63 Shalaka Purush (Heroes or Great persons)
By Mr. Pravin K. Shah
Jain Study Center of North Carolin

The tradition states that time is infinite and follows repetitive cycles of ascents and descents. During the phase of ascent there is a gradual increase of truth and goodness, and during the period of descent there is a decrease of happiness and righteousness.

It is held that at each ascent and descent cycle, sixty-three shalaka purush (great heroes) are borned of whom there are twenty-four Tirthankaras.

Sixty-three Great Persons (Shalaka Purushas)

24 - Tirthankaras
12 - Chakra-varties
9 - Vasudevas (Narayans)
9 - Prati-Vasudevas (Prati-Narayans)
9 - Baladevas (Balabhadras)

63 Total
24 Tirthakaras - Name and Symbols

No.	Name	Symbol	Color
1	Shri Rushabhadev	ox	gold
2	Shri Ajitnatha	elephant	gold
3	Shri Sambhavanatha	horse	gold
4	Shri Abhinandana swami	monkey	gold
5	Shri Sumatinatha	crane	gold
6	Shri Padmaprabhu	lotus	red
7	Shri Suparshvanatha	swastika	gold
8	Shri Chandraprabhu	moon	silver
9	Shri Suvidhinatha	crocodile	silver
10	Shri Shitalanatha	shrivasta	gold
11	Shri Shreyansanatha	rhinoceros	gold
12	Shri Vasupujya swami	he-buffalo	red
13	Shri Vimalanatha	boar	gold
14	Shri Anantanatha	falcon	gold
15	Shri Dharmanatha	thunder-bolt	gold
16	Shri Shantinatha	deer	gold
17	Shri Kunthunatha	he-goat	gold
18	Shri Aranatha	Nandyavrata	gold
19	Shri Mallinatha	pot	blue
20	Shri Munisuvrata swami	tortoise	black
21	Shri Naminatha	lily	gold
22	Shri Neminatha	conch	black
23	Shri Parshvanatha	snake	blue
24	Shri Mahavir swami	lion	gold

The Twelve Chakra-varties are:

1. Bharata
2. Sagara
3. Meghavan
4. Sanatkumara
5. Shanti-natha
6. Kunthu-natha
7. Ara(ha)-natha
8. Subhauma
9. Padmaprabha
10. Harisena
11. Jayasena
12. Brahmadatt

The nine Vasudevas (Narayans) are:

1. Tripushta
2. Dvipushta
3. Svayambhu
4. Purushottama
5. Nara(Purusha)Simba
6. Pundarika
7. Dattadeva
8. Lakshmana
9. Krishna

The nine Prati-Vasudevas (Prati-Narayans) are:

1. Asvagriva
2. Taraka
3. Naraka
4. Nisumbha
5. Madhukaitabh
6. Prahlada
7. Bali
8. Ravana
9. Jarasandha

The nine Baladevas (Balabhadras) are:

1. Vijaya
2. Achala
3. Dharmaprabha
4. Suprabha
5. Sudarsana
6. Nandi (Ananda)
7. Nandimitra
8. Ramachandra
9. Padma

The above are the total sixty-three Shalaka-purushas.

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