Religious Order
(1) Omniscients (KevalÍ) : The day Lord MahÂvÍra attained salvation, his chief-disciple (Gaàadhara) Gautama acquired omniscience. The day Gautama attained salvation, Sudharm SvÂmÍ gained omniscience. On his salvation, Jambö SvÂmÍ became omniscient. After the salvation of Jambö SvÂmÍ, there was no adjunct omniscient(Anubaddha KevalÍ). The period between attaining the omniscience by Gautama and salvation of JambösvÂmÍ is sixty two years.
The last of the omniscients was êrÍdhara who attained salvation at Kundalagiri. The last sage with extraordinary power of sky movement was ‘SupÂríva Candra’. Vajrayaía was the last of the PrajnÂíramaàa sages. The ascetic êrÍ was the last of the clairvoyants. The last of the crowned king who got Jinistic initiation (Jina DÍkîÂ) was Candragupta. Afterwards, no crowned king was initiated.
(2) Five Scriptural Omniscients (êrutakevalis) : In the ford of MahÂvÍra and after the salvation of JambösvamÍ, there have been five ‘fourteen pre-canon-proficients’ (Caudaha PörvÍ). They had full knowledge of DvÂdaíÂnga (twelve prime or primary scriptures) also and, thus, were scriptural omniscients. They are : (i) Nandi, (ii) Nandimitra, (iii) AparÂjita, (iv) Govardhana and (v) BhadrabÂhu. Their total period is one hundred years.
(3) Eleven Ten-Pre-Canonists (DaíapörvÍs) : There have been eleven saints who were proficient in eleven primary canonical scriptures (Angas) and ten pre-canons. They are, thus, called ‘ten-pre-canon-proficients.’ They are : (i) ViíakhÂcÂrya, (ii) Proîthila, (iii) Kîatriya, (iv) Jaya, (v) NÂgasena, (vi) SiddhÂrtha, (vii) dhçtisena, (viii) Vijaya, (ix) Buddhila, (x) Ganga deva and (xi) Dharmasena. Traditionally, their total period is one hundred eighty two years. There were no Ten-pre-canonists after them due to change of times.
(4) Five Eleven-Canonical Scripturists (AngadhÂrÍs) : There have been five ÀcÂryas who were proficient in eleven primary canonical scriptures. They are : (i) Nakîatra Muni, (ii) JaipÂla, (iii) PÂndu, (iv) Dhruvasena and (v) KansÂrya. Their total period is 220 years. There has been no eleven-canonical scripturists after them.
(5) Four ÀcÂrÂnga-proficients (Proficient in the Text on Monastic Conduct) : There have been four saint-scholars who were proficient in the first primary canonical scripture of ÀcÂrÂnga. They are : (i) Subhadra, (ii) Yaíobhadra, (iii) YaíobÂhu and (iv) LohÂrya. Their total period is 118 years. There has been no pre-canon-proficient or canonical scriptures-proficient after the samÂdhÍ of the last of these ÀcÂranga-proficients.
The total period from Gautama to the last ÀcÂrÂnga – proficient is 683 years as below :
62 + 100 + 183 + 220 + 118 = 683.
After these saint scholars, the other saints were proficient only in part of the eleven primary canonical scriptures and fourteen pre-canons.
The Religious Order by the End of the Fifth Spoke of Time Wheel
The scriptural tradition, which is the root cause of maintaining religiosity, will continue upto 20,317 years in the fifth spoke. It will be uprooted afterwards due to the change of times. This means that the fifth spoke of time has a duration of 21000 years (20317 + 683). The Jaina religion will continue upto 20,317 years obtained by deducting 683 years from the total of 21000 years. During this remaining period, there will the continuity of the Caturvidha Sangha (a group of four types of Jaina ascetics-Muni, ÀryikÂ, êrÂvaka, êrÂvikÂ). The people of these times will be mostly non-humble, ill-talented, jealous, full of seven fears and eight prides, quarrelsome, cruel, angry, passioned and associated with three stings (êalyas-deceit, wrongness and future desires) and three prides (GÂravas) of prosperity, pleasure and calumny.
