Rishabhdev

Rishabhanatha
First Tirthankara
Image of Rishabhanatha at Kundalpur pilgrimage site in Madhya Pradesh, India
Other names	Adinatha, Adish Jina (first conqueror), Adi Purush (first Perfect Man), Ikshvaku
Successor	Ajitanatha
Symbol	Bull
Height	500 arc-lengths (800 ells, 1200 feet)
Age	8,400,000 purva years
Tree	Banyan
Color	Golden
Personal Information
Born	Ayodhya
Moksha	Mount Kailash
Spouse	Sunanda and Sumangala
Children	100 sons including Bharata and Bahubali, and 2 daughters: Sundari, Brahmi
Parents	Nabhi (father) Marudevi (mother)

Rishabhanatha (also Ṛṣabhadeva, Rishabhadeva, or Ṛṣabha which literally means "bull") is the first Tirthankara (ford maker) in Jainism. A mythical leader, he is believed in Jainism to have lived millions of years ago. He was the first of twenty four teachers in the present half cycle of time in Jain cosmology, and called a ford maker because his teachings helped one across the sea of interminable rebirths and deaths (saṃsāra). He is also known as Ādinātha of Jainism which translates into "First (Adi) Lord (nātha)", as well as Adishvara (first ishvara), Yugadideva (deva of yuga), Prathamaraja (first king), and Nebheya (son of Nabhi). Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Neminatha, Rishabhanatha is one of the four Tirthankaras that attract the most devotional worship among the Jains.

According to Jain traditional accounts, he was born to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi in north Indian city of Ayodhya, also called Vinita. He had two wives, Sunanda and Sumangala. Sumangala is described as the mother of his ninety-nine sons (including Bharata) and one daughter, Brahmi. Sunanda is depicted as the mother of Bahubali and Sundari. The sudden death of Nilanjana, one of the dancers of Indra, reminded him of the world's transitory nature and he developed a desire for renunciation. After renouncing, the Jain legends state he wandered without food for a whole year. The day on which he got his first ahara (food), is celebrated as Akshaya Tritiya by Jains. He is said to have attained Moksha on Mount Kailash. The text Adi Purana by Jinasena is an account of the events of his life. His iconography includes colossal statues such as Statue of Ahimsa, Bawangaja and those erected in Gopachal hill. His icons include the eponymous bull as his emblem, the Nyagrodha tree, Gomukha (bull-faced) Yaksha, and Chakreshvari Yakshi.