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Jain World
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NABHIKHANDA : AJANABHAVARSA |
����ֳ���s��� ���֕����:
����: ����������ꤵ��: l
��ֳ����� ���׳��ִ����������������֮֮���: ll
-(���־�ו�֮�����֓�ֵ��, ��פ������, 25/75)
In the most ancient age, King Nabhi was ruling this Aryabhumi. He was the
last of the 14 Kulakaras.1 Inspite of his being the last Kulakara, he was
blessed with long life, elevated body, unique form and beauty, immense
power and valour. Owing to these abundant qualities he was the foremost of
all.2 In �Sri-mad-bhagavata� he is accepted to be the great grandson of
Adimanu �Svayambhuva�, the grandson of Priyavrata, and the eldest of the
nine sons of Agnidhra.3 King Nabhi was called �Kulakara� or �Manu� on
account of his tremendous knowledge, generosity and supreme glory and
grandeur. It was he who, for the first time, gave the thorough knowledge
of separating the umbilical cord of new-born babies by surgical
operation.� Probably, that must have been the secret of his name �Nabhi�.
One cannot say how many ages have passed since he is gone.
1. ���ן����ן�, �֮��ן�, ��������, ����Ӭָ, ��ߴ�����, ��ߴ�Ӭָ,
ִֻ־��Ʈ�, �����´�֮��, ���þ�֮��, �׳֓�Ӧ, ��Ӧֳ�, �ֹ����, �������ו֟��
��� ���׳ֵָ� l -(סֻ�������ָ, 792-93)
2.������Ԍ��-���������þ֮����� ���׳ָ֕���s���δ���s��ֳ���� l
���־����ԟ�ֵ��������-����-������-ֳ�δ�: l l - (���֯�����,
12-9, ���. 249)
3. ׯ�ε־�Ο��� ��ִ� ������ �֮���: þ�ִֵ����õ� ��: l
��õ��ݮ�߬��ß֟��� ���׳�: ���ֳ�ß֟����: ô���: l l -
(����־֟֯�����, 11/2/15 )
4. ������� ��ֻ�� ���פ �� ��ֻ����� ���׳���ִֻև���� ��
��������֤���� ���פ ����� ��� ���������ן� l l - (ןֻ���֯����ע�,
4/49, 6 )
���׳ֿ�� �֮���׳������Ԯ��� ��Ε���ִ�������֮��������ߟ�� l - (���֯�����,
3/237)
His age was one of a transitional period. When he ascended the royal
throne, it was Bhogabhumi where Kalpavrksas bore fruit. Criminality was
unknown. All enjoyed mutual goodwill. Everyone got what he desired, from
Kalpavrksas. So the question of viciousness did not arise at all. But
during his life-time itself �Bhogabhumi� came to an end. Kalpavrksas were
totally extinct, leading to the beginning of Karmabhumi. There were new
problems which needed new solutions. Nabhiraya solved them courageously.
He, himself, became the saviour. He was called �Ksatriya�. The expression
�Ksatriyastranasahah� acquired a meaning in him. In course of time, the
word �Ksatriya� became a conventional word in the sense of �Nabhi�. The
author of Amarakosa has written �Ksatriye Nabhih�5 Acarya Hemacandra also
has written �Nabhisca Ksatriye� in �Abhidhana Cintamani�.6 He with his
prowess gave birth to �Satayuga� (the golden age of perfection). The
subjects became happy and they got all the facilities which they had while
in Bhogabhumi. King Nabhiraya himself became Kalpavrksas. Acarya Jinasena
has written in �Mahapurana� - �Like the moon, he was the supporter of many
arts, like the sun he was brilliant, like Indra he was glorious, and like
Kalpavrksas he was the giver of desired fruit.�7 He was a pioneer of an
age. Today, even the thick layers of time could not erase his name out of
existence. He remained engraved on the Chest of Time as if with the heated
spoke, and kept glimmering like the dust of mica, particles-like the sun
in directions and like the polar star in the sky. Nobody could efface him.
He is alive not only among the Vaidikas but in the Muslims as well. �Nabi�
is an Arabic word, which means �the messenger of God�, �Paigambara� and
�Rasula�.8 This is nothing but Arabic transformation of the Sanskrita word
�Nabhi� and the Prakrta word �Nabhi�. His name not only survived but also
became more radiant in the form of the �The Messenger of God�.