The Royal Tradition / Successions
When Lord Mahavira attained salvation, PÂlaka – the son of AvantÍ was coronated. His rule lasted for sixty years. Afterwards, the kings of Vijaya lineage ruled for 155 years. They were followed by the rule of the kings of Marunda lineage for the next forty years. Puîyamitra, then, ruled for thirty years. He was followed by the rule of Vasumitra and Agnimitra for sixty years. Then, Gandharva ruled for one hundred years, NarvÂhana ruled for forty years and the Àndhras (Bhçtyas) ruled for two hundred forty two years. Later, the kings of Gupta lineage ruled for two hundred and thirty one years.
Birth of Kalki and His Deeds
After the rule of the above lineages, the king Kalki was born. He was the son of the king Indra. Kalki was named as ‘Caturmukha’. He had a life-span of seventy years and the period of his rule was forty-two years. Thus, the period between the salvation of Lord MahÂvÍra and the rule of Kalki turns out to be one thousand years as below :
60 + 155 + 40 + 30 + 60 + 100 + 40 + 242 + 231 + 42 = 1000 years.
Kalki was coronated two hundred seventy five years after the period of ÀcÂrÂnga proficients:
683 + 275 + 42 = 1000 years.
When six hundred five years and five months were elapsed after the salvation of Lord MahÂvÍra, there has been a êaka king named ‘Vikrama’ as per TrilokasÂra verse 851. The first Kalki was born after the lapse of 394 years and seven months after Vikrama :
605 + 394 + 1 (5+7 months) = 1000 years.
The king Kalki mastered over his Janapadas (Districts) of the kingdom and became greedy and unjust – so much so that he began to demand the first morsel offered to the saints in their ÀhÂra (food) as a tax. Under this condition, the saints moved without food by offering the tax and taking the point that ‘it is the time of obstructions (antrÂyas).’ At that time, one of the saints acquires clairvoyance. Afterwards, some AsurakumÂra (Mansional) deity learns through his clairvoyance that the saints are being inflicted upon. He presumes that the king is anti-religious, so he kills Kalki. The son of Kalki, Ajitanjaya requests the deity to protect him and bows to him by falling on his feet. The deity protects him and asks him to rule religiously. Afterwards, there is right religious prosperity for a period of two years. It goes on decreasing gradually due to the effect of the change of times.
Thus, there is one Kalki after every one thousand years and an Upa-Kalki after each five hundred years. During the period of each Kalki, a saint of the fifth spoke acquires clairvoyance and there is gradual decrease in the strength of Caturvidha Sangha. During the period of Kalki, many kinds of people are seen who have bonded the sinful karmas in their prebirth. They are CandÂlas, êabaras, êvapcas, KirÂtas etc. (aboriginals) and also poor, helpless, cruel, infested with many kinds of diseases, holding alms-bowls and worried by movement to other countries.
The Birth of the Last Kalki and His Deeds
There is a gradual decrease in religiosity, life-span and body height in the fifth spoke of time wheel. In the end, there is the birth of the twenty first Kalki of anti-religious nature. There will be a saint named ‘VÍrÂngaja’, a Jaina female ascetic (ÀryikÂ) named ‘SarvaírÍ’, and a votary (êrÂvaka) and votaress (êrÂvikÂ) named as Agnidatta and PanguírÍ, respectively in his period. The Kalki will master over his sub-ordinate Janapadas and ask his ministers, “Is there any person in my kingdom who may not be under my subjugation ?”
The Ministers will, then, respond, “O Lord, there is one saint who is not subdued to you.”
The Kalki will, then, ask the ministers,” “Tell me who is that arrogant saint?”
The ministers will, then, say, “ O Lord, the saint follows the vows of non-violence etc. totally, he does not have any possessions. He takes the particular purified (prÂsuka) food in his hand bowl unobstructively in the mid-day time in the houses of others to sustain his body (and life).” On hearing this, the Kalki will ask, find out personally, where does that sinful saint avowed with non-violence go for taking food? You take his first morsel (mouthful, grÂsa) of food as a tax for me.
