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Neminātha (Devanagari: नेमिनाथ) (Sanskrit: नेमिनाथः), also known as Nemi and Ariṣṭanemi (Devanagari: अरिष्टनेमि), is the twenty-second tirthankara of Jainism in the present age (Avasarpini). Neminath lived 84,000 years before the 23rd Tirthankar Parshvanath. According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Samudravijaya and Queen Shivadevi of the Yadu in the north Indian city of Sauripura. His birth date was the fifth day of Shravan Shukla of the Jain calendar. Balarama and Krishna, who were the 9th and last Baladeva and Vasudeva respectively, were his first cousins.
Neminatha, when heard the cries of animals being killed for his marriage feast, freed the animals and renounced his worldly life and became a Jain ascetic. The representatives of this event are popular in Jain art. He had attained moksha on Girnar Hills near Junagadh, and became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.
Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminath is one of the twenty-four Tirthankars who attract the most devotional worship among the Jains. His icons include the eponymous deer as his emblem, the Mahavenu tree, Sarvanha (Digambara) or Gomedha (Śhvētāmbara) Yaksha, and Ambika Yakshi.
According to the Jain text Uttarapurana, as well as the explanation of Hemachandra, it was the ancient Indian deity Indra who named the 22nd tirthankara as Neminatha, because he viewed the Jina as the "rim of the wheel of dharma".
In Śvetāmbara Jain texts, his name Aristanemi came from a dream his mother had during pregnancy, where she saw a "wheel of Arista jewels". His full name is mentioned as Aristanemi which is an epithet of the sun-chariot. Neminatha's name is spelled close to the 21st tirthankara Naminatha.
He is believed to have been born with a dark-blue skin complexion, a very handsome but shy young man. His father is mentioned as the brother of Vasudeva, Krishna's father, therefore he is mentioned as the cousin of Krishna in Trishashti-salaka-purusha-charitra. Sculptures found in Kankali Tila, Mathura of Kushana period depicts Krishna and Balarama as cousins of Neminatha.
In one of the legends, on being taunted by Satyabhama, wife of Krishna, Neminatha is depicted to have blown Panchajanya, the mighty conch of Krishna through his nostrils. According to the texts, no one could lift the conch except Krishna, let alone blow it. After this event, the Harivaṃśapurāṇa, as composed by Acharya Jinasena, states that Krishna decided to test Neminatha's strength and challenged him for a friendly duel. Neminatha, being a Tirthankara, is believed to have defeated Krishna easily. He is also mentioned as spinning a great Chakra with the right leg toe during his childhood.
Chandogya Upanishad, a religious text in Hinduism, mentions Angiras Ghora as the teacher of Krishna. He is believed to have taught Krishna the five vows, namely, honesty, asceticism, charity, non-violence and truthfulness. Ghora is identified as Neminatha by some scholars. Mahabharata mentions him as the teacher of the path of salvation to king Sagara. He may also be identified with a Scandinavian or Chinese deity, but such claims are not accepted generally.
According to Kalpasutras, Neminatha led an ascetic life thereby eating only once every three days, meditated for 55 days and then obtained omniscience on Mount Raivataka, under a Mahavenu tree.
The yaksha and yakshi of Neminatha are Sarvanha (Digambara) or Gomedha (Śhvētāmbara) Yaksha, and Ambika Yakshi.
The yaksha and yakshi of Neminatha are Sarvanha and Ambika according to Digambara tradition and Gomedha and Ambika according to Śhvētāmbara tradition.
Samantabhadra's Svayambhustotra praises the twenty-four tirthankaras, and its eight (songs) adore Shantinatha. One such shloka reads:
Rajul's love for Neminatha is described in the Rajal-Barahmasa (an early 14th-century poem of Vijayachandrasuri). The separation of Rajul and Neminatha has been a popular theme among Jain poets who composed Gujarati , a poetry genre. Some examples are Neminatha Fagu (1344) by Rajshekhar, Neminatha Fagu (1375) by Jayashekhar and Rangasagara Neminatha Fagu (1400) by Somsundar. The poem Neminatha Chatushpadika (1269) by Vinaychandra depicted the same story.
Arddha Nemi, the "Unfinished Life of Nemi", is an incomplete epic by Janna, one of the most influential Kannada poets of the 13th century. Nemidutam composed by Acharya Jinasena, 9th century, is an adoration of Neminatha.
Neminatha, along with Rishbhanatha and the Śramaṇa tradition, has been mentioned in the Rigveda. Neminatha is also referred to in Yajurveda.
