In the holy scriptures of jainism,the universe has been called “anadinidhan”.Like “logo akitimmo khalu anainihano sahavanivatto”.
In the centre of the universe,the first island is the “Jambudweep”.in this there are shatkaal changes in the bahrat shetra and the erawat shetra.the first period has two parts called avsarpini and utsarpini . each part has six further periods . for the avsarpini kaal there are -sushma-sushma,sushma,sushma-dushma,dushma-sushma,dushma and sushma-sushma.
At the end of the third period of the avsarpini kaal,fourteen kulkars originated when only the eight part of the payal was left the names of these kulkars are:
pratishurti,sanmati,keshemankar,kshemandhar,seemankar,vimalvadhan,chakshushman,yashasvi,abhichandra,chandrabh ,marudev,prasenjit and nabhirai . Lord rishabdev was born to the last kulkar nabhirai.
Shri rishabh Dev,Ajitnath,sambhav Nath,Abhinandan Nath,SumatiNath,Padamprabh,Suparshwanath,chandrprabh,Puspdant
Nath,Sheetal Nath,Shreyans Nath,Vasupujiya,Vimal Nath, Anant Nath,Dharam Nath,ShantiNath,Kunthu Nath,arnath,Malli Nath,Munisuvrat Nath,Nami Nath,Nemi Nath,parshwanath and Mahaveer Swami.We all bow to these twenty-four thirthankars of the bharat shetra.With their teachings people can attatin their ultimate goal of Nirvan.
In the fourth period of next utsarpini Kaal,the following shall be the twenty-four thirthankars :
shriMahapadm,Surdev,Suparshwa,Swayamprabh,Sarwprabh,Devputra,kulputra,undaknath,
proshtilnath,jaikirti,munisuvrat,arnath,apapnath,nishkashaiNath,vipulnath,nirmalnath,chitrgupt,samadhigupt,swayambhunath,anivirti nath,
jainath,vimalnath,devpal and anantveerya
.King Shrenik,who was in the era of lord Mahaveer,shall be the first tirthankar Mahapadm.
Shri Krishna Narayan shall be the first thirthankar.Nirmal nath and Rudra mahadev would be the last thirthankars.
The present period is the Dusma Kaal of the avsarpini kaal.The avsarpini kaal is also known as hundavsarpini.In this a few unique,never before instavces have taken place.There have also been twenty-four tirthankars in the last utsarpini kaalprior to the presentAvsarpini kaal.
Shri Nirvan | Sagar nath | Mahasadhu |
vimal nath | shridhar nath | sudatt nath |
amalprabh nath | udhwar nath | angir nath |
sanmati nath | sindhu nath | kusumanjali nath |
utsah nath | shivgan nath | gyaneshwar |
parmeshwar | vimleshwar | yashodhar |
krishnamati nath | gyanmati nath | shudhmati nath |
shribhadra nath | atikrant nath | shant nath |
these have been the past thirthankars .
there are one hundred and sevety inhabited worlds in the two and a half island in the Madhyalok.out of these one hundred and sixty belong to the videh shetra , five to the bharat shetra and remaining five to the eravat shetra . out of the five inhabited worlds inthe bharat shetra , there is one in the southern part known as the jambu deep. we are at present living in one of the aryakhand of the jambu deep.
so, in all the 170 inhabited globes there would be a maximum of 170 thirthankars at one time or there could be a minimum of 20. at present, the prominant thirthankares of the videh shetra are shri seemandhar , shri yugmandhar , etc .
in the vedic literature also , we find the resemblence between the fourteen kulkars and the incarnatons , as has been said in tghe manusmriti kuladibeejam sarvesham prathmo vimalvahana chakshushman yashashvi vabhichand roth prasenjit marudevashch nabhishch bharate kulsattama ashtamo marudevyam tu nabhejit urkrame the first is kul vimalvahana , the second being chakshushman , followed by yashasvi , abhichandra , prasenjit , marudev ,and the seventh being nabhiraj .
these haven been the kulkars of the bharat shetra . out of these lord rishab dev , the eight incarnation , was born to marudevi from nirbiraj . in the bhagwat also rishab dev ha sbeen described as the eight incarnation of vishnu .
bhagwan paramrishibhi prasadito naabhe priyachikirshya
tadavarodhyane merudevyam dharman darshyitokamo