Afterwards, the saint will immediately offer the first mouthful to the minister when demanded and will go away without taking food presuming this point as an interruption (antrÂya) in food. He will also acquire clairvoyance. The saint will, then, call Àryik ‘SarvaírÍ’, the votary ‘Agnidatta’ and the votaress, ‘PanguírÍ’ and tell them with pleasure, “O great souls, the end of the fifth spoke of time-wheel is very near. The life-span of yours and mine is to last only for three more days and this is the last Kalki of this spoke.” Then, all the four people will renounce the four-types of foods and other possessions for life-long and undertake the vow of holy death (samÂdhÍ). They will have their holy death on the fifteenth day of the dark half of the month of KÂrtika (Oct.-Nov.), when the sun will rise in the constellation of SvÂti.
After holy death, the saint VÍrÂngaja will be born in the Saudharma heaven with a life-span of one SÂgara. The rest of the three will also be born there with a life-span of a little more than a Palya. The same day, an AsurakumÂra (Mansional) deity of better class, getting angry over the incident, will kill the king Kalki in the noon. The fire will also be destroyed at the sun-set.
Thus, the twenty one Kalkis and the same number of Upakalkis take rebirth in the first hell of Ghamm (RatnaprabhÂ) with a life-span of one SÂgara due to their anti-religious minds and actions.
(f) The Sixth Spoke of Extreme Penury
The sixth spoke of time-wheel of extreme penury (Ati-duîamÂ) begins after three years, 8.5 months of the above incident. This spoke is highly rough i.e. unfavourable. In the beginning of this spoke, the height of the body is 3-3.5 Hastas (5-6 ft.), the number of bones in the back side of the body is twelve and maximum life-span is twenty years. The foods of the people in this spoke are roots, fruits and fish etc. The people are unable to see clothes, trees and houses etc. Hence, all the people are naked and have no houses to live in. They move in forests. They have a smoky colour of their body. They behave like animals. They are cruel, deaf, blind, one-eyed, dumb, poor, full of anger, ugly, miserable and uncivilised. They have irregular (Hunadaka SansthÂna), hunch-backed and dwarf configurations of their body. They are always worried with many types of diseases and pains. They are highly passioned, deluded and most sinful by their agitating nature. They do not have family, friends, sons and wives etc. Their body is foul-smelling. Their hairs are infested with many kinds of small insects as lice etc. They are highly foolish.
In this spoke, only those beings take birth here who arrive from their pre-birth of infernal and sub-human destinity. Also, they are reborn in terrific hells and sub-humans after death. The life-span, body height & strength etc. gradually decrease with the passage of time here. Who is capable of describing their miserable life in words ?
The Time of Dissolution of the Universe (Pralaya KÂla)
When twenty one thousand years less by forty nine days are passed in this sixth spoke, the period of fierce and terrific destruction of the living beings commences. At that time, there blows a deep-sounding and terrific hurricane for a week which results in destroying and uprooting of trees, mountains and rocks. Their uprooting causes deep sadness among the human and sub-human beings and they begin pathetic weeping for clothes and residence.
During this period, numerable differently and total seventy two pairs enter the area between the platforms of the rivers of Gang and Sindhu and VijayÂrdha forests. Besides, the deities and VidyÂdharas (proficient in various superpowers by birth) feel compassion for human and sub-human beings and carry numerable of them to the protected places like the above.
Seven Kinds of Rains
At the end of the sixth spoke of time-wheel, the clouds pour out the rains of vile things like (1) very cold water, (2) alkaline water, (3) toxic fluids, (4) smoke (5) dust, (6) thunderbolt and (7) fire-flames to be seen with difficulty each for a seven-day period. Thus, the rains of the mattergies transformed into the above seven forms continue for forty-nine days.
These rains destroy the remaining human beings etc. in the world. The earth infested with toxic fluids and burnt by the rains of fire-flames gets powdered up to one Yojana below the surface level as per Tiloya Paààatti, Chap-4 verse 1551.
