Tirthankara Nemi and the Bhagavadgita

Summary

1. Jain Perspective on the Gītā and Mahābhārata The article argues that the Bhagavad Gītā, while central to Hinduism, is also deeply embedded in Jain tradition. Jain texts affirm that Tīrthaṅkara Neminātha lived during the time of Krishna, Balarāma, and the Pāṇḍavas, and that the Mahābhārata war took place in this era. Jain purāṇas and canonical sources, especially in Sanskrit and Kannada, focus more on Ariṣṭanemi (Nemi) rather than Krishna. 2. Genealogy and Interrelation of Yadava-Pāṇḍava Lineages i) A detailed family tree is provided (see diagram on page 2) showing relationships among: ii) Krishna, Balarāma, Pāṇḍavas iii) Their lineage from Yadu of Harivaṃśa iv) Connections to Ariṣṭanemi and Rathnemi v) This genealogical mapping emphasizes the interconnectedness of Jain and Hindu mythological figures. 3. The Siribhoovalaya and Its Uniqueness i) The Siribhoovalaya, a mathematical and multilingual literary marvel by Jain scholar Kumudendu, is presented as a vast, encoded Jain text: ii) Claimed to contain 600,000 verses and read in 718 languages iii) Covers 363 philosophical systems and 64 arts (kālā) iv) Mentions canonical Jain texts like Aṅgas, Aṅgabāhiras, and works of Kundakunda, Umāsvāti, etc. v) It is not just a literary piece but a compendium of Indian culture and Jain philosophy, expressed through mathematical encryption (ankākṣara method). 4. Preservation of the Gītā in Jain Tradition Kumudendu states that the original Gītā was taught by Ṛṣabha to his sons, Bharata and Bāhubali. The Gītā’s tradition was passed: i) From Bāhubali to Bharata in Prākrit, ii) To Samudravijaya, Nemi, Krishna, and Balarāma iii) Finally taught to Arjuna during the Mahābhārata in five languages. iv) This chain portrays the Jainization of the Gītā's transmission, incorporating it into Jain ethical and metaphysical thought. 5. Structure and Language of the Gītā in Siribhoovalaya i) Kumudendu claims the Prākrit Gītā begins with Nirvāṇa gāthās in alphabetical order. ii) The Sanskrit Gītā appears from the 27th letter. iii) He compares its structure to Tattvārthasūtra and Ṛṣimaṇḍala. iv) Uses poetic Kannada metre (sāṅgatya) to translate Gītā for Amoghavarṣa. 6. Kumudendu’s Methodology and Intellectual Contributions Using a sophisticated numerical scheme, Kumudendu encodes verses, identifies bandhas, and correlates Gītā's verses with Jain scriptures. His rendition equates Gītā’s ethical voice with Jainism’s ahiṃsā tradition and positions it as part of Jain pedagogy.