Chandraprabha

Not to be confused with Candraprabha.

Chandraprabha
8th Jain Tirthankara
Idol of Chandraprabha Bhagwan at a Jain Temple in Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan, India
Other names	Chanda Prabhu
Venerated in	Jainism
Predecessor	Suparshvanatha
Successor	Pushpadanta
Symbol	Crescent Moon
Height	150 bows (450 meters)
Age	1,000,000 purva (70.56 Quintillion years)
Color	White
Genealogy
Born	Chandrapuri
Died	Sammed Shikhar
Parents	Mahāsena (father) Lakṣmaṇā (mother)
Dynasty	Ikṣvākuvaṁśa

Chandraprabha (English: Lord of Moon) or Chandranatha is the eighth Tirthankara of Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age (Avasarpini). According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri to the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to Jain texts, his birth-date was the twelfth day of the Posh Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He is said to have become a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

Jain biography

Chandraprabha was the eighth Jain Tīrthankara of the present age (avasarpini). He was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri, Varanasi on 12th day month Pausa in the Ikshvaku clan. Nine months before the birth of Chandraprabha, Queen Lakshmana Devi dreamt the sixteen most auspicious dreams. Mahasena named Tirthankar Chandraprabha because of his complexion was white as moon. According to Uttarapurana, Indra named him Chandraprabha because at his birth the earth and night-lotus were blossomed.

Chandraprabha's height is mentioned as 150 dhanusha. He is said to have lived for 1,000,000 purva. He spent 2${\tfrac {1}{2}}$ lakh pūrva as youth (kumāra kāla) and ruled His kingdom for 6${\tfrac {1}{2}}$ lakh pūrva and 24 pūrvāṇga (rājya kāla). During his rule, Chandraprabhu was apathetic towards the ordinary delights and princely grandeur. He decided to renounced his worldly life, soon after his ascension to throne and after 3 months he obtained Kevala Jnana (omniscience) while mediating under Naga tree.

After a many years of spreading his knowledge, he is said to have attained nirvana at Sammed Shikharji on the seventh day of the bright half of the month of faalgun.

Chandraprabha is said to have been born 900 crore sagara after his predecessor, Suparsvanatha. His successor, Pushpadanta, is said to have been born 90 crore sagara after him.

The yaksha and yakshi of Shantinatha are Śyāma and Jvālāmālinī according to Digambara tradition and Vijaya and Bhṛkuṭi according to Śvētāmbara tradition.

According to Digambara Vaidarbha Svami and Varuṉā were the chief Ganadhara and Aryika of the Chandraprabha disciples and Dinna and Vāruṇī according to Śvētāmbara.

Legacy

Worship

Jinastotrāņi is a collection of hymn dedicated to Chandraprabha along with Munisuvrata, Neminatha, Shantinatha, Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha.

Svayambhūstotra by Acharya Samantabhadra is the adoration of twenty-four Tīrthankaras. Its five slokas (aphorisms) are dedicated to Tīrthankara Chandraprabha.

With complexation bright as the rays of the moon you had the radiated knowledge like another moon. You are worshiped by eminent beings; you are the Lord of learned ascetic; and had conquered all your karmas and internal passion. I bow to you, O Lord Chandraprabha, the processor of moonlike splendour.

— Svayambhūstotra (8-1-36)

Chandraprabha is associated with crescent moon emblem, Naga tree, Vijya or Śyāma (Dig.) & Vijya (Svet.) Yaksha and Jwalamalini (Dig.) & Bhṛkuṭi (Svet.) Yakshi.

In literature

Chandraprabha-charitra composed by Haribhadra is an adoration to Chandraprabha. Chandraprabha is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures.

Iconography

5th or 6th-century idol at Sonagiri, Madhya Pradesh

Chandraprabha is usually depicted in a lotus or kayotsarga posture, with a crescent moon symbol beneath him; each tīrthankara has a distinct emblem, which allows worshippers to distinguish similar idols. Like all tirthankaras, he is depicted with a Shrivatsa and downcast eyes.