Thus, one Yojana of land located over the Citra earth in the Àryan section of the Bharata region gets burnt and destroyed due to the above kinds of rains. The upper part of the land of the Àryan section turns into non-aggregated form due to the rains of thunderbolt and fire and flies away up to the end of the universe.
When this happens, the Àryan section starts shining as mirror plane like the other lands and it gets devoid of dust and mud. The human beings present there (protected in the caves of VijayÂrdha mountain etc.) have a height of one Hasta (~1.5 ft.), life-span of 15-16 years and a gradually decreasing potency etc.
Thus, the description of the six spokes of time-wheel of the devolution epoch concludes here.
Present Period
At this time, there is the fifth spoke of the devolution epoch of time wheel at this Bharata Kîetra of Àryakhand. More than two thousand five hundred years have elapsed since the salvation of the last TÍrthankara Lord MahÂvÍra. There are eighteen thousand and five hundred years still to go. Afterwards, there will be the beginning of the sixth spoke of time wheel.
Changes in the Six Spokes of Time Wheel in the Evolution Epoch (UtsarpiàÍ Epoch)
After the completion of all the six spokes of devolution epoch, the pleasing epoch of Evolution will begin. It also has six spokes namely (1) Extreme Penury, (2) Penury, (3) Penury-cum-plentitude, (4) Plentitude-cum-penury, (5) Plentitude and (6) Extreme Plentitude. This epoch also has a duration of ten KoÅÂkoÅi SÂgaras like the devolution epoch. During this epoch, the height, life-span and potency of the living beings gradually increase every day.
The Spoke of Extreme Penury (Ati-duîamÂ)
At the beginning of the Evolution epoch, the Puîkara clouds shower down the comfort producing water on earth, parched with fire flames and thunderbolts, for seven days. This rain results in its cooling. The Kîira meghas (Milky clouds), then, shower down the milky water for seven days resulting in the earth being full of it with good shine. Afterwards, the Amçta-meghas (Nectar-clouds) shower down the sweet water or nectar on the earth for seven days resulting into the growth of plants like creepers and clusters. Later, the Rasa-meghas (clouds of juice) shower down the divine juices on earth for seven days resulting in plants etc. being tasty. At this time, the juicy earth becomes full of grainy and medicinal plants and varied kinds of taste and smell appear in them.
When the protected human and subhuman beings begin enjoying this good and cold smell, they come out of their caves. At that time, they are naked and behave like animals. When they become worried with hunger, they eat the fruits, roots and leaves etc. of the trees. The life-span in the first part of this spoke is 15-16 years, the height is one Hasta (~1.5 ft.). Afterwards, their age etc. begin gradually increasing with the change of times. The life-span, radiance, intelligence, arms-strength, body-height and qualities of patience and forbearance etc. gradually and naturally begin improving every time. Thus, when twenty one thousand years are passed, the spoke of extreme penury gets completed in this Bharata region.
The Spoke of Penury (DuîamÂ)
On completion of the first evolution spoke, the second spoke of penury commences. During this spoke of time, upto the period of 20,000 years, the food intake of the human and subhuman beings is similar to the fifth spoke of devolution epoch. At the beginning of this spoke of time, the maximum life-span of the living beings is twenty years, their height is 3-3.5 Hastas (~5-6 ft.).
The Birth of Patriarchs (Kulakaras)
When one thousand years are to go for completion of this spoke there will be the beginning of the birth of fourteen Kulakaras at Bharata Kîetra. Their names will be :
(1) Kanaka, (2) Kanakaprabha, (3) KanakarÂja, (4) Kanakadhvaja, (5) Kanakapungava, (6) Nalina, (7) Nalinaprabha, (8) Nalina-rÂja, (9) Nalinadhavaja, (10) Nalinapungava, (11) Padmaprabha, (12) PadmarÂja, (13) Padmadhvaja and (14) Padma-pungava. Out of these, the first patriarch will have a height of 4 Hastas (~ 6 ft.) and the last patriarch will have a height of seven Hastas (~ 10.5 ft.).
