Words may be few in this world, but their meanings are infinite.
This video is only 15 minutes long, but the knowledge and joy it holds is eternal and limitless.
We are starting the series “Gagar Ma Sagar” – meaning “an ocean in a pot.”
Who is an Arya?
One who stays away from sin, walks on the path of righteousness, is non-violent, has compassion, and follows a civilized way of living — such a person is called an Arya.
Discipline is the identity of Arya Dharma.
This is the 57th episode of Arya Dharma.
What was the world like before Jain Dharma?
Before Jain Dharma began, there was no culture or civilization in the world. People lived like animals — eating raw food, walking without clothes, lacking both ethics and discipline.
It was Lord Rishabhdev who gave civilization its first shape.
According to scriptures, the first Tirthankara, Rishabhdev, was the one who:
- Taught the world to speak
- Taught them to wear clothes
- Started agriculture
- Showed how to create tools
- Gave a system of culture and ethics
In short, he taught us how to live like humans.
Rishabhdev in the Vedas
Even the Vedas mention Lord Rishabhdev.
A verse states:
“ऋषभं चार्थम् ऋषभं च धर्मम्”
Meaning: Rishabh is the essence of truth and righteousness.
He was not just the first King (Chakravarti) of this world, but also the first Sadhu (ascetic) and the first Tirthankara of this time cycle.
Human life before Rishabhdev
In the initial eras, people were born as siblings in pairs.
They had no idea what being human truly meant. There was no passion, no marriage, no desires. They lived simply and naturally. Nature provided everything to them.
But over time, this divine phase ended, and a more effort-based life began.
This new world was called Karmabhumi — where effort and action are needed for survival.
People started facing problems:
- How to eat?
- How to speak?
- What to wear?
- How to live as a family?
That’s when Lord Rishabhdev took birth to guide humanity.
What Rishabhdev Taught the World
Rishabhdev gave humanity:
- 16 Sanskaras (rites of life)
- Marriage system
- Agricultural knowledge
- Education for both men and women
- Division of society by work and responsibility
- The basics of ethics, law, culture, and justice
He taught his sons and daughters — like Bharat, Bahubali, Brahmi, and Sundari — and through them, he educated society.
Before this, people didn’t even know the alphabet.
It was Brahmi, his daughter, who was taught the alphabet first.
Sundari learned mathematics.
Thus, Lord Rishabhdev made this world civilized — laying the foundation of Arya Dharma.
What is Arya Dharma?
The way of cultured, ethical, disciplined living — taught by Rishabhdev before he took renunciation — is known as Arya Dharma.
Only after establishing a stable and civilized society did he renounce the world, achieve Keval Gyan (infinite knowledge), and preach Jain Dharma.
So first came Arya Dharma (the way to live),
Then came Jain Dharma (the way to be liberated).
🧘♀️ Conclusion
Lord Rishabhdev was the first King, the first Monk, the first Teacher, and the first Tirthankara.
He gave this world not only the path to liberation but also the foundation of human civilization.
His teachings remind us that:
👉 To walk on the path of Jain Dharma, we must first understand and follow Arya Dharma — a life of discipline, ethics, and compassion.
👉 Only a stable society can produce strong spiritual seekers.
Let us remember:
Lord Rishabhdev didn’t just show us how to renounce the world —
He first taught us how to live in it.