /> He had 90 Ganadharas and Simhasena was his chief among them. Falgu (according to Swetambara tradition) or Prakubja (according to Digambara tradition) was a chief of his order of the nuns.<ref name=":0" />

The Yajurveda mentions the name of Ajitanatha, but the meaning is not clear. According to Jain traditions, his younger cousin brother was Sagara. Sagara, who became the second Chakravartin, is known from the traditions of both Hindu and Jain scriptures.<ref>Jain, Kailash Chandra, Antiquity of Jainism, Jainism Literature Center</ref><ref name=":0" />

Ajitanatha is said to have been born 50 lakh crore sagara after his predecessor, Rishabhanatha. His successor, Sambhavanatha, is said to have been born 30 lakh crore sagara after him.

Iconography

Swetambara as well as Digambara sects consider his complexion golden and elephant as his symbol.<ref name=":0" /> He is associated with saptaparna tree; Mahayaksha as attendant Yaksha; and Ajita (as per Swetambra) or Rohini (as per Digambara) as attendant Yakshis.<ref name=":0" /> The elephant, symbol of Ajitanatha, is a vahana (mount) of the Mahayakshya and Ajita Yakshi seems named after Ajitanatha.<ref name=":0" />

In literature, art and architecture

Literature

• The Ajitha purana, by Ranna narrates the story of Ajitanatha.
• Ajitashanti Stotra compiled by Nandisena in 7th century is a praise to Ajitnatha and Shantinatha.

Major temples

• Taranga Jain Temple
• Vasai Jain Temple in Bhadresar
• Bandhaji
• Chaturmukha Basadi, Gerusoppa
• Dehra Temple

<gallery> File:Kutch Bhadreshwar Jain Temple.jpg|Vasai Jain Temple File:Tarangaji Jain temple.jpg|Taranga, Gujarat (1121 AD) constructed by King Kumarapala File:Rangmandap, Taranga Jain Temple.jpg|Rang mandapa of the Svetambara Jain Temple at Taranga which was originally constructed by Kumarpala in 1161 File:Chaturmukha basadi, Gerusoppa (cropped).jpg|Chaturmukha Basadi, Gerusoppa </gallery>

See also

• Arihant (Jainism)

References

Sources

• Finegan, Jack (1952), The archeology of world religions, Princeton University Press
• Jain, Vijay K. (2015), Acarya Samantabhadra's Svayambhustotra: Adoration of The Twenty-four Tirthankara, Vikalp Printers, ISBN 978-81-903639-7-6, archived from the original on 16 September 2015, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Krishna, Nanditha; Amirthalingam, M. (2014) [2013], Sacred Plants of India, Penguin Books, ISBN 978-9-351-18691-5
• Tandon, Om Prakash (2002) [1968], Jaina Shrines in India (1 ed.), New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, ISBN 81-230-1013-3
• Tukol, T. K. (1980), Compendium of Jainism, Dharwad: University of Karnataka
• Johnson, Helen M. (1931), Ajitanathacaritra (Book 2 of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra), Baroda Oriental Institute
• Cort, John E. (2001), Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780198030379