In the period of these Patriarchs, there is no good fire despite many kinds of grains and medicinal plants. On being approached by the humble people, the patriarchs advise them, “You prepare fire by rubbing and cook the grains on the fire. Also, you get married and enjoy your family and friends at your will”. The people, whom the patriarchs advise in the above way, are highly uncivilised. It has to be noted here that the custom of marriage starts in the days of the partiarch Padmapungava.
The Spoke of Penury-Cum-Plentitude (DuîamÂ-SuîamÂ)
After the end of the second spoke, the third spoke of penury-cum-plentitude appears. In the beginning, the height of the people is seven Hastas (~10.5 ft.) and the life-span is one hundred twenty years. At this time, bones of the back side are twenty four. The human beings have bodies of five colours. They observe humility, shame and propriety of conduct. They are fully satisfied and well-off people.
In this spoke only, there are twenty four TÍrthankaras. Out of them, the first TÍrthankara s the son of the fourteenth patriarch. From his times, there is a development of tendency like that existing in Videha region or the fourth spoke of the devolution epoch.
Names of Twenty four TÍrthankaras of the Future
There will be twenty four TÍrthankaras in the future epoch of time. There names are as below:
(1) MahÂpadma (2) Suradeva (3) SupÂríva (4) Svayamprabha (5) Sarvaprabha (6) Devasuta
(7) Kulasuta (8) Udanka (9) Proîthila (10) JayakÍrti (11) Munisuvrata (12) Ara (13) ApÂpa (14) NiîkaîÂya (15) Vipula (16) Nirmala (17) Citragupta (18) SamÂdhigupta (19) Svayambhö (20) Anivçtti (21) Jaya (22) Vimala (23) DevapÂla (24) AnantavÍrya
Out of these, the first TÍrthankara will have a body height of 7 H (~ 10.5 ft.) and a life-span of 116 years, while the last TÍrthankara will have a body height of 500 D and the life-span of a Pörva-koti years.
Names of the Future TÍrthankaras in their Third Earlier Rebirth
The venerables, binding the world-round praiseworthy karmic nature of TÍrthankara physique-making karma in the third earlier birth, had their names as below :
(1) êreàika (2) SupÂríva (3) Udanka (4) Proîthila (5) Kçtasöya (6) Kîatriya (7) PÂvila (8) êankha (9) Nanda (10) Sunanda (11) êaíÂnka (12) Sevaka (13) Premaka (14) Atoraàa (15) Raivata (16) Kçîàa (17) BalarÂma (18) Bhagali (19) Vigali (20) DvÍpÂyana (21) MÂàavaka (22) NÂrada (23) Suröpadatta (24) Satyakiputra (Rudra)
All of them were born in royal families.
Twelve CakravartÍs of the Future
The twelve CakravartÍs, who will take birth during the period of the future TÍrthankaras’ period, will be named as below :
(1) Bharata (2) DÍrghadanta (3) Muktadanta (4) Gödhadanta (5) êrÍîeàa (6) êrÍbhöti (7) êrÍkÂnta (8) Padma (9) MahÂpadma (10) CitravÂhana (11) Vimala-vÂhana (13) Ariîtasena
Nine Balbhadras of the Future
There will be nine Balabhadras in the future named as below :
(1) Candra (2) MahÂcandra (3) Candradhara (4) Varacandra (5) Sinhacandra (6) Haricandra (7) êrÍcandra (8) Pöràacandra (9) Sucandra
The persons are born as Balabhadras due to the earning of sacred karmas (puàya) without any future desires (NidÂna) in their earlier birth.
Nine NÂrÂyaàas of the Future
There will be nine NÂrÂyaàas in the future named as below :
(1) NandÍ (2) Nandimitra (3) Nandibhöti (4) Nandiîeàa (5) Bala (6) MahÂbala (7) Atibala (8) Tripçîtha (9) Dvipçîtha
They will be younger brothers of Balabhadras.
The Nine Prati-NÂrÂyaàas of the Future
There will be nine Prati-NÂrÂyanas in the future who are named as below :
(1) êrÍkanòha (2) Harikanòha (3) NÍlakanòha (4) Aívakanòha (5) Sukanòha (6) êikhikanòha (7) AívagrÍva (8) HayagrÍva (9) Mayöra-grÍva
They will be the enemies of the NÂrÂyaàas.
