Mallinatha

For the poet and critic, see Mallinātha Sūri.

Mallinatha
19th Tirthankara
Idol of Mallinatha in female form at Keshavrai Patan, Rajasthan
Venerated in	Jainism
Predecessor	Aranatha
Successor	Munisuvrata
Symbol	Kalasha
Height	25 dhanusha (75 meters)
Age	56,000
Color	Blue
Gender	Male (Digambara) Female (Shvetambara)
Genealogy
Born	Mithilapuri Jain Teerth, Mithila
Died	Sammed Shikhar
Parents	Kumbha (father) Prajnavati (mother)
Dynasty	Somavaṁśa—Ikṣvākuvaṁśa

Mallinatha (Prakrit Mallinātha, Devanagari: मल्लिनाथ, Sanskrit: मल्लिनाथः, 'Lord of jasmine or seat') was the 19th tīrthaṅkara "ford-maker" of the present avasarpiṇī age in Jainism.

In Jain history

A diorama in Jain Museum of Madhuban, Giridih depicting Mallinatha teaching six kings the futility of bodily beauty, as per Swetambara tradition.

Mallinath Tonk on Shikharji from where Mallinatha attained Nirvana

Jain texts indicate Mālliṇātha was born at Mithila into the Ikshvaku dynasty to King Kumbha and Queen Prajnavati. His height is mentioned as 25 dhanusha. Tīrthaṅkara Māllīnātha lived for over 56,000 years, out of which 54,800 years less six days, was with omniscience (Kevala Jnana). He is said to have lived for 55,000 years by other authors.

Mallinatha is believed to be a woman named Malli Devi by Shvetambara 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 Shvetambara tradition of Jainism states that Māllīnātha was female with a name Mallivati.

According to Jain beliefs, Mālliṇātha became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

Mallinatha is said to have been born 1,000 crore less 6,584,000 years after his predecessor, Aranatha. His successor, Munisuvrata, is said to have been born 54 lakh years after him.

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.

Main temples

• Mannargudi Mallinatha Swamy Jain Temple is a Jain temple in Mannargudi, an ancient town in the erstwhile Chola Empire of Tamil Nadu.
• Chaturmukha Basadi is a famous Jain temple located at Karkala in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is dedicated to Tirthankar Aranatha, Mallinath and Munisuvratnathswami.
• Sri Mallinath Jain Derasar, near Bhoyani,Viramgam Taluk,Gujarat.

• 
  Chaturmukha Basadi
• 
  Mannargudi Mallinatha Swamy Temple
• 
  Mallinath Temple, Kosbad

See also

• God in Jainism
• Jainism and non-creationism

References

Sources

• Finegan, Jack (1952), The archeology of world religions, Princeton University Press
• Johnson, Helen M. (1931), Mallināthacaritra (Book 6.6 of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra), Baroda Oriental Institute
• Dundas, Paul (2002) [1992], The Jains (Second ed.), London and New York: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-26605-X
• Jain, Vijay K. (2015), Acarya Samantabhadra's Svayambhustotra: Adoration of The Twenty-four Tirthankara, Vikalp Printers, ISBN 978-81-903639-7-6, archived from the original on 16 September 2015, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Jaini, Padmanabh S. (1998) [1979], The Jaina Path of Purification, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1578-5
• Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987), Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana: Jaina iconography, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-208-X
• Tukol, T. K. (1980), Compendium of Jainism, Dharwad: University of Karnataka
• Vallely, Anne (2002), Guardians of the Transcendent: An Ethnology of a Jain Ascetic Community, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0-8020-8415-6
• 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
• Vyas, Dr. R. T., ed. (1995), Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects, The Director, Oriental Institute, on behalf of the Registrar, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, ISBN 81-7017-316-7
• Ashton, Martha Bush (1976), Yakshagana, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 9788170170471