5. ��ָ�����, 3/5/20 l
6. �׳֬�֮� ד�ӟ�ִ����, 1/36 l
7. �ֿ�߾� �� ����֬�ָ: ����þ�� ��֮����־� l
��γ��: ���� ���ֳ�����֤: ����ֿ����־֟�� l l -(���֯�����, 12/11 )
8. ����-��Ӥ� ������, �ִ֓�Ӧ �ִ��� �ָ� ��ӯ��פ��, ��Ӥ� ���ӣָ�������
��ֵ��Իֵ�, ��Ӳև�, �֟���� ���������, ���ß� 1953, ��� 224 l
After his name itself Aryakhanda was also named as �Nabhi�khanda� or �Ajanabhavarsa�.
Nabhi was also called �Ajanabha�. In �Skandapurana� we find the line �ƴ��צ-�ֻ֬�긮�֮���׳���ӛ״�ן�
ô��ִ��.9 While analysing this line Dr. Avadhbihari Lal Avasthi wrote in
his famous book ���֓�߮� ��ָ�� ��� ����������� þֹ���: �Jambudvipa
was the most famous territory in the earth having seven islands. The first
Prajapati Svayambhuva�s son Priyavrata was the father of ten princes.
Three of them had become ascetics and the remaining seven acquired
supremacy in seven mahadvipas. The eldest son Agnidhra became the king of
Jambudvipa. Later his nine sons became the kings of Jambudvipa. Out of the
nine vast tracts of land of Jambudvipa, the territory lying between the
Himalayas and the sea was called �Nabhikhanda� after �Nabhi�, the son of
Agnidhra.10 Nabhi was also called Ajanabha. That is why �Nabhikhanda� was
also called �Ajanabhavarsa�. Vasudevasaran Agrawal writes in one of the
footnotes of the book �Markandeya Purana� : �Svayambhuva Manu�s son was
Priyavrata, Priyavrata�s son was Nabhi, Nabhi�s son was Rsabha and Rsabha
had hundred sons, the eldest among whom was Bharata. This Nabhi was also
called Ajanabha, who was very glorious and after whose name this country
was called This Nabhi was also called Ajanabha, who was very glorious and
after whose name this country was called Ajanabhavarsa.�11 In Sri-mad-bhagavata
also, it is written : ��֮�ֳ�Ӯ�ִ��֫��� ��ָ��״�ן� �֟�� �ָ�ֵ�
��֯�פ���� 12 which means that in course of time Ajanabhavarsa itself
came to be known as �Bharatavarsa�. Acarya Jinasena has mentioned in
Adipurana that �At the time of Kalasandhi in this Jambudvipa itself,
Aryakhanda which was to the north of Vijayardhaparvata was ruled by
Nabhiraja after whose name this continent was called �Nabhikhanda��.13
Many Acaryas called King Nabhiraja as �Udayadri� and Queen Marudevi as �Pracidisa�,
because to them was born Tirthankara
9. �����������, 1/2/37 /55 l
10. ���֓�߮� ��ָ�� ��� ����������� þֹ���, ���. ��֬� ײ��ָ�ֻ�
���ã��, ���ֿ� �����ֿ֮�, ���֮։�, �֮�� 1964, ��� 123, ��� 2
l
11. ����՛�֯�����: ��������ן��� ���ֵ֮�, ���. �������ָֿ��
���ξ�ֻ�, ��֤י����� ���ܵ��-1. ��� 138 l
12. ��ߴ֤˳���־֟�, 5/7/3 l
13. ���֯�����, 62/8 l
Rsabhadeva who was as bright as the sun. Acarya Jinasena has written in
Adipurana�
���� ���׳ָ֕�: �֟��� ��ִ�� �����צ����ꤵ�: l
���� ���֓���� �֕�����ן�: ���´֢�: �ָ���˲ֳ��� l l 14
It means that, �O Nabhiraja ! It is true that you are Udayacala and
Marudevi is the East, and this supreme flame in the form of a son is born
out of you only.� At some other place Jinasena has written that,
�Nabhiraya is the most righteous man and Marudevi is the most righteous
woman in this universe, because an absolute son like Rsabha will be born
to them only.�15 Rsabhadeva was matchless and a mother like Marudevi alone
could give birth to him. Only the East can bear the sun, none else. Acarya
Manatunga in-his �Bhaktamara Stotra� has carved this picture in a poetic
manner��
á������ �֟��� �ֿ֟��� �ֵ֮��� ����֮�� l
��֮��� ����� ��֤�ִ�� �֮֮�� �������� ll
�־��� פ���� ���ן� ���� ����ָ��� l
���֓���� פݕֵ֮�ן� ñ��������ִֻ�� ll 16
In this couplet, the devotee-poet has scattered his flower-like veneration
at the feet of Mother Marudevi. The parents who give birth to Tirthankaras
are not less reverent. The world bows with reverence at the feet of those
married couples whose sons bestow mundane as well as ultra-mundane
happiness with their -manliness and valour. Rsabhadeva was born at the
period of conjunction of two periods- the end of Bhogabhumi and the
beginning of Karmabhumi. King Nabhiraya who was the last in Bhogabhumi
period or, in the viewpoint of Jayashankar Prasad, Devasrsti (God�s
creation) solved the problems more or less, but new problems continued to
arise. When he found that Rsabhadeva was quite capable of solving them
all, he began to refer his
14. ��פ������, 14/81 l
15. �� ��� ���־��ӻ������ ���� ���־֟�� �֟�� l
�ֵ��긵���� �֮������� ����ֳ��� ��֟�֟�֕�: ll - (���֯�����,
12/67 )
16. ���ִָß����, 22���� ������� l
subjects to Rsabhadeva for solutions.17
With the extinction of Kalpavrksas livelihood posed insurmountable
problems. Nobody knew how to produce food. For the first time, Rsabhadeva
taught them the use of sugarcane and how to extract juice from it.
