Teachings and sublime Words of Avatar Rishabhadeva
Avatar Rishabhadeva is a partial emanation of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is fully immersed in ever-increasing spiritual bliss.
He is the Master of all Vedic knowledge, of liberation, of human beings, celestial beings, and of learned sages, and has performed many marvelous deeds without displaying his supernatural powers.
Addressing his sons, and through them to all of us, Lord Rishabhadeva imparts a teaching of great value for anyone who desires to live peacefully in this world of suffering.
He taught his sons how to follow the path of perfection by practicing austerity, which purifies our existence and leads us to eternal and ever-increasing spiritual happiness.
In reality, the teachings given by the Sovereign Lord Rishabhadeva to his own sons were not specifically intended for them, as they already possessed a good education, a great culture, and a very high level of knowledge.
His teachings were rather addressed to hermits, also called renunciates, who aspire to ascend the path of devotion. The true hermit or renunciate is one who is no longer bound by self-interested actions, who renounces sense pleasures and materialism, and who embraces the devotional service he offers to Krishna, after having triumphed over all material desires.
He benefits from the teachings of Lord Rishabhadeva, as he desires to abide by Rishabhadeva's instructions throughout his progress on this path.
The teachings of Lord Rishabhadeva are addressed to people living in the four ages: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Copper Age, and especially the Iron Age, the present age, also called the Black Age or the Dark Age, the age of discord, hypocrisy, quarrels, indifference, decadence, and sin.
His instructions are so powerful that, even in the present age, one can attain perfection simply by following in the footsteps of the perfect spiritual masters, or by listening attentively to them. In His inexpressible mercy, Lord Rishabhadeva teaches knowledge of the true identity of being and the purpose of existence.
By his instructions and personal example, Lord Rishabhadeva enlightens the conditioned souls, which we all are, and shows them how to find satisfaction within themselves by assuming their spiritual identity. He has shown how one can engage in various demanding forms of charity, austerity and penance, for He taught by example.
The loving and devoted service we must offer to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom Lord Rishabhadeva teaches us to adopt, follow, and practice, is the only pure path through which all our misfortunes and suffering will disappear. But more importantly, it is only through this path that we can enter the kingdom of Godhead, approach Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, see Him face to face, and remain with Him for eternity.