Ganadhara
Disciples of Jain Tirthankara
title: "Ganadhara" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ganadhara"] description: "Disciples of Jain Tirthankara" topic_path: "general/ganadhara" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganadhara" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Disciples of Jain Tirthankara ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox deity"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| type | Jain |
| name | Gandhara Pundrika the First Disciple of Rishabhanatha |
| image | File:Gandhara Pundrika the First Disciple of Rishabhanatha.jpg |
| :: |
| type = Jain | name = Gandhara Pundrika the First Disciple of Rishabhanatha | image = File:Gandhara Pundrika the First Disciple of Rishabhanatha.jpg
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Miniature_of_Gautamasvāmin_seated,_in_the_typical_Śvetāmbara_monastic_dress_and_holding_a_rosary,15th_century(British_Library_Or_2126A).png" caption="[[Indrabhuti Gautama]] 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). Around, the Tīrthankara sits the Ganadharas. 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. 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.
The monastic sangha of Jainism is divided into a number of orders or troupes called ganas, each headed by a ganadhara.
In 20th century, statues depicting Tīrthankaras and Ganadharas were unearthed in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
List of the Ganadhara of 24 Tīrthankara
::data[format=table]
| No. | Tīrthankara | Count | Famous Ganadhara |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) | 84 | Vrishabha Sen, Kachha, Maha Kachha, Nami, Vinami |
| 23 | Parshvanatha | 8 | Kesi, Subhadatta, Aryaghoṣa, Vashishtha, Brahmachari, Soma, Sridhara, Virabhadra and Yasas |
| 24 | Mahavira | 11 | 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:
After this, Bharata recollected himself, touched the feet of Ganadhara Vrisabha Sen and left for his kingdom.
References
Sources
References
- [http://www.jainworld.com/jainbooks/explain/e2.htm The Early Centuries of Jainism]
- [http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/agamas.html Jain Agama Literature]
- Nagendra-Natha Vasu. "The archaeological survey of Mayurabhanja".
- Champat Rai Jain. (1929). "Risabha Deva - The Founder of Jainism". K. Mitra, Indian Press, Allahabad.
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