Munisuvrata

Munisuvrata was the twentieth tirthankara of the present half time cycle (avasarpini) in Jain cosmology.[2] Jain texts like padmapurana place him as a contemporary of Rama.[3] According to Jain texts, Munisuvrata was born as 54 lakh years passed after the birth of the nineteenth tirthankara, Mallinātha.[4] According to Jain beliefs, Munisuvrata descended from the heaven called Ānata kalpa on the twelfth day of the bright half of the month of Āśvina – āśvina śukla dvādaśi– to queen Padmā and king Sumitra.[5] In his previous incarnation, Munisuvrata was born as Surshreshta, the king of Champa, Mahavideh.[6] On the third day of Shraavana (month) Krishna (dark fortnight) according to Hindu calendar, queen Padmavati of Rajgir saw sixteen auspicious dreams. When she shared her dreams with her husband, king Sumitra of the Harivamsa clan, he explained that a tirthankara will be born to them soon. Then, Munisuvrata was born to them on the fifteenth day of the Shraavana Shukla (bright fortnight) in 1,184,980 BC.[2]

According to Jain texts, after spending 7,500 years as youth (kumārakāla), Munisuvrata ruled his kingdom for 15,000 years (rājyakāla). He then renounced all worldly pursuits and became a monk. According to Jain beliefs, Munisuvratanātha spent 11 months (chadmasthakāla) performing karma-destroying austerities and then attained the all-embracing knowledge – Omniscience (kevala jñāna).[7] His height was 20 bows (60 metres).[8] Munisuvrata is said to have lived for over 30,000 years and attained liberation (nirvāña) from Sammeda śikhara on the twelfth day of the dark half of the month of phālguna – phālguna kṛṣna dvādaśi.[7]

Svayambhustotra by Acharya Samantabhadra is the adoration of twenty-four tirthankaras. Its five slokas (aphorisms) adore the qualities of Munisuvratanātha.[9]

O Lord Munisuvratanātha! You had attained the excellent observance of the vows of the sages; you are the ascetic supreme, and utterly pristine (having destroyed the inimical karmas). You stood out in the assembly of the sages like the moon in the midst of the constellations of stars.

— Svayambhūstotra (20-1-111)[10]

Events of the Jaina version of Ramayana are placed at the time of Munisuvratanātha.[11]

Mahavira is usually depicted in a sitting (or standing) meditative pose, with a lion symbol beneath him;[12] each tīrthankara has a distinct emblem, which allows worshippers to distinguish similar idols.[13] Jivantasvami represents Munisuvrata as a princely state. The Jina is represented as standing in the kayotsarga pose wearing crown and ornaments.[14]

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  State Museum Bhopal, 6th century
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  Image of Munisuvrata natha (Jahazpur district, Bhilwara)
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  12th Century (1153 AD), hasteda, Rajasthan
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  Munisuvrata, 1466 CE, Western India, National Museum, New Delhi
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  Munisuvrata idol at Paithan made of sand

• Chaturmukha Basadi is a famous Jain temple located at Karkala in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is dedicated to Tirthankara Aranatha, Māllīnātha and Munisuvrata.[15]
• Shri Munisuvrata-Nemi-Parshva Jinalaya located at Santhu, Rajasthan
• Paithan Jain Tirth

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  Chaturmukha Basadi
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  Shri Munisuvrata-Nemi-Parshva Jinalaya at Santhu
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  Naulakha Mandir, Rajgir
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  Hasteda, Jain temple

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Munisuvrata.

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