The earliest known sculpture of Chandraprabha was installed by Maharajadhiraja Ramagupta of Gupta dynasty in 4th century CE. Chandraprabha has been popular amongst Jain everywhere in India. The iconography of Chandraprabha is particularly popular in Eastern India in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. Sculptures of Chandraprabha were also popular in Jain temples, Deogarh, Khajuraho Jain temples and Sonagiri.

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  Jain Matha, Shravanabelagola
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  Idol at Jain temple, Lakkundi
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  Idol at Saavira Kambada Basadi
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  The famous idol of Chandraprabhu at Tijara

Colossal statue

Guru mandir in Mandaragiri houses a 21 feet (6.4 m) monolithic statue of Chandraprabha.

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  21 feet (6.4 m) statue at Mandaragiri Hill, Tumkur, Karnataka
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  15.25 feet (4.65 m) statue at Chandragiri Vatika, Tijara
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  15 feet (4.6 m) statue at Sonagiri

Main temples

Tijara Jain temple in Rajasthan

Numerous Jain temple complexes across India are dedicated to Chandraprabha.

Places of birth and liberation

According to Jain tradition, Chandraprabha was born in Chandrapuri (located near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh), making the city a traditional geographic center for his veneration.

In Jainism, Sammed Shikharji (located on Parasnath Hill in Jharkhand) serves as the geographical location where 20 of the 24 tirthankaras attained liberation. According to Jain texts, Chandraprabha attained ultimate spiritual liberation at this site alongside 1,000 other ascetic monks. The specific hilltop shrine (tonk) dedicated to his liberation is known as Prabhu Koot. Instead of a traditional idol, this tonk enshrines his footprints (charan), which are actively worshipped by pilgrims from both the Digambara and Śvētāmbara sects.

Other temples

Sonagiri Jain Tirth in Madhya Pradesh

In central India, Sonagiri in Madhya Pradesh serves as a major Siddha-Kshetra (place of salvation) for Digambara Jains, who also refer to it as Laghu Sammed Shikhar. The site comprises 103 temples, with 77 located on the hill and 26 in the village below. Its principal deity (moolnayak) is a 3 metres (9.8 ft) rock-cut image of Chandraprabha dating to the 5th or 6th century.

In northern and western India, the Tijara Jain temple in Rajasthan is a prominent Digambara shrine dedicated to him, while the historic Jaisalmer Fort houses a dedicated Chandraprabhu temple within its complex. Other temples in western India include shrines at the Pavagadh hill complex, the Lunwa Jain temple, and sites in Chandravati and Veraval in Gujarat.

Saavira Kambada Basadi also known as "The 1000 Pillars Temple"

In southern India, the Saavira Kambada Basadi (Thousand Pillared Temple) in Moodabidri, Karnataka, was constructed in 1430 CE and remains a significant architectural and religious center and is also known as Jain Kashi. Other notable shrines in Karnataka include the Dharmasthala Temple and the site at Mandaragiri. In Tamil Nadu, the Vijayamangalam Jain temple was constructed around 678 CE during the reign of King Konguvelir of the Velir dynasty. Additional southern complexes include the Kumbakonam Jain Temple in Tamil Nadu and the Jainimedu Jain temple in Palakkad, Kerala.

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  Vijayamangalam Jain temple built in 678 C.E.
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  Chandraprabhu temple, Jaisalmer Fort

See also

• Arihant (Jainism)
• God in Jainism
• Jainism and non-creationism

References

Sources

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• von Glasenapp, Helmuth (1925). Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass (Reprinted 1999). ISBN 978-81-208-1376-2. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Zimmer, Heinrich (1953) [April 1952]. Campbell, Joseph (ed.). Philosophies Of India. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. ISBN 978-81-208-0739-6. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

Web

• Detige, Tillo (2017). "Manuscript Collections of the Western and Central Indian Bhaṭṭārakas". SOAS University of London (12): 36–39. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
• Krishnamachari, Suganthy (12 October 2017). "On how Kongu Nadu was a Jain bastion". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
• Krishnaraja, Renuka (31 March 2021). "The serene hills of Mandaragiri". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
• Home Ministry (2011). "District census handbook Erode" (PDF). Census. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
• Binayak, Pooja (19 August 2020). "India's Jain Temples Are Incredible Architectural Marvels". Fodor's. Retrieved 10 December 2022.

External links

• Harvard Pluralism Project: Jainism