Anantanatha
| Anantanatha | |
|---|---|
14th Jain Tirthankara | |
Idol of Anantnath at Anantnath Jain Temple, Narshi Natha Street, Mumbai | |
| Venerated in | Jainism |
| Predecessor | Vimalnath |
| Successor | Dharmanath |
| Symbol | Porcupine as per Digambara Falcon as per Śvetāmbara[1] |
| Height | 50 dhanusha (150 meters) |
| Age | 3,000,000 years |
| Color | Golden |
| Genealogy | |
| Born | |
| Died | |
| Parents |
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| Dynasty | Ikṣvākuvaṁśa |
| Part of a series on |
| Jainism |
|---|
Anantnath was the fourteenth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini) of Jainism. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.
Biography
Anantnath was the fourteenth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini) of Jainism.[2] According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.His name, meaning “Infinite Lord,” symbolizes the boundlessness of spiritual liberation in Jain philosophy.[3] The Jainpedia account describes the five major kalyanakas, which are conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment, and liberation. These mark the sacred milestones of his life as preserved in both Svetambara and Digambara traditions.[3]
Anantnath was born to King Sinhasena and Queen Suyasha at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty.[2] His birth date was the 13th day of the Vaishakha Krishna month of the Indian calendar. From a young age, Anantnath exhibited signs of spiritual inclination, including detachment from worldly pleasures and an early interest in meditation and reflection, as described in Jain narratives.[3] After living a princely life, he renounced worldly attachments and undertook rigorous ascetic practices, eventually attaining kevala jñāna, or omniscience, through meditation and discipline.[3] His height is mentioned as 50 dhanusha.[4] He is said to have lived for 3,000,000 years.[4]
Anantnath is said to have been born 9 sagara after his predecessor, Vimalnath.[4] His successor, Dharmanath, is said to have been born 4 sagara after him.[4]
Literature and iconography
In Jain iconography, Anantanatha is traditionally depicted in a meditative posture with a golden complexion.[5] He is uniquely identified by his distinct iconographic emblem, though the specific animal varies by sectarian tradition; the Śvētāmbara sect associates him with the falcon, while the Digambara sect identifies him with the porcupine or bear.[6] Beyond his physical depiction, Anantanatha has been a subject of significant medieval Jain literature.[7] Most notably, the Anantanatha Purana, a major Kannada epic written by the prominent poet Janna in 1230 CE, provides a detailed poetic account of his life and teachings and remains a classic of Kannada literature.[8]
Famous Temple
As the 14th tirthankara, Anantanatha is venerated across the Indian subcontinent, with several prominent temple complexes dedicated specifically to his worship.[9] In southern India, the Anantnath Swami Temple located in Kalpetta, within the Wayanad district, serves as one of the most historically significant Jain monuments in Kerala.[10] Constructed in the traditional Dravidian architectural style, it functions as a crucial spiritual center for the regional Jain community.[10] In western India, the Anantnath Derasar situated in the bustling mercantile district of Mandvi in Mumbai stands as a major center of worship for the urban Śvētāmbara diaspora.[1] Additionally, marking the geographic site of his ultimate spiritual liberation, a dedicated shrine (tonk) enshrining his footprints (charan) is actively venerated by pilgrims on the peaks of Mount Shikharji.[11]
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Anantnath Swami Temple in Kalpetta, Kerala
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Image at Anantnath Swami Temple
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Ananthnath Temple, Madhuban
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Anantnath Derasar, Narshi Natha Street, Mumbai
See also
References
Citations
- ^ a b Tandon 2002, p. 45.
- ^ a b Tukol 1980, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d "Ananta – Jainpedia". jainpedia.org. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d Finegan 1952, p. 190.
- ^ Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 250.
- ^ Umakant P. Shah 1987, p. 150.
- ^ Upinder Singh 2024, p. 26.
- ^ Sastri 1976, p. 358.
- ^ Dundas 2002, p. 40.
- ^ a b Kumar Suresh Singh 2002, p. 490.
- ^ Cort 2001a, p. 23.
Sources
- Cort, John E. (2001a), Jains in the World : Religious Values and Ideology in India, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-513234-2
- Dundas, Paul (2002) [1992], The Jains (Second ed.), London and New York: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-26605-X
- Finegan, Jack (1952), The archeology of world religions, Princeton University Press
- Sastri, K.A. Nilakanta (1976) [1955], A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-560686-7, OCLC 1035966644
- Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987), Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana: Jaina iconography, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-208-X
- Singh, Kumar Suresh (2002), People of India, Kerala: Anthropological Survey of India, ISBN 978-81-8593-899-8
- Singh, Upinder (2024) [2008], A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (2nd ed.), New Delhi: Pearson Education, ISBN 978-93-570-5618-2
- Tandon, Om Prakash (2002) [1968], Jaina Shrines in India (1 ed.), New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, ISBN 81-230-1013-3
- Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998), Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence (2 ed.), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6
- Tukol, T. K. (1980), Compendium of Jainism, Dharwad: University of Karnataka