Sugarcane was Svyamprasuta (self-born). Its use was easy. Perhaps, owing
to this only, he was called �Iksvaku�. It is written in Mahapurana��
����֮�֓�� ��פ������� ������������� �����ִ�� l
����������ֳ��� ����� ���֟�ִ�׳��ִ�֟�: ll 18
�Avasyakacurni� says- ���� ������ l19 Thus ����� and ���� come together
and the Prakrta word ��������� and the Sanskrta word �������� is formed.
We find ����� ����ֽ����� ����� ���� ����� ���ן� ��������� l 20 written
in Avasyaka Niryukti. Besides this, Rsabhadeva provided technology of
farming or cultivation,21 which solved the main problem of Aryans. Aryans
began to be called Krsi-jivi (professional farmers). It made them rich and
prosperous. The main means of cultivation was �Vrsabha� (a bull). Its
status was highly emphasised so much so that Rsabhadeva considered his
name �Vrsabhadeva� as a matter of honour. In course of time the word
�Vrsabha� became synonymous with �Srestha (Superior). Well, even if
according to Kalpasutra, the original basis of the name �Rsabhadeva� of
the Lord is Marudevi�s dreaming and the sign of Vrsabha marked amidst the
hair in his thighs, 22 I would
17. �֟�������֮�֮�����ע�� ���֮�� ��������������ִ�� l
���׳ִָ֕��������: ��Ε�� ���֟���ִ�ֵ�� ll
���׳ָ֕�ֵ֖�� ���ß֟���s֟�������ֵֵ��: l
��Ε��: ����ִ֟����Ԯ��� ���֟����ֵ�֯�ֵ�� ll - (���֯�����,
16/133-34, ���. 358 )
18. ���֯�����, 16/ 264 l
19. �־ֿ�����������, ���. 152 l
20. �־ֿ����ֵ�����, ��֣�� 186 l
21. ��Ε�֯�ןֵ��: ��Σִ�� ו֕������: l
�ֿ���� ���µ��פ��� �������� ��Ε��: ll -(þֵ�ӳ��ß����, ������� 2 )
22. �����þ֯���ִֵ�� ����ֳ�õ� ���Ԯ�֟�� ����õ���ֵ����ԛ�ֵ��� �������
�־֟�Գ�δ���־ֻ�����֤� ����ֳ�õ����ָõ� ���Ӕ��֤� ���׳������������
���ֳ� �ן� ��ִ� ��ִ�� l
-( ���������, ����ܵ�� ����֦�������� 7,���. 142)
like to credit this to his Krsi-darsana (science of agriculture).
Cultivation alone provided a means that accomplished �Karmabhumi�.
Rsabhadeva might have looked through the reality and realised its
importance with his prudence and sagacity. In those days the only vehicle
of farming was a bull (Vrsabha), respectable and gave it respectability,
he named himself �Vrsabhadeva�. Today, archeologists can identify the
idols of Rsabhadeva with the sign Vrsabha. And, till date, the prosperity
of the country is traceable in cultivation only.
Bhagavajjinasenacarya has remembered Lord Rsabhadeva using the word ����:
����������ꤵ��: l It means that he was called �Puru� on account of his
having more virtues. Actually, the name �Puru� of Rsabhadeva had meaning,
as the virtues namely ���ֻ֮֔ and ����� were combined in him.
