what were the 72 skills taught to men and 64 skills taught to women by raja rushabhdev?
According to Jain tradition, Rishabhanath (Rushabhdev) is said to have taught 72 arts to men and 64 crafts to women. The lists vary a bit between traditions, but a common core is:
- Six broad arts and sciences that he imparted to his children: use of weapons (asi), writing (masi), agriculture (krishi), education/knowledge (vidya), trade and commerce (vanijya), and crafts/arts including architecture (silpa).
- His daughters Brahmi and Sundari are specifically linked to language/script (Brahmi) and mathematics ( Sundari), illustrating the emphasis on literacy and numbers in these traditions.
Notes:
- The exact items listed under “72 for men” and “64 for women” differ somewhat between Digambar and Shwetambar sources, and there isn’t a single universally fixed enumeration across all texts.
- The core idea remains that Rushabhdev laid foundations of social knowledge—crafts, arts, writing, commerce, agriculture, and related skills—for the flourishing of early Jain society.