Mallinatha

Jain texts indicate Mālliṇātha was born at Mithila into the Ikshvaku dynasty to King Kumbha and Queen Prajnavati.^{[citation needed]} Their height is mentioned as 25 dhanusha.^[2] Tīrthaṅkara Māllīnātha lived for over 56,000 years, out of which 54,800 years less six days, was with omniscience (Kevala Jnana).^[3] They were said to have lived for 55,000 years by other authors.^[2]

Mallinatha is believed to be a woman named Malli Devi by Shvetambara Jains while the Digambara sect believes all 24 tirthankara to be men including Māllīnātha. Digambara tradition believes a woman can reach to the 16th heaven and can attain liberation only being reborn as a man. Digambara tradition says Mallinatha was a son born in a royal family, and worships Mallinatha as a male.^[4][5] However, the Shvetambara tradition of Jainism states that Māllīnātha was female with a name Mallivati.^[6][7]

According to Jain beliefs, Mālliṇātha became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.^[8]

Mallinatha is said to have been born 1,000 crore less 6,584,000 years after their predecessor, Aranatha.^[2] Their successor, Munisuvrata, is said to have been born 54 lakh years after them.^[2]

1. Jnatrdharmakathah gives the story of Lord Mallinath, which is said to be composed by Ganadhara Sudharmaswami.^{[citation needed]}
2. Mallinathapurana was written by Nagachandra in 1105 CE.^[9]

• Mannargudi Mallinatha Swamy Jain Temple is a Jain temple in Mannargudi, an ancient town in the erstwhile Chola Empire of Tamil Nadu.
• Chaturmukha Basadi is a famous Jain temple located at Karkala in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is dedicated to Tirthankar Aranatha, Mallinath and Munisuvratnathswami.^[10]
• Sri Mallinath Jain Derasar, near Bhoyani, Viramgam Taluk, Gujarat.^[11]

• 
  Chaturmukha Basadi
• 
  Mannargudi Mallinatha Swamy Temple
• 
  Mallinath Temple, Kosbad

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mallinātha.

• God in Jainism
• Jainism and non-creationism