He was the first pioneer of Ksatradharma (Martialling duty). 23 Protection
of subjects is Ksatradharma. Both the two quantities, namely, protection
from evil and providing subsistence through the device of livelihood� were
present in Prajapati Rsabhadeva.24 This was the significance behind his
name �Purudeva�. He showed his subjects the way to prosperity by preaching
the six types of device for livelihood, namely, ����, �����, ������,
֪�, �����֕��, ֻ�� l25 He taught his two daughters - Brahmi and
Sundari Aksaravidya and Ankavidya.26 Even today, Brahmi script is
considered to be most ancient one in the world. The similarity found in
almost all the scripts in Bharata (India) and the Asian
23. �֪�� ������� ���: �������s��� �֡֯������: l - (���֯�����,
42/6)
��֡��� �ִ���� ��פ���֟�� ��ξ���: �ֿ��֤���� ����ֳ���ֿ�� �ִ���:
l
- (���ֳ�ָ��, ����ן֯־��, 12/64/20)
24. ���ֳ�� ���ף�Ծ����� �־���֡�õ� ����ԕִ�� l - ( �����ޛ������,
2/14 )
23. (��) ���µ��פ ������֙��� �� ��� �������� �����֮�� l
����Գ��״���� ��ô�֟�� �֤���ߢ֤˾�־�ãֵ�� ll - (��פ������,
16/249)
(��) ���ִ�����: �������Ԫ� �����֕��� ֻ�ִ��� �� l
�����˸��ߴ��� ����� õ��: ��Ε�֕�߾֮���־�: l - (��.���. 16/179)
24. ������ ־�������� ו������ ��ӳ�ߋ ������������ l
����ֵ�� ��������� ���Ӥ�ߋ ��ִ���� ��և�� l l
-( �׳֬�֮� �֕�ꮦ �����, ����� 2, ��ֳ� ��������, ���. 1126)
continent have their roots in Brahmi script .27
Bharata was the eldest of all the hundred sons of Rsabhadeva. He was also
modest, generous and possessed the qualities of a Ksatriya. According to
Sri-mad-bhagavata, he was Parama Bhagavata (a devotee of God). Prajapati
Rsabhadeva entrusted him with the responsibility of upbringing and
nourishing the earth. Firm in the discipline of his father, he married
�Pancajani� an unparallelled beautiful woman .28 Bharata was the first
Cakravarti. He conquered the earth having six khandas and became
�ִ�㦯ֵ�Ԯ��ֵ��: ���ף־���: ����֙� �ִ��֙�. He always cared for his
subjects. He did everything with a feeling of affection as his father and
grandfather did. He was great, virile, conversant with the nature of
religion, veridicious, firm in his vows, a scholar in military science and
scriptures, capable in restraint and well-wisher of all living beings in
the world. He remained detached from worldly pleasures even amidst
magnificence and wealth. And, the moment he was initiated into Digambara
munihood,29 he attained Kevala-jnana. He established such an ideal of Raga
(attachment) and Viraga (detachment), Bhoga (enjoyment) and Yoga (moral
power derived through continuous meditation, concentration and
contemplation), Sarirsara (circuit of worldly existance) and Moksa
(salvation) that no one else could do it again in this world. He was
unique. This country derives its present name �Bharatavarsa� in place of
�Ajanabhavarsa earlier, after Bharata�s name.�
�Satasrnga� the son of Bharata had eight sons and a daughter called �Kumarika�.
According to �Varahapurana�, after the names of these nine progenies,
Bharata had nine divisions, which are also called �Navadvipa�. The ninth
island itself was �Kumaridvipa of �Kumarikakhanda�, which was also called
Bharata according to the
25. ����, ����֛� ����Ɵ�� ��� �ן����� ��֬� �����ֻ� ��־�֟�ߣ��, ���.
6 l
26. �ָ��ß�� ���ֳ���־֟��� �֤� ���־֟�־�ֻ֟�-����ֻ֮�ֵ�
��ד���֟�ß֤������ָ֮֯: ��֘�֮֕��� ־ֹ��֤��Ɵָ���ֵ���� l
According to Jaina-sastras the name of Bharata��s principal queen was
Subhadra. - (Bhagavata, 5/7/1
27. �֙���ӛ�֯�ןֿ����� ����֕�� ����㮬ִָ�� l
����־֟�� �־�Գ������ӿ�� ����� ���ִ�ָ� �ã֟�: ll-(�֓�ֵ�� ����ֳ֦,
��ָ�ִ�㓓ֵ�,136 )
book ���֓�߮� ��ָ�� ��� ����������� þֹ���.30 It thus appears that
�Bharatavarsa� was a greater Bharata and Kumaridvipa or the present
Bharata was only a territory of it. Scholars have been reflecting on the
question of the number of countries included in this territory. The
inescapable truth, however is that �Bharatavarsa� from �Ajanabhavarsa� and
�Bharata� from �Bharatavarsa� as the names of this country, are all based
on the names of glorious descendants of King Nabhiraya.
28. ��ָ�� ��� ����������� þֹ���, ���. ��֬� ײ��ָ�ֻ� ���ã��,
���ֿ� �����ֿ֮�, ���֮։�, 1964, ��� 2. ��� 123-124 l
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