The above sixty-three êalÂk Puruîas will be born in this third spoke of the evolution epoch which has a duration of one KoÅÂkoÅÍ SÂgaras less by 42000 years. In the end of this spoke, the life-span of the people will be one Pörva-koti years. Their height will be 525 D. They will have sixty four bones in the back-side of the body. The males and females of this spoke of time will be as beautiful as male and female divinities.
Plentitude-cum-Penury Spoke of Time (SuîamÂ-DuîamÂ)
After the third spoke is over, the fourth spoke of plentitude-cum-penury begins. In the beginning of this spoke, the people have a life-span of one Pörva-koti years. Their height is 500 D. Their life-span, height and strength gradually increase as the time passes. The wish-fulfilling tress (Kalpavçkîas) also start growing in this spoke.
At this time, the earth is known as ‘minimal land of enjoyment’ (Jaghanya Bhoga-bhömi). In the end of this kind of land of enjoyment, the men have a life-span of one Palya, they have a body height of one Kosa (~2 miles) and the colour of their body is like the Priyangu fruit. The wish-fulfilling trees yield the materials for enjoyment. The lands of enjoyment have been described while giving the details of the devolution epoch. The duration of this fourth spoke is 2 KoÅÂkoÅi SÂgaras.
The Fifth Spoke of Plentitude (SuîamÂ)
After the end of the fourth spoke, the fifth spoke of plentitude starts. At the beginning of this spoke, the life-span etc. of the human and sub-human beings is similar to that of the people of medial (Madhyama) lands of enjoyment. In other words, the life-span starts from one Palya and gradually increases upto two Palya. Similarly, the body-height also increases from one Kosa to two Kosas (~ 4 miles) in the end. These males and females have a face like full moon, they are extremely humble and well-in-conduct observance. They have one hundred twenty eight bones in the back side. The duration of this spoke is three KoÅÂkoÅÍ SÂgaras.
The Sixth Spoke of Extreme Plentitude (SuîamÂ-SuîamÂ)
The sixth spoke of extreme plentitude starts after the end of the fifth spoke of time. In the beginning of this spoke, the life-span etc. of the people are as per early descriptions. Because of the change of times, the life-span of the human and subhuman beings goes on increasing up to three Palyas & height becomes 3 Kosas, their body colour is like the rising sun and the bones of their back side increase up to two hundred and fifty six. At that time, the earth becomes known as supreme or maximal (Uttama) land of enjoyment. The enjoyment landers are enriched with the power of proteation (VikriyÂ) to create large family and enjoy their lives. Theduration of this spoke is four KoÅÂkoÅÍ SÂgaras.
Thus, the changes in the six spokes of the Evolution epoch get completed. This follows the epoch of devolution and so on in a regular cyclic way.
The Regions of Six-fold Time- Spoke Changes
There are infinite-times-infinite six-spoked epochs of Devolution and Evolution in the Àryan section of the Bharata and AirÂvata regions of JambödvÍpa like the maxim of Persian wheel of water pots for drawing water from the well. (Persian wheel, Araha-ghatik NyÂya).
The Epoch of Extra-Ordinary Events (HundÂvasarpiàÍ)
There appears an epoch of extraordinary events after the lapse of the tradition of innumerable devolution and evolution epochs or Aeons. The epoch of extraordinary event is marked by the following special events :
(1) There are rains etc. and birth of the deficient-sensed beings even when there is some more time to go for completion of the third spoke of devolution epoch.
(2) In the same third spoke, there is the loss of the wish-fulfilling trees and beginning of activities related with the lands of action (Karmabhömis).
(3) In the same period, the first TÍrthankara and the first CakravartÍ are also born.
(4) Due to the effect of this epoch, there is break in the victory mission of the CakravartÍs.
(5) The CakravartÍ also creates a new caste of BrÂhmanas in the society in this spoke.
(6) In this spoke of this epoch, there are only fifty-eight êalÂk Puruîas (instead of 63 as in normal third spoke of devolution epoch).
