Jina of Kīkaṭapura

Jina, simply known as Jina, Sanskrit: जिन, Telugu: జినుడు, Hindi: जिन.

Jina was the Buddhist king of Kīkaṭapura. In the Kalki Purāṇa, Kīkaṭapura is the leading stronghold of adharma in Bhārata in the Kali Yuga. It was full of nāstikas (those who reject the Veda). It was ruled by pratyakshavādins, who accept only what the eyes can see, and who rejected the Vedas, the life after death and all ritual. Jina came out against Bhagavān Kalki with two akshauhiṇī armies and fought a fierce battle. He fought with great paurusha (manly strength). He hurled weapons of every kind, stole Bhagavān Kalki’s kavaca (armour), and even wrestled with him. In the end he was killed by one mushṭi-ghāta (blow of the fist) from Bhagavān Kalki. He was the first of the great Buddhist mleccha kings to fall in Bhagavān Kalki’s campaign to restore dharma.

Who he was and his kingdom

Jina ruled Kīkaṭapura, a city marked by the complete absence of Vedic practice. No pitṛtarpaṇa (water offerings to the ancestors) was done there, and no devapūjā (worship of the devas) was held. The people argued that there was no paraloka (next world) and that the deha (body) itself was the ātmā (self). The city had no rules of varṇa or kula (family). Its people were rich and given to pleasures of the world: women, food and drink. All of them were nāstikas. Large Buddhist temples stood over the city.

The name “Jina” is a title used in the Buddhist and Jain traditions for an enlightened one who has conquered (jita) the enemies within. The Kalki Purāṇa tells of the city in Dvithīyāmśa, Chapter 6.

The battle

News came to Jina that Bhagavān Kalki was near. He marched out with two full akshauhiṇī armies. They had elephants adorned with gold, horses and chariots, and great mahārathikas (chariot-warriors) with weapons and banners. At first the fighting went in favour of Bhagavān Kalki’s forces, and many Buddhist soldiers ran away. Bhagavān Kalki called out to them: “O Bauddhas! Why do you flee? Show me your full strength.”

Jina was weakened, but he answered the taunt with paurusha. He put on his kavaca and took his khaḍga (sword), mounted his vṛshabha (bull) and entered single combat.

Jina fought with skill and fury. He struck Bhagavān Kalki’s divine horse with a śūla (spear) and covered Bhagavān Kalki with a thick shower of arrows. He tried to lift Bhagavān Kalki and throw him down, but found him unmovable, as if joined to the earth. He did manage to steal Bhagavān Kalki’s kavaca and one weapon before he drew back. This forced Bhagavān Kalki for a moment into Viśākhayūpa’s chariot to recover.

When the battle began again, Jina stayed defiant. He stated the pratyakshavāda view plainly: “We Buddhists accept only pratyaksha-pramāṇa (proof by direct sight). An unseen Parameśvara means nothing to us. If you are divine, just kill me. Words are useless.” Then he covered Bhagavān Kalki with arrows again.

All his divine weapons, the Brahmāstra, Vāyavyāstra, Āgneyāstra and Vāruṇāstra, became powerless in the presence of Bhagavān Kalki. Bhagavān Kalki rose into the air and seized Jina by the hair, and both fell to the ground together. They fought in malla-yuddha (wrestling), gripping each other’s hair and arms, like Kṛshṇa and Cāṇūra. With one crushing mushṭi-ghāta, as an elephant fells a palm tree, Bhagavān Kalki drove Jina into the earth. Jina died. The Kalki Purāṇa tells this in Dvithīyāmśa, Chapter 7.

After his death

The Buddhist soldiers wept and cried out at Jina’s death. The brāhmaṇas and Bhagavān Kalki’s army rejoiced. Jina’s brother Śuddhōdhana then took up the battle, and in the end brought Māyādevī to the field. The Kalki Purāṇa tells this in Dvithīyāmśa, Chapter 7.

Sources

• Kalki Purāṇa, Dvithīyāmśa, Chapters 6–7