SSC
Who was the first Tirthankara of Jainism?
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Answer: Option B — Rishabhanatha
Detailed Solution
Rishabhanatha, also called Rishabhdev or Adinatha ("the first lord"), is regarded by Jains as the first of the 24 Tirthankaras of the present cosmic age. According to Jain tradition, he was born in Ayodhya to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi and lived an extremely long time before recorded history.
Jain texts describe Rishabhanatha as the founder of human civilisation in this age. He is said to have taught people agriculture, crafts, writing, arithmetic and the arts of life. He then gave up his kingdom to his sons and became an ascetic. He attained nirvana on Mount Ashtapada, which is traditionally identified with Mount Kailash. His symbol (emblem) is the bull.
His sons, according to legend, were Bharata, after whom the land of Bharatavarsha (India) is said to be named, and Bahubali (Gommateshwara). The famous 57-feet monolithic statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka was built around 983 CE by Chavundaraya, a minister of the Western Ganga dynasty. A grand anointing ceremony called the Mahamastakabhisheka is held there about every 12 years.
Rishabhanatha is mentioned in some Hindu texts as well. The Bhagavata Purana describes Rishabha as an incarnation of Vishnu. Jains also claim that the Rig Veda and the Yajur Veda mention him, though historians differ on this.
Among the other Tirthankaras, only the last two, Parshvanatha (23rd) and Mahavira (24th), are generally accepted by historians as historical persons.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mahavira was the 24th and last Tirthankara.
- ✗Parshvanatha was the 23rd Tirthankara; his symbol is the snake.
- ✗Ajitanatha was the second Tirthankara.
Quick tip
Remember: Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) = 1st Tirthankara, born in Ayodhya, symbol the bull, father of Bharata and Bahubali (statue at Shravanabelagola).
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Buddhism & Jainism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Buddhism & Jainism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Buddhism and Jainism arose in the 6th century BCE as reform movements. This topic covers the lives and teachings of Gautama Buddha and Mahavira, the Jain tirthankaras, the Buddhist councils, the sects of both religions, their sacred texts and the places linked to them. Common questions cover the four great events of the Buddha's life and their places (birth at Lumbini, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, first sermon at Sarnath, death at Kushinagar), the four Buddhist councils with their kings and venues, and the Jain sects Digambara and Shvetambara. Learning the councils as a table of place, king and president is the fastest way to revise. Practise the Buddhism and Jainism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.