(7) There is discontinuity of religiosity in the religious order of seven TÍrthankaras from ninth to sixteenth in this spoke.
(8) In this spoke, eleven Rudras and quarrel-loving nine NÂradas are also born.
(9) In this epoch, there are inflictions on the seventh, twenty-third and the last twenty-fourth TÍrthankaras.
(10) In the third, fourth and fifth spokes of this epoch, the varied kinds of people also become visible. They are cruel and sinner false gods (Ku-deva) and falsely guised beings (Ku-lingÍ). They are trouble-shooters for good religiosity.
(11) There are many low status aboriginal castes like CandÂlas, êabaras, KirÂtas and êvapacas etc. taking birth in this epoch. There are 42 Kalkis and Upa-Kalkis.
(12) There are many varieties of calamity like overrains, no-rains, earthquakes, thunderbolt falls and the like in the epoch of extraordinary events.
Eleven Rudras
The eleven Rudras having proficiency in primary canonical scriptures have taken birth during the periods of different TÍrthankaras. Their names are given below :
(1) BhimÂvalÍ (2) Jitaíatru (3) Rudra (4) VaiívÂnara (5) Supratiîtha (6) Acala (7) PundarÍka (8) Ajitandhara (9) AjitanÂbhi (10) PÍtha (11) SÂtyaki-putra.
The first of these Rudras was born during the period of the first TÍrthankara Lord VçîabhanÂtha. Jitaíatru-the second was born during the period of second TÍrthankara Lord AjitanÂtha. The later seven Rudras were born serially during the periods of the seven TÍrthankaras from Lord SuvidhinÂtha onwards. The tenth Rudra was born during the period of Lord êÂntinÂtha and the last SÂtyakiputra was born during the period of Lord MahÂvÍra. All the Rudras got derailed from their austerities due to sensualism during their studies of the tenth pre-canon. They got devoid of the gem of righteousness and went to terrific hells. Please see the details about the Rudras in Table-9 in the end of the book.
Nine NÂradas
The nine NÂradas are :
(1) BhÍma (2) MahÂbhÍma (3) Rudra (4) MahÂrudra (5) KÂla (6) MahÂkÂla (7) Durmukha (8) Narakamukha (9) Adhomukha.
All these NÂradas are terrific and make troubles and cause weeping to others. They are the treasure house of sins. All the NÂradas are fond of quarrels and wars. That is why, they have gone to hells like the VÂsudevas.
Twenty four KÂma-devas (Cupid-like Men)
There have been twenty four KÂma-devas during the period of twenty four TÍrthankaras. They have an incomparable face and personality. Their names are as below :
(1) Lord BÂhubalÍ (2) Amitateja (3) êrÍdhara (4) Yaíobhadra (5) Prasenajita (6) Candravaràa (7) Agnimukti (8) SanatkumÂra (9) VatsarÂja (10) Kanakaprabha (11) Siddhavaràa (12) êantinÂtha (13) KunthunÂtha (14) ArahanÂtha (15) VijayarÂja (16) êrÍcandra (17) Nala, the king (18) HanumÂna (19) Balagaja (20) Vasudeva (21) Pradyumna (22) NÂgakumÂra (23) êrÍpÂla (24) JambösvÂmi
Out of them, SanatkumÂra was a CakravartÍ, while êÂntinÂtha, KuntunÂtha, ArahÂnatha were TÍrthankaras as well as CakravartÍs.
It is admitted that the TÍrthankaras (24), their parents (48), CakravartÍs (12), Balbhadras (9), NÂrÂyaàas (9), Rudras (11), NÂradas (9), KÂmadevas (24) and Patriarchs (14) are liberatable personages and they attain salvation either in the same birth or in few rebirths. The TÍrthankaras attain salvation in the same birth as a rule. There is no such rule for other categories of the above personages.
Upto here, there are the details of the cyclic arrangement of Universe as per Jaina System. This is the subject of the Exposition of Cosmology and Sciences (KaràÂnuyoga) with respect to the change of eras. However, it is also included in the exposition of Biographies to understand it properly.
