Ghantakarna Mahavir

Ghantakarna Mahavir
Jain protector deity (Vira)
Ghantakarna Mahavir
Devanagari	घंटाकर्ण महावीर
Gujarati	ઘંટાકર્ણ મહાવીર
Major cult center	Mahudi
Weapon	Bow and arrow
Region	Gujarat, India
Festivals	Kali Chaudas

Ghantakarna Mahavir is a protector Jain deity. There is a shrine dedicated to him at Mahudi Jain temple established by Buddhisagar Suri, a Jain monk.

Legend

There was a Kshatriya king named Tungabhadra or Mahabal from Shri Nagar. He was king of the Himalayan dynasty. He protected religious people, castes and virtuous women and unmarried girls from robbers. He protects pilgrims who visited Shri Parvat near his kingdom from bandits. He primarily used bow and arrows, to protect innocents and he had a heavy mace.

He died fighting thieves while saving a group of people who were targeted for threat and robbery. He reincarnated as Ghantakarna Mahavir. He is venerated as 30th Vir (hero) in the list of fifty-two Rakshak Deva ("protector divinity") or Virs.

Association

He liked the sounds of bells (ghanta) and had bell-shaped ears (karna) so he was called Ghanta-karna Mahavir (great warrior). He was fond of sukhdi (mixture of jaggery, wheat and ghee), a sweet, so it is offered by devotees at his Mahudi shrine.

Main Teemple

Mahudi, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

See also

• Mahudi
• Manibhadra Vir