Nabhi

King Nabhi or Nabhi Rai was the 14th or the last Kulakara of avasarpini (the descending half of the cosmic time cycle in Jainism and the one in which the world is said to be at present). He was the father of Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara (founder of Jainism) of present avasarpini. According to Jain text Ādi purāṇa, Nabhirāja lived for 1 crore purva and his height was 525 dhanusha (long bows).

Nabhi
14th Kulakara
Image of King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi (Photo: Khajuraho Museum, Madhya Pradesh, India)
Other names	Nābhirāja
Predecessor	Prasenachandra
Height	525 bows (1575 metres)
Age	17 lakh years (1700 000 yrs in Gregorian)
Personal information
Spouse	Marudevi
Children	Rishabhanatha

According to Jain literature, India was known as Nābhivarṣa (land of Nabhi) before being renamed as Bhāratavarṣa after Bharata, the son of Rishabhanatha.

Life

King Nabhi or Nabhi Rai was the fourteenth or the last Kulakara of avasarpini.[lower-alpha 1][2][3][4] He taught the men how to cut the nabhi (navel chords) and organised them into social polity.[5][6] Marudevi, queen of king Nabhi,[7] saw the 14 auspicious dreams. When she shared her dreams with the king, he explained that she will give birth to a tirthankara.[8] She then gave birth to Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara of present avasarpini.[1] According to Jain text Ādi purāṇa, Nabhirāja lived for 1 crore purva and his height was 525 dhanusha (long bows).[9] Nabhi is depicted as one of the Manus in Bhagavata Purana.[10] He is shown as the great-grandson of Svayambhuva, the first Manu.[11]

According to Jain literature, India was known as Nābhivarṣa (land of Nabhi) before being renamed as Bhāratavarṣa after Bharata, the son of Rishabhanatha.[12]

See also

• Salakapurusa

Notes

1. According to Jain cosmology, when the third ara of the avasarpani (present descending half-cycle of cosmic age) was nearing its end, felicities due to ten type of Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling trees) started declining.[1] Fourteen wise men called Kulakara arose from time to time to teach people how to perform the laborious activities for survival.

References

Citations

1. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 7-8.
2. Jansma & Jain 2006, p. 31.
3. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 51-56.
4. Joseph 1997, p. 172.
5. Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 16.
6. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 55.
7. Jansma & Jain 2006, p. 32.
8. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 51.
9. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 8.
10. Doniger 1993, p. 243.
11. Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 15.
12. Anu Kapur 2019, p. 44.

Sources

• Doniger, Wendy, ed. (1993), Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts, State University of New York Press, ISBN 0-7914-1381-0
• Jain, Champat Rai (1929), Risabha Deva - The Founder of Jainism, Allahabad: The Indian Press Limited, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Jain, Vijay K. (2015), Acarya Samantabhadra's Svayambhustotra: Adoration of The Twenty-four Tirthankara, Vikalp Printers, ISBN 978-81-903639-7-6, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Jansma, Rudi; Jain, Sneh Rani (2006), Introduction to Jainism, ISBN 9788189698096
• Joseph, P. M (1997), Jainism in South India, ISBN 9788185692234
• Kapur, Anu (2019), Mapping Place Names of India, ISBN 9780429614217
• Shah, Natubhai (2004) [First published in 1998], Jainism: The World of Conquerors, I, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1938-2