Māllīnātha


Māllīnātha was the 19th tīrthaṅkara "ford-maker" of the present avasarpiṇī age in Jainism. Jain texts indicate Mālliṇātha was born at Mithila into the Ikshvaku dynasty to King Kumbha and Queen Prajâvatî. Tīrthaṅkara Māllīnātha lived for over 56,000 years, out of which 54,800 years less six days, was with omniscience.
Lord Mallinatha is believed to be a woman named Malli bai by Swetambar Jains while the Digambara sect believes all 24 tirthankara to be men including Māllīnātha. Digambara tradition believes a woman can reach to the 16th heaven and can attain liberation only being reborn as a man. Digambara tradition says Mallinatha was a son born in a royal family, and worships Mallinatha as a male. However, the Svetambara tradition of Jainism states that Māllīnātha was female with a name Malli bai.
According to Jain beliefs, Mālliṇātha became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

Literature

  1. Jnatrdharmakathah gives the story of Lord Mallinath, which is said to be composed by Ganadhara Sudharmaswami.
  2. Mallinathapurana was written by Nagachandra in 1105 CE.

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