Nabhi

Nabhi
14th Kulakara
Image of King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi (Photo: Khajuraho Museum, Madhya Pradesh, India)
Other names	Nābhirāja
Height	525 bows (1575 metres)
Age	17 lakh years
Spouse	Marudevi
Children	Rishabhanatha
Preceded by	Prasenachandra

King Nabhi or Nabhi Rai or was the 14th or the last Kulakara of avasarpini. He was the father of Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara of present avasarpini.

Biography

King Nabhi or Nabhi Rai or was the fourteenth or the last Kulakara^{[note 1]} of avasarpini.^[2][3][4] He taught the men how to cut the nabhi (navel chords).^[5]

Marudevi, queen of king Nabhi,^[6] saw the 16 auspicious dreams. When she shared her dreams with the king, he explained that she will give birth to a tirthankara.^[7] 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).^[8]

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 fulfiling 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

1. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 7-8.
2. Jansma & Jain 2006, p. 31.
3. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 51-56.
4. Joseph, P. M (1997). Jainism in South India. p. 172. ISBN 9788185692234.
5. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 55.
6. Jansma & Jain 2006, p. 32.
7. Champat Rai Jain 1929, p. 51.
8. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 8.

Sources

• 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
• 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.