The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c6.37

c6.37

The end of the Titthagara career is discussed by Jambudd. 156b, though the text fails to mention any fixed locality. Acc. to the legends it is invariably the mountain of Sammeta or Pārasnāth, a name referring to Pārśva (Pāsa). It was only Usabha who found the Nirvāṇa on the Kailāsa, Vāsupujja in Campā, Ariṭṭhanemi on Girnār, and Mahāvīra (s.b.) in Pāvā. The cremation of the corpse is performed by all godly princes under Sakka's leadership. As we read in Viy. 502b the relics enjoy adoration in the heavenly sphere. This description holds good in any case even though the author here but refers to Usabha whose biography which for the most part coincides closely with Jinac. 204-228 is related in the preceding passages. Ranging first in the sequence and, for that reason, frequently called Ādinātha in later times Usabha (Ṛṣabha) enjoys the advantage of a more detailed representation which in Āv.2 is explicitly proclaimed to be universally accepted; anything the like does not occur until the end of the sequence (s. b.). Ṛṣabha who, acc. to Viṣṇu-Purāṇa 2, 1 was a world emperor to become a naked ascetic and to die the fasting-death¹ is sure to have come to the Jains most opportunely as ranging first in their sequence.² The extended description of the late Bhāgavata-P. (5, 6, 8-11) is connected with a vengeful allusion to Jainism flourishing in "Konka, Venka and Kuṭaka" thanks to Ṛ.'s travels in those regions. As is mentioned ibd. 5, 15, 1, but not in Viṣṇu-P., the same has happened with Sumati, Bharata's son. The person of Malli is (Thāṇ. 400b) identical with that of the king's daughter referred to by Nāya. 8. There she is called by the name of Malli arahā and incidentally so from the moment (Nāyādh. 148a) when, on account of her report in front of her six suitors, she comes to remember earlier adventures. Her naming as Arhat always remains masculine, and the gods hail her (Nāyādh. 151a none else than Mahāvīra, Jinac. 111) as Bhagavamloka-nāha. Nor does the latter figurative representation distinguish her in any way from the others. All this is a matter of course since sexual qualities are not inherent in a Siddha any longer. The Digambaras do not know of Malli having been a girl (comp. § 30).