Neminatha is believed to have had the same dark-bluish-colored skin as Krishna. Painting depicting his life stories generally identifies him as dark-coloured. His iconographic identifier is a conch carved or stamped below his statues. Sometimes, as with Vishnu's iconography, a chakra is also shown near him, as in the 6th-century sculpture found at the archaeological site near Padhavali (Madhya Pradesh). Artworks showing Neminatha sometimes include Ambika yakshi, but her colour varies from golden to greenish to dark-blue, by region.
The earliest known image of Neminatha was found in Kankali Tila dating back to c. 18 CE.
Luna Vasahi in Dilwara Temples, built in 1230 by two Porwad brothers - Vastupala and Tejpal, considered famous for ellaborate architecture and intricate carvings. The ceilings of the temple depicts scenes of the life of Neminatha with image of Rajmathi (who was to marry Neminatha) and Krishna. Shanka Basadi in Lakshmeshwara, built in 7th century, is considered one of the most important temple built by Kalyani Chalukyas. The temple derives its name from the image of Neminatha in kayotsarga posture standing on a large shankha (conch shell). The unique feature of this temple is a monolithic pillar with the carving of 1008 Tirthankaras known as Sahasrakuta Jinabimba. Adikavi Pampa wrote Ādi purāṇa, seated in this basadi (temple) during 9th century.
Important Neminatha temple complexes include Tirumalai (Jain complex), Kulpakji, Arahanthgiri Jain Math, Nemgiri, Bhand Dewal, Bhand Dewal in Arang and Odegal basadi.
As a teacher
In the Kurukshetra War between Krishna and Jarasandha, Neminatha is believed to have participated alongside Krishna. This is believed to be the reason for celebrating Krishna-related festivals in Jainism and for intermingling with Hindus, who worship Krishna as one of the incarnations of Vishnu.
Renunciation
Jain tradition holds that the Neminatha's marriage was arranged with Rajulakumari or Rajimati or Rajamati, daughter of Ugrasena. Ugrasena is believed to be the king of Dvārakā and maternal grandfather of Krishna. He is believed to have heard animal cries as they were being slaughtered for the marriage feast. Taken over by sorrow and distress at the sight, he is believed to have given up the desire of getting married, and to have become a monk and gone to Mount Girnar. His bride-to-be Rajulakumari is believed to have followed him, becoming a nun and his brother Rahanemi became a monk, joining his ascetic order.
Disciples
According to Jain texts Neminatha had 11 Gandhara with Varadatta Svami as the leader of the Neminatha disciples. Neminatha's sangha (religious order) consisted of 18,000 sadhus (male monks) and 44,000 sadhvis (female monks) as per the mentions in Kalpa Sutra.
Nirvana
He is said to have lived 1,000 years and spent many years spreading his knowledge and preaching principles of ahiṃsā (nonviolence) and aparigraha (asceticism) in the Saurashtra region. He is said to have attained moksha (nirvana) on the fifth peak or tonk (Urjayant Parvat) of Mount Girnar. Of these 1,000 years, he is believed to have spent 300 years as a bachelor, 54 days as an ascetic monk and 700 years as an omniscient being.
Legacy
Worship
Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminatha is one of the twenty-four Tirthankaras who attract the most devotional worship among the Jains. Unlike the last two tirthankaras, historians consider Neminatha and all other tirthankaras to be legendary characters. Scenes from Neminatha's life are popular in Jain art. Jinastotrāņi is a collection of hymn dedicated to Neminatha along with Munisuvrata, Chandraprabha, Shantinatha, Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha.
Literature
The Jain traditions about Neminatha are incorporated in the Harivamsa Purana of Jinasena. A palm leaf manuscript on the life of Neminatha, named Neminatha-Charitra, was written in 1198-1142 AD. It is now preserved in Shantinatha Bhandara, Khambhat. The incident where Neminatha is depicted as blowing Krishna's mighty conch is given in Kalpa Sūtra.
Iconography
Neminatha Sculpture, National Museum, New Delhi, 11th Century]]
, 6th century]], MET museum, 7th century]]]]
Temples
Neminatha is one of the five most devotionally revered Tirthankaras, along with Mahavira, Rishabhanatha, Parshvanatha and Shantinatha. Various Jain temple complexes across India feature him, and these are important pilgrimage sites in Jainism. Mount Girnar of Gujarat, for example, which is believed to have been a place where Neminatha is believed to have achieved nirvana.
See also
Citations
Sources
Books
K.A. Nilakanta Sastri (2025). 9780195606867, Indian Branch, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195606867
(1998). 9788120815346, Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120815346
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