Ghantakarna Mahavir

Ghantakarna Mahavir
Jain protector deity (Vira)
for alternate text of the title image per WP:ALT
Ghantakarna Mahavir
Gujarati ઘંટાકર્ણ મહાવીર
Venerated in Jainism
Major cult center Mahudi
Weapon Bow and arrow
Region Gujarat, India
Festivals Kali Chaudas

Ghantakarna Mahavir is a protector Jain deity. There is a shrine dedicated to him at Mahudi Jain temple established by Buddhisagar Suri, a Jain monk.

Legend

There was a Kshatriya king named Tungabhadra or Mahabal from Shri Nagar. He was king of the Himalayan dynasty. He protected religious people, castes and virtuous women and unmarried girls from robbers. He protects pilgrims who visited Shri Parvat near his kingdom from bandits. He primarily used bow and arrows, to protect innocents and he had a heavy mace.

Tungabhadra died fighting thieves while saving a group of people who were targeted for threat and robbery. He reincarnated as Ghantakarna Mahavir. He is venerated as 30th Vir (hero) in the list of fifty-two Rakshak Deva ("protector divinity") or Virs.[1]

Association

Ghantakarna Mahavir liked the sounds of bells (ghanta) and had bell-shaped ears (karna) so he was called Ghanta-karna Mahavir (great warrior). He was fond of sukhdi (mixture of jaggery, wheat and ghee), a sweet, so it is offered by devotees at his Mahudi shrine.

Main Temple

See also

References

  1. ↑ ":: Welcome to Siddhachalam Jain Tirth >> Siddhachalam - Temples ::". Siddhachalam. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.