Kunthunatha

Kunthunatha
Kunthunatha
17th Tirthankara, 6th Chakravarti, and 12th Kamadeva
	The idol of Kunthunatha Bhagwan at a Jinalaya in Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Venerated in	Jainism
Predecessor	Shantinatha
Successor	Aranatha
Symbol	Goat
Height	35 bows (105 metres)
Age	over 95,000 years
Color	Golden
Genealogy
Born	Hastinapur
Died	Sammed Shikhar
Parents	Śurya (father); Śrīdevī (mother);
Dynasty	Kuruvaṁśa—Ikṣvākuvaṁśa

Kunthunath was the seventeenth Tirthankara, sixth Chakravartin^[3] and twelfth Kamadeva of the present half time cycle, Avasarpini.^[1]^[4] According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Kunthunatha was born to King Surya (Sura)^[1] and Queen Shridevi at Hastinapur^[3] in the Ikshvaku dynasty on the fourteenth day of the Vaishakh Krishna month of the Indian calendar.^[4]

Etymology

Kunthu means heap of Jewels.^[3]

Life

According to the Jain belief, he was born in 27,695,000 BC. His height is mentioned as 35 dhanusha.^[5] Like all other Chakravartin, he also conquered all the lands^[3] and went to write his name on the foothills of mountains. Seeing the names of other Chakravartin already there, he saw his ambitions dwarfed. He then renounced his throne and became an ascetic for penance.^[3] At an age of 95,000 years he liberated his soul and attained Moksha on Mount Shikharji.^[3]^[5]

Kunthanatha is said to have been born 1/2 palya after his predecessor, Shantinatha.^[5] His successor, Aranatha, is said to have been born 1/4 palya less 6,000 crore years after him.^[5]

Famous Temple

As the 17th tirthankara, Kunthunatha is widely venerated across the Indian subcontinent, resulting in the construction of several significant historical monuments dedicated to his worship.^[6] In northern India, the ancient city of Hastinapur is traditionally recognized in Jain universal history as his royal birthplace, making the city's Prachin Bada Mandir a major pilgrimage center for his devotees.^[7] In western India, a prominent 15th-century Śvētāmbara temple dedicated specifically to Kunthunatha is located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan, which is highly renowned for its intricate stone carvings.^[8]

In southern India, the Ganigitti Jain temple in Hampi, Karnataka, stands as a major 14th-century architectural monument dedicated to him.^[9] Constructed in 1385 CE during the Vijayanagara Empire by the military commander Iruguppa, this Dravidian-style temple features a prominent stone inscription explicitly dedicating the primary sanctuary to Kunthunatha.^[10] Finally, marking the geographic site of his ultimate spiritual liberation (moksha), a dedicated shrine (tonk) enshrining his footprints is actively venerated by pilgrims on the peaks of Mount Shikharji in modern-day Jharkhand.^[11]

Chaubisi of Kunthunatha, Chaubisi of Kunthunatha at National Museum, New Delhi, 15th century
Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur
Kunthunath Temple, Madhuban

References

Citations

1 2 3 Forlong 1897, p. 14.
↑ Tandon 2002, p. 45.
1 2 3 4 5 6 von Glasenapp 1999, p. 308.
1 2 Tukol 1980, p. 31.
1 2 3 4 Finegan 1952, p. 190.
↑ Dundas 2002, p. 40.
↑ Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 136.
↑ Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 142.
↑ Michell 1990, p. 320.
↑ Verghese 2002, p. 64.
↑ Cort 2001a, p. 23.

Sources

Cort, John E. (2001a), Jains in the World : Religious Values and Ideology in India, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-513234-2
Dundas, Paul (2002) [1992], The Jains (Second ed.), London and New York: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-26605-X
Finegan, Jack (1952), The archeology of world religions, Princeton University Press
Forlong, Major-General J.G.R. (1897), Short Studies in the Science of Comparative Religions, 15 Piccadilly, London: B. Quaritch, Not in Copyright{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
Johnson, Helen M. (1931), Kunthusvsmicaritra (Book 6.1 of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra), Baroda Oriental Institute
Michell, George (1990), The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, vol. 1, Penguin Books, ISBN 978-0140081442
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
Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998), Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence (2 ed.), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6
Tukol, T.K. (1980), Compendium of Jainism, Dharwad: University of Karnataka
Verghese, Anila (2002), Hampi, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-565433-2
von Glasenapp, Helmuth (1 January 1999), Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1376-6

External links

[FOOTNOTEForlong189714-1] 1 2 3 Forlong 1897, p. 14.

[FOOTNOTETandon200245-2] Tandon 2002, p. 45.

[FOOTNOTEvon_Glasenapp1999308-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 von Glasenapp 1999, p. 308.

[FOOTNOTETukol198031-4] 1 2 Tukol 1980, p. 31.

[FOOTNOTEFinegan1952190-5] 1 2 3 4 Finegan 1952, p. 190.

[FOOTNOTEDundas200240-6] Dundas 2002, p. 40.

[FOOTNOTETitzeBruhn1998136-7] Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 136.

[FOOTNOTETitzeBruhn1998142-8] Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 142.

[FOOTNOTEMichell1990320-9] Michell 1990, p. 320.

[FOOTNOTEVerghese200264-10] Verghese 2002, p. 64.

[FOOTNOTECort2001a23-11] Cort 2001a, p. 23.

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v t e God in Jainism
Arihant ; Siddha ; Pañca-Parameṣṭhi
Tirthankara	Rishabhanatha Ajitanatha Sambhavanatha Abhinandananatha Sumatinatha Padmaprabha Suparshvanatha Chandraprabha Pushpadanta Shitalanatha Shreyansanatha Vasupujya Vimalanatha Anantanatha Dharmanatha Shantinatha Kunthunatha Aranatha Mallinatha Munisuvrata Naminatha Neminatha Pārśvanātha Mahavira Simandhar Swami (other world)
Samanya	Bahubali Bharata Chakravartin Ganadhara Indrabhuti Gautama Sudharmaswami Jambuswami Nabhi Samudravijaya

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