Ganadhara

{{Distinguish|Gandharva|Gandhara|Gandara (disambiguation){{!}}Gandara}}{{Infobox deity

| type =

| name = Indrabhuti Gautam Ganadhara

| image = Indrabhuti Gautam Ganadhara.jpg

}}

File:Miniature of Gautamasvāmin seated, in the typical Śvetāmbara monastic dress and holding a rosary, 15th century (British Library Or 2126A).png ganadhara of Mahavira painting from Śrīpāla-kathā, 15th century]]

In Jainism, the term Ganadhara is used to refer the chief disciple of a Tirthankara. In samavasarana, the Tīrthankara sat on a throne without touching it (about two inches above it).{{sfn|Jain|2008|p=95}} Around, the Tīrthankara sits the Ganadharas.{{sfn|Jain|2008|p=96}} According to Digambara tradition, only a disciple of exceptional brilliance and accomplishment (riddhi) is able to fully assimilate, without doubt, delusion, or misapprehension, the anekanta teachings of a Tirthankara.{{sfn|Jain|2012|p=xi}} The presence of such a disciple is mandatory in the samavasarana before Tirthankara delivers his sermons. Ganadhara interpret and mediate to other people the divine sound (divyadhwani) which the Jains claim emanates from Tirthankara's body when he preaches.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=37}}

The monastic sangha of Jainism is divided into a number of orders or troupes called ganas, each headed by a ganadhara.[http://www.jainworld.com/jainbooks/explain/e2.htm The Early Centuries of Jainism][http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/agamas.html Jain Agama Literature]

In 20th century, statues depicting Tīrthankaras and Ganadharas were unearthed in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.{{citation|url=https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalsu01nage|title=The archaeological survey of Mayurabhanja|author=Nagendra-Natha Vasu|page=xivi}}

List of the Ganadhara of 24 Tīrthankara

No.	Tīrthankara	Count	Famous Ganadhara
class="wikitable sortable"
1	Rishabhanatha (Adinatha)	84	Vrishabha Sen, Kachha, Maha Kachha, Nami, Vinami{{sfn\|Jain\|2008\|p=126}}
23	Parshvanatha	8	Kesi, Subhadatta, Aryaghoṣa, Vashishtha, Brahmachari, Soma, Sridhara, Virabhadra and Yasas
24	Mahavira	11{{sfn\|Natubhai Shah\|2004\|p=38}}	Indrabhuti Gautama, Agnibhuti, Vayubhuti, Sudharmaswami, Vyakta, Mandikata Mauryaputra, Akampita, Acalabharata, Metarya and Prabhasa

Ganadhara Vrisabha Sen

Vrishabha Sen was the Ganadhara of Tīrthankara Rishabhanatha. According to Jain legends, after the nirvana of Rishabhanatha, Bharata was in grief. Ganadhara Vrisabha Sen saw him and spoke to him: {{quote|"Surely, this is not an occasion for grief, for the Lord has gone to the everlasting Abode of the Immortals, which you and I even are also going to reach very soon!{{cite book |title=Risabha Deva - The Founder of Jainism |chapter= XI. Ganadhara Vrisabha Sen |author=Champat Rai Jain |publisher=K. Mitra, Indian Press, Allahabad |year=1929 |page=[https://archive.org/details/RisabhaDeva-TheFounderOfJainism/page/n217 189] |url=https://archive.org/details/RisabhaDeva-TheFounderOfJainism}}}}

After this, Bharata recollected himself, touched the feet of Ganadhara Vrisabha Sen and left for his kingdom.

References

Sources

{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4iyUu4Fc2-YC&pg=PR14|title=Acharya Amritchandra's Purushartha Siddhyupaya| isbn=9788190363945|last=Jain|first=Vijay K.|year=2012|publisher=Vikalp Printers |quote=Non-copyright}}
{{citation |last=Jain |first=Champat Rai |author-link=Champat Rai Jain |title=Risabha Deva |date=2008 |publisher=Bhagwan Rishabhdeo Granth Mala |location=India |isbn=9788177720228 |edition=Second }}
{{citation |last=Dundas |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Dundas |title=The Jains |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X8iAAgAAQBAJ |edition=Second |date=2002 |orig-year=1992 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-26605-X }}
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