Chandraprabhu Temple, Jaisalmer Fort
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Chandraprabha () or Chandranatha is the eighth
Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...
of of
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
in the present age (). According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri to the
Ikshvaku dynasty The Solar dynasty or (; ), also called the Ikshvaku dynasty, is a legendary Indian dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom, with its capital at Ayodhya, and later at Shravasti. They ...
. According to
Jain texts Jain literature () refers to the literature of the Jainism, Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the canonical ''Jain Agamas'', which ...
, his birth-date was the twelfth day of the Posh Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He is said to have become a
siddha ''Siddha'' (Sanskrit: '; "perfected one") is a term that is used widely in Indian religions and culture. It means "one who is accomplished." It refers to perfected masters who have achieved a high degree of perfection of the intellect as we ...
, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its
karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
.


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 Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
on 12th day month
Pausa In linguistics, pausa (Latin for 'break', from Greek παῦσις, ''pâusis'' 'stopping, ceasing') is the hiatus between prosodic declination units. The concept is somewhat broad, as it is primarily used to refer to allophones that occur in ...
in the
Ikshvaku Ikshvaku (Sanskrit ; Pāli: ) is a legendary king in Indian religions, particularly Hindu and Jain scriptures Jain literature () refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initi ...
clan. Nine months before the birth of ''Chandraprabha'', Queen ''Lakshmana Devi '' dreamt the sixteen most
auspicious dreams Auspicious dreams are often described in texts of Jainism which forecast the virtue of children. Their number varies according to different traditions and they described frequently as fourteen or sixteen dreams. They are seen by mothers of the pr ...
. Mahasena named Tirthankar Chandraprabha because of his complexion was white as moon. According to
Uttarapurana ''Uttarapurāṇa'' is a Jain text composed by ''Acharya'' Gunabhadra in the 9th century CE. According to the Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major Jain schools and branches, schools of Jainism, the other being ...
,
Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes Indra is the m ...
named him Chandraprabha because at his birth the earth and night-lotus were blossomed. Chandraprabha spent 2\tfrac lakh ''pūrva'' as youth (''kumāra kāla'') and ruled His kingdom for 6\tfrac 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 Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
at
Sammed Shikharji Shikharji (), also known as Sammet or Sammed Shikharji, is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Jains, in Giridih district, Jharkhand. It is located on Parasnath hill, the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand. It is the most importan ...
on the seventh day of the bright half of the month of ''faalgun''. The ''
yaksha The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of nature spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Bud ...
'' and ''
yakshi Yakshinis or Yakshis (, , Prakrit: ) are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies that are different from Devas and Asuras and Gandharvas or Apsaras. Yakshinis and their male counterparts, the Yaks ...
'' of Shantinatha are ''Śyāma'' and ''
Jvālāmālinī Jwalamalini (,, ) is the yakshini (guardian goddess) of the eighth tirthankara Chandraprabhu in Jainism and was one of the most widely invoked yakshinis in Karnataka during the early medieval period. Etymology and origin ' refers to ''the glow ...
'' according to
Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major Jain schools and branches, schools of Jainism, the other being ''Śvetāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic pract ...
tradition and ''Vijaya'' and ''Bhṛkuṭi'' according to Śvētāmbara tradition. According to
Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major Jain schools and branches, schools of Jainism, the other being ''Śvetāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic pract ...
''Vaidarbha Svami'' and ''Varuṉā'' were the chief ''
Ganadhara In Jainism, the term Ganadhara is used to refer the chief disciple of a ''Tirthankara''. In '' samavasarana'', the ''Tīrthankara'' sat on a throne without touching it (about two inches above it). Around, the ''Tīrthankara'' sits the ''Gana ...
'' and ''
Aryika ''Aryika'', also known as ''Sadhvi'', is a female mendicant ( nun) in Jainism. History In the traditional Digambara tradition, a male human being is considered closest to the apex with the potential to achieve liberation, particularly throu ...
'' 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 Munisuvrata or Munisuvratanatha (IAST: ) (Devanagari: मुनिसुव्रतनाथ) (Sanskrit: मुनिसुव्रतः) was the twentieth ''Tirthankara'' of the present half time cycle (''avasarpini'') in Jain cosmology. He ...
,
Neminatha Neminātha (Devanagari: नेमिनाथ) (Sanskrit: नेमिनाथः), also known as Nemi and Ariṣṭanemi (Devanagari: अरिष्टनेमि), is the twenty-second tirthankara of Jainism in the present age (). Nemina ...
,
Shantinatha Śāntinātha () or Śānti is the sixteenth of Jainism in the present age (). According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Vishvasena and Queen Aćira of the Ikshvaku dynasty in the north Indian city of Hastinapur. His birth date i ...
, Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha. ''Svayambhūstotra'' by ''
Acharya Samantabhadra Samantabhadra was a Jain ācārya (head of the monastic order) who lived about the later part of the second century CE. He was a proponent of the Jaina doctrine of Anekāntavāda. The '' Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra'' is the most popular wor ...
'' is the adoration of twenty-four ''Tīrthankaras''. Its five slokas (
aphorism An aphorism (from Greek ἀφορισμός: ''aphorismos'', denoting 'delimitation', 'distinction', and 'definition') is a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression of a general truth or principle. Aphorisms are often handed down by tra ...
s) are dedicated to ''Tīrthankara Chandraprabha''. Chandraprabha is associated with crescent moon emblem, Naga tree, Vijya or Śyāma (Dig.) & Vijya (Svet.)
Yaksha The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of nature spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Bud ...
and
Jwalamalini Jwalamalini (,, ) is the yakshini (guardian goddess) of the eighth tirthankara Chandraprabhu in Jainism and was one of the most widely invoked yakshinis in Karnataka during the early medieval period. Etymology and origin ' refers to ''the glow ...
(Dig.) & Bhṛkuṭi (Svet.)
Yakshi Yakshinis or Yakshis (, , Prakrit: ) are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies that are different from Devas and Asuras and Gandharvas or Apsaras. Yakshinis and their male counterparts, the Yaks ...
.


In literature

''Chandraprabha-charitra'' composed by
Haribhadra Acharya Haribhadra Suri was a Śvetāmbara mendicant Jain leader, philosopher , doxographer, and author. There are multiple contradictory dates assigned to his birth. According to tradition, he lived c. 459–529 CE. However, in 1919, a Jain ...
is an adoration to Chandraprabha. Chandraprabha is mentioned in the
Buddhist scripture Buddhist texts are religious texts that belong to, or are associated with, Buddhism and its traditions. There is no single textual collection for all of Buddhism. Instead, there are three main Buddhist Canons: the Pāli Canon of the Therav ...
s.


Iconography

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 The Shrivatsa (Sanskrit: ; IAST: ''Śrīvatsa,'' ) is an ancient symbol, considered auspicious in Hinduism and other Indian religious traditions. Hinduism Origin Shrivatsa means "Beloved of Shri", an epithet of Vishnu, and a reference to ...
'' and downcast eyes. The earliest known sculpture of Chandraprabha was installed by
Maharajadhiraja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a prince. However, in late ancient India ...
Ramagupta Ramagupta (IAST: Rāma-gupta; r. c. late 4th century CE), according to the Sanskrit play '' Devichandraguptam'', was an emperor of the Gupta dynasty of northern India. The surviving fragments of the play, combined with other literary evidence, ...
of
Gupta dynasty The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...
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 Sonagiri () or Swarnagiri, about 65 km from Gwalior, has scores of Digambar Jain temples dating from the 9th century onwards. It is located in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh, India. This location is popular among devotees and asce ...
. File:Door jamb and lintel decoration, and Tirthankara image in the sanctum at the Jain temple at Lakkundi.jpg, Idol at Jain temple, Lakkundi File:Mahavir-Jain-Fame-1000-Pillar-Temple- Moodbidri.JPG, Idol at
Saavira Kambada Basadi Saavira Kambada Temple () or Tribhuvana Tilaka Cūḍāmaṇi), is a ''basadi'' or Jain temple noted for its 1000 pillars in Moodabidri, Karnataka, India. The temple is also known as "Chandranatha Temple" since it honours the tirthankara Chandr ...
File:Tijara Jain temple - Main Idol (3) (cropped).jpg, The famous idol of Chandraprabhu at
Tijara Tijara is a city and a municipality in Khairthal-Tijara district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Tijara comes under the NCR area and is situated 55 km to the northeast of Alwar. The nearest railway station to Tijara is Khairthal. Bhiwad ...


Colossal statue

Guru mandir in Mandaragiri houses a monolithic statue of Chandraprabha. File:Lord Chandranatha Thirthankara statue.jpg, statue at Mandaragiri Hill,
Tumkur Tumkur, officially Tumakuru, is a city and headquarters of Tumakuru district in the Karnataka state of India. Tumkur is known for Siddaganga Matha. Tumkur hosts India's first mega food park, a project of the ministry of food processing. The Ind ...
,
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
File:Chandaragiri Vatika.jpg, statue at Chandragiri Vatika,
Tijara Tijara is a city and a municipality in Khairthal-Tijara district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Tijara comes under the NCR area and is situated 55 km to the northeast of Alwar. The nearest railway station to Tijara is Khairthal. Bhiwad ...
File:Chandraprabh.jpg, statue at
Sonagiri Sonagiri () or Swarnagiri, about 65 km from Gwalior, has scores of Digambar Jain temples dating from the 9th century onwards. It is located in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh, India. This location is popular among devotees and asce ...


Main temples

Various Jain temple complexes across India feature him, and these are important pilgrimage sites in Jainism.
Sonagiri Sonagiri () or Swarnagiri, about 65 km from Gwalior, has scores of Digambar Jain temples dating from the 9th century onwards. It is located in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh, India. This location is popular among devotees and asce ...
, also known as Laghu Sammed Shikhar is a '' Siddha-Kṣetra'', is considered one of the most important Jain Tirtha (pilgrimage site). The mulnayak is a rock cut image of Chandraprabhu dating back to the 5th to 6th century. There are a total of 103 temples with 77 on hill and 26 in village.
Saavira Kambada Basadi Saavira Kambada Temple () or Tribhuvana Tilaka Cūḍāmaṇi), is a ''basadi'' or Jain temple noted for its 1000 pillars in Moodabidri, Karnataka, India. The temple is also known as "Chandranatha Temple" since it honours the tirthankara Chandr ...
(Thousand Pillared Temple ) in
Moodabidri Moodubidire (''Mūḍubidire''; also called Mudbidri, Moodbidri and Bedra) is a town and taluk in Dakshina Kannada district. It lies 34 km northeast of the district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karnataka, India. Because of widely grown b ...
(Jain Kashi), built in 1430 CE, is considered an architectural wonder and is one of the most important Jain centers in Karnataka. Vijayamangalam Jain temple was built in by King Konguvelir of Velir dynasty. Important Chandraprabha temple complexes include: Tijara Jain temple,
Jainimedu Jain temple Jainimedu Jain temple is a 15th-century Jain temple located in city of Palakkad, Kerala.It is located at Jainimedu, one of the suburbs of the city . It is dedicated to Chandraprabha, a Tirthankar of the Jain faith. The celebrated Malayalam ...
, Chandravati, Kumbakonam Jain Temple, Mandaragiri,
Prabhas Patan Prabhas Patan, historically named Dev Patan, is a locality in Veraval, Gujarat. As the site of the Somnath temple and its associated Jyotirlinga (an aniconic representation of the god Shiva), it is an important place of Hindu pilgrimage. P ...
, Lunwa Jain temple, Chandranatha basadi Dharmasthala, and Chandraprabha temple, Pavagadh File:Jain temple, Mettupudur 2.jpg, Vijayamangalam Jain temple built in 678 C.E. File:N-RJ-87 Fort including Ancient Temples Jaisalmer SolReyes20100917 332.JPG, Chandraprabhu temple, Jaisalmer Fort File:Sonagiri.jpg, Sonagiri Jain Tirth File:Tijara Jain Temple - Main(3).jpg, Tijara Jain temple


See also

*
Arihant (Jainism) ''Arihant'' (, ) is a jiva (soul) who has conquered inner passions such as attachment, anger, pride and greed. Having destroyed four inimical karmas, they realize pure self. ''Arihants'' are also called ''kevalins'' ( omniscient beings) a ...
*
God in Jainism In Jainism, godliness is said to be the inherent quality of every soul. This quality, however, is subdued by the soul's association with karmic matter. All souls who have achieved the natural state of unlimited bliss, unlimited knowledge ('' k ...
*
Jainism and non-creationism According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents—soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion—have always existed. Jainism does not support belief in a creator deity. All the constituents and actions are governed by un ...


Notes


References


Citation


Sources


Books

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Web

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External links


Harvard Pluralism Project: Jainism
{{Authority control Tirthankaras Solar dynasty