AshtamangalaThe Ashtamangala (अष्टमङ्गल) is a sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Signs featured in a number of Indian religions such as Buddhism , Jainism, and Hinduism. The symbols or "symbolic attributes" () are yidam and teaching tools. Not only do these attributes (or energetic signatures) point to qualities of enlightened mindstream, but they are the investiture that ornaments these enlightened "qualities" (Sanskrit: guṇa; ). Many cultural enumerations and variations of the Ashtamangala are extant.
MunisuvrataMunisuvrat(Munisuvratnath) (IAST: ) (Devanagari: मुनिसुव्रतनाथ) (Sanskrit: मुनिसुव्रतः) was the twentieth tirthankara of the present half time cycle (avasarpini) in Jain cosmology. He became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of his karma. Events of the Jaina version of Ramayana are placed at the time of Munisuvrata. Munisuvrata lived for over 30,000 years. His chief apostle (gaṇadhara) was sage Malli Svāmi. Munisuvrata was the twentieth tirthankara of the present half time cycle (avasarpini) in Jain cosmology.
AranathaAranath(Arnath) was the eighteenth Jain Tirthankar of the present half cycle of time (Avasarpini). He was also the eighth Chakravartin and thirteenth Kamadeva. According to Jain beliefs, he was born around 16,585,000 BCE. He became a siddha i.e. a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karmas. Aranath was born to King Sudarshana and Queen Devi (Mitra) at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date was the tenth day of the Migsar Krishna month of the Indian calendar.
ShrivatsaThe Shrivatsa (Sanskrit: श्रीवत्स; IAST: Śrīvatsa, Beloved of Shri) is an ancient symbol, considered auspicious in Hinduism and other Indian religious traditions. Shrivatsa means "Beloved of Shri", an epithet of Vishnu, and a reference to his consort, the goddess Lakshmi, also called Shri. It is a mark on the chest of Vishnu, where his consort is described to reside. The Bhagavata Purana explains the origin of this mark. The story goes that a number of maharishis once gathered on the banks of the river Sarasvati to perform a yajna.
ChandraprabhaChandraprabha (Lord of Moon) or Chandranatha is the eighth Tirthankara of Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age (Avasarpini). According to traditional accounts, he was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri to the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to Jain texts, his birth-date was the twelfth day of the Posh Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He is said to have become a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Chandraprabha was the eighth Jain Tīrthankara of the present age (avasarpini).
SamavasaranaIn Jainism, Samavasarana or Samosharana ("Refuge to All") is the divine preaching hall of the Tirthankara, stated to have more than 20,000 stairs in it. The word samavasarana is derived from two words, sama, meaning general and avasara, meaning opportunity. It is an important feature in Jain art. The Samavasarana seems to have replaced the original Jain stupa as an object of worship. In samavasarana, the tirthankara sits on a throne without touching it (about two inches above it).
Mount AbuMount Abu () is a hill station in the Aravalli Range in the Sirohi district of the state of Rajasthan in western India.The mountain forms a rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert' as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. It is also home to numerous Hindu and Jain temples. The nearest train station is Abu Road railway station 28 km away. The ancient name of Mount Abu is Arbuda.
KayotsargaKayotsarga (कायोत्सर्ग , काउस्सग्ग ) is a yogic posture which is an important part of the Jain meditation. It literally means "dismissing the body". A tirthankara is represented either seated in yoga posture or standing in the kayotsarga posture. Kayotsarga means "to give up one's physical comfort and body movements", thus staying steady, either in a standing or other posture, and concentrating upon the true nature of the soul. It is one of the six essentials (avasyaka) of a Jain ascetic and one of the 28 primary attributes of a Jain monks and nuns.
AvasarpiṇīAvasarpiṇī is the descending half of the cosmic time cycle in Jainism and the one in which the world is said to be at present. According to Jain texts the Avasarpiṇī is marked by a decline in goodness and religion. The ascending half of the cycle is called utsarpiṇī, which is marked by the ascent of goodness and religion. Jaina cosmology divides the worldly cycle of time (kalpakāla) in two parts or half-cycles (kāla) – ascending (utsarpiṇī) and descending (avasarpiṇī) – each consisting of 10 x 1 crore x 1 crore addhāsāgaropama (10 kotikotī sāgaropama).
PadmaprabhaPadmaprabha, also known as Padmaprabhu, was the sixth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avsarpini). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha - a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. In the Jain tradition, it is believed that Padmaprabha was born to King Shridhar and Queen Susimadevi in the Ikshvaku dynasty at Kausambi which is in today's Uttar Pradesh, India. Padmaprabha means ‘bright as a red lotus’ in Sanskrit. It is said in Śvetāmbara sources that his mother had a fancy for a couch of red lotuses – padma – while he was in her womb.
