page_title: Neminatha
section_title: Literature
hierarchical_section_title: Neminatha / Legacy / Literature
caption_attribution_description: The Kalpasutra (the heroic deeds of the conquerors) a Prakrit Manuscript dated 1503. Minature Wellcome Images Keywords: Jainism; Religion; India; miniatures; ORIENTAL; Jinas
context_page_description: Neminatha is the twenty-second tirthankara in Jainism. He is also known simply as Nemi, or as Aristanemi which is an epithet of the sun-chariot. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminatha is one of the twenty four tirthankaras who attract the most devotional worship among the Jains.
  According to Jain beliefs, Neminatha lived 2356 years before the 23rd tirthankara Parshvanatha. He is mentioned as the youngest son of king Samudravijaya and queen Shivadevi in Jainism. Krishna, the Hindu deity, is mentioned as his cousin. He is believed to have been born at Sauripura in the Yadu lineage, like Krishna. His birth date is mentioned as the fifth day of Shravana Shukla of the Hindu calendar. He is believed to have herded cattle and to have become fond of animals. According to Jain belief, on his wedding day Neminatha heard the cries of animals being killed for the marriage feast, and moved by the sorrow he renounced the world to become a monk – a scene found in many Jain artwork. He is believed to have attained moksha on Girnar Hills near Junagadh, a pilgrimage center for Jains.
context_section_description: The Jain traditions about Neminatha is incorporated in the Harivamsa Purana of Jinasena. A palm leaf manuscript on the life of Neminatha, named Neminatha-Charitra, was written in 1198-1142 AD. It is now preserved in Shantinatha Bhandara, Khambhat. Rajul's love for Neminatha is described in the Rajal-Barahmasa (an early 14th-century poem of Vijayachandrasuri). The incident were Neminatha is depicted as blowing Krishna's mighty counch is given in Kalpa Sūtra. The separation of Rajul and Neminatha has been a popular theme among Jain poets who composed Gujarati fagus, a poetry genre. Some examples are Neminatha Fagu (1344) by Rajshekhar, Neminatha Fagu (1375) by Jayashekhar and Rangasagara Neminatha Fagu (1400) by Somsundar. A poem Neminatha Chatushpadika (1269) by Vinaychandra depicted the same story. Hindu tradition mentions about Neminatha in vedas like Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda.
caption: Kalpa Sūtra recto Neminatha's blowing Krishna's conch verso text
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