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 1018 years old)
Tree	Saptaparna (Alstonia scholaris)
Color	Golden
Genealogy
Born	Ayodhya
Parents	Jitaśatru (father) Vijayādevī (mother)

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) in the Ikshvaku dynasty on magha-shukla-dashmi (the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Magha). His height was 450 dhanusha. 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.

He attained kevala jnana under the saptaparna tree (Alstonia scholaris) and Moksha on chaitra-shukla-panchmi (fifth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra) from Shikharji.

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.

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.

Iconography

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

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
• Bateshwar Jain Temple, Agra
• Ajitnathji Jain Temple, Pal gam, Surat, Gujarat

• 
  Vasai Jain Temple
• 
  Taranga, Gujarat (1121 AD) constructed by King Kumarapala
• 
  Rang mandapa of the Svetambara Jain Temple at Taranga which was originally constructed by Kumarpala in 1161
• 
  Chaturmukha Basadi, Gerusoppa

See also

• Arihant (Jainism)

References

Sources

• 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

Further reading

• 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