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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{for|Hindu mythical demon|Ghanta Karna}}<br />
{{short description|Protector deity in Jain mythology}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox deity<br />
| type = Jain <br />
| name = Ghantakarna Mahavir<br />
| image = GhantakarnMahvir-RavindraJain.JPG<br />
| caption = Ghantakarna Mahavir<br />
| alt = Image of deity<br />
| deity_of = Kshatriya protector deity (Vira)<br />
| Devanagari = घंटाकर्ण महावीर<br />
| script_name = Gujarati<br />
| script = {{lang|gu|ઘંટાકર્ણ મહાવીર}}<br />
| mantra = ''Gantakarana Mantra Stotra''<br />
| weapon = Bow and arrow<br />
| region = [[Gujarat]], India<br />
| venerated_in = [[Jainism]]<br />
| cult_center = [[Mahudi]]<br />
| festivals = [[Kali Chaudas]]<br />
}}<br />
{{Jainism}}<br />
'''Ghantakarna Mahavira''' is one of the fifty-two ''vira''s (protector deities) of [[Śvētāmbara|Svetambara]] [[Jainism]].<ref name="Cort2000">{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gG5dDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA417|title=Tantra in Practice|last=Cort|first=John E.|date=16 July 2000|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-0-691-05779-8|editor=David Gordon White|pages=417–433|chapter=Worship of Bell-Ears the Great Hero, a Jain Tantric Deity}}</ref> He is chiefly associated with [[Tapa Gaccha]], a monastic lineage. He was a deity of the Jain ''tantrik'' tradition. There is a shrine dedicated to him at the [[Mahudi Jain Temple]] established by [[Buddhisagar Suri]], a Jain monk, in nineteenth century. It is one of the popular Jain pilgrimage centres of India.<ref name="Cort2000" /><br />
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== History==<br />
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Ghantakarna Mahavira is a Jain deity from the Jain tradition and is worshiped and venerated by some specific monastic lineages and probably many laymen. He is one of the fifty-two ''vira''s (protector deities) and is called ''Mahavira'' (Great ''vira'').<ref name="Cort2000" /><ref name=":0" /> The verse 67 of ''Gantakarana Mantra Stotra'' by Vimalachandra states that he is worshipped since the time of [[Haribhadra]] (c. 6-8th century). There is other corroborating evidence.<ref name="Cort2000" /> In ''Ghantakrana-kalpa'', Vimalachandra mentions him as a ''vira'' as well as ''[[kshetrapala]]'' (guardian deity of the land). Late commentary on the ''Namiuna-stava'' (verse 1) also mentions his veneration.<ref name=":0" /> The veneration transmitted from the teacher to the disciple. Ravisagar Suri initiated [[Buddhisagar Suri]] (1874-1925) in February 1898. After having direct vision of Ghantakarna, Buddhisagar Suri established an image of Ghantakarna at [[Mahudi Jain Temple]].<ref name="Cort2000" /> The worship is further popularised by Jayasimha Suri, Sarabhai Nawab and other [[Śvētāmbara|Swetambara]] people. Ghantakarna is not known among [[Digambara]] Jains.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last=Shah|first=U. P.|date=September–December 1982|title=Minor Jaina deities|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YeINAAAAYAAJ|journal=Journal of the Oriental Institute|location=Baroda|publisher=Oriental Institute, [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda]]|volume=XXXII|issue=1–2|pages=95–97}}</ref> [[John E. Cort]] states it as a reformulation of a private tradition in a devotional public tradition.<ref name="Cort2000" /><br />
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== Worship ==<br />
[[File:Mahudi Temple.jpg|thumb|[[Mahudi Jain Temple]]|left]]<br />
Ghantakarna is invoked for protection from variety of obstacles and difficulties such as epidemics, diseases, fire, invasions, ghosts.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Cort2000" /> He is also invoked for the protection from the opponents of Jainism.<ref name="Cort2000" /><br />
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Mahudi Jain temple is one of the popular Jain pilgrimage centres of India.<ref name="Cort2000" /> Thousands of devotees visit it and offers ''[[Sukhdi]]'' (mixture of [[jaggery]], wheat and [[ghee]]), a sweet there. After offering, it is consumed by devotees within the temple complex. His images are also found in other Jain temples in western India.<ref name="Cort2000" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="kc" /><br />
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On ''[[Kali Chaudas]]'' (the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Aso), thousands of devotees visit the Mahudi temple to attend a religious ceremony, ''[[Havan]]''.<ref name=kc>{{cite news| last = Dave| first = Pranav| date = 2013-11-02| title = Kali Chaudas havan revered by all faiths| url = https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Kali-Chaudas-havan-revered-by-all-faiths/articleshow/25078317.cms| newspaper = The Times of India| location = Ahmedabad| access-date = 2013-11-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=97203|title=Kali Chaudas Celebrated at Shri Ghantakarna Mahavir Temple at Mahudi, Gujarat|date=2013|work=Ahimsa Times|via=herenow4u}}</ref><br />
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== Texts ==<br />
''Gantakarana Mantra Stotra'' is a Sanskrit text associated with him which has 71 verses and is used as a [[mantra]] as well as hymn. It was composed in later half of the 16th century by a little known Jain monk Vimalachandra who was a disciple of Sakalachandra, a disciple of Tapa Gaccha monk [[Hiravijaya|Hiravijaya Suri]]. There are other Gantakarna Mantras as well.<ref name="Cort2000" /> ''Ghantakrana-kalpadi-sangrah'' published by Sarabhai M. Nawab is a collection of late manuscripts such as ''Ghantakarna-kalpa'' from Jain libraries with 26 illustrations. He has included some instructions in [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] in ''Ghantakarna-kalpa'' No. 2 and No. 3 but has not mentioned its source of translation or any manuscript. The Sanskrit ''mantra'' in No. 3 is the only ''mantra'' common is texts found in Jain libraries.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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==Mythology==<br />
In past life, Ghantakarna Mahavir was a king Tungabhadra or Mahabal from Shrinagar and had died fighting thieves to protect the innocents and pilgrims going to Shri Parvat. He reincarnated as Ghantakarna Mahavir, the thirtieth among fifty-two ''Vira''s (protector deities).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=62442&tt_address_pi1%5Buid%5D=1904&no_cache=1|title=Ghantakarna|date=2012-01-31|website=HereNow4u: Portal on Jainism|language=en|access-date=2018-11-02}}</ref><br />
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== Iconography ==<br />
There is no Jain textual authority to the iconography of Ghantakarna Mahavir described in ''kalpa'' texts or modern paintings.<ref name=":0" /> Until Buddhisagar Suri established anthropomorphic image of Ghantakarna Mahavir at Mahudi Jain Temple, Ghantakarna Mahavir was worshiped only in anthropomorphic [[yantra]]s and in an abstract forms.<ref name="Cort2000" /> In paintings, he is depicted as a two, four, six or eight armed with the bow and the arrow. He is also depicted with the shield, the sword, the [[Gada (mace)|mace]], the shield, the [[vajra]], the bow and arrow, the rosary, and the banner.<ref name=":0" /> The anthropomorphic image shows a standing man holding the bow and the arrow aimed towards left, having a crown on his head and the bell-shaped earrings. He has bell-shaped ears (''Ghanta'' and ''karna'') so he was called Ghantakarna Mahavir.<ref name="Cort2000" /><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Manibhadra]]<br />
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==References==<br />
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{{Jainism Topics|state=collapsed}}<br />
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[[Category:Jain minor deities]]</